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Forget store-bought! This easy tartar sauce recipe comes together with just 6 simple ingredients and minutes of prep! It is creamy, tangy, bright and better than anything found in a jar.
Why Homemade Tartar Sauce is Best
If you have ever wondered why tartar sauce at seafood restaurants tastes so much better than what you buy at the store, let me let you in on their secret--they make it fresh!
And in less than 5 minutes, you can whip up homemade tartar sauce that will rival your favorite restaurant.
With real mayonnaise, fresh dill, bright lemon, and tangy lemon, this tartar sauce recipe puts store-bought to shame! It is super creamy, super fresh, and has the perfect consistency for dipping (perfect for fish sticks!)
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
Notes on Ingredients
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- For the Creamy Base: Real mayonnaise is the way to go here--not miracle whip (a bit too sweet and artificial) or fat-free mayonnaise (filled with fillers).
- For Crunch and Tang: Use finely chopped dill pickles to add that classic tart punch of flavor. Avoid using pickle relish, as it has added ingredients that will impact the flavor of the sauce.
- For Freshness: Fresh dill will add an herbaceous, classic flavor that rivals restaurant tartar sauce. Feel free to replace with dried dill if that is all you have on hand. Another great option is fresh tarragon.
- For Depth: Dijon mustard plus Worcestershire sauce add nuanced layers of flavor to the tartar sauce, without the need to add additional seasonings or ingredients like onion, garlic, salt, pepper, etc.
- For Acid: I prefer to brighten up homemade tartar sauce with a bit of fresh lemon juice. But if you don't have it on hand, use a teaspoon of the dill pickle juice instead, as that acidity will work to perk up the sauce as well.
How to Make Tartar Sauce
It really does not get much easier than this tartar sauce recipe.
- Chop. Finely chop the dill and pickles.
- Mix. Combine the chopped dill and chopped pickles with mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce until well combined.
- Chill. For best results, cover and chill for 30 minutes prior to serving. This allows enough time for the flavors to marry together.
Serving Suggestions
Tartar sauce is a must when serving your favorite seafood dishes, like Tuna Patties, Crab Cakes, and Fish Sticks. But think beyond seafood. It is delicious as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, air fryer french fries, baked fries, or even as a condiment on sandwich.
Recipe Modifications
- Make it Sweet: Swap out the dill pickles for bread and butter pickles and replace the fresh dill with fresh parsley.
- Add Some Heat: Add up to 2 teaspoons of hot sauce for subtle heat in the sauce.
- Make it Chunky. If you want a really thick, chunky tartar sauce, add an additional tablespoon or two of chopped pickles to the tartar sauce. As written, this recipe for tartar sauce is creamier than it is chunky.
Storage Instructions
Keep in mind that tartar sauce should not be frozen, so only make what you will consume within 5-7 days. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.
- Refrigerate: Transfer the prepared sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Easy Homemade Sauces
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Homemade Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill, or ½ teaspoon dried
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or pickle juice
- ⅓ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
Instructions
- Combine ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill, ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce, and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl until well combined. Fold in ⅓ cup dill pickles (diced) until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2025.
Really like this with the crab cakes. I bet leftovers would be great as a tuna salad binder.. hmm may try that. thanks!
Oh what a great idea! I bet that would be incredible!
My husband loves fish & chips but I never thought about making my own tartar sauce! I've been working on making vegan crab cakes and this will be perfect with that, too!
Oh I would LOVE to see that recipe creation, sounds delicious!
My husband has spent a lot of time fishing this summer to pass the time, so we've been frying a bunch of fish! I am glad I tried this tartar sauce, it was easy to make and perfect with our fried fish. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so glad you enjoyed this sauce! And what a great use of all this extra time 🙂
The recipe says 1/2 mayonaise.....should we assume that should be 1/2 cup?
YES--fixing now. Sorry about that!