• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Mind "Full" Mom
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Main Courses
      • 30-Minute Meals
      • Easy Pork Recipes
      • Beef Recipes
      • Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes
      • Sandwiches, Burgers, and Wraps
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Beverage Recipes
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Allergy Friendly Recipes
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Low Carb
    • Pasta
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
  • Instant Pot
    • Start Here: Instant Pot 101
    • All Instant Pot Recipes
    • Healthy Instant Pot Recipes
    • Sign Up for Instant Pot Tips and Recipes
  • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Free Instant Pot Secrets
  • Free Meal Plans
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Instant Pot
  • About Me
  • Free Instant Pot Secrets
  • Free Meal Plans
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Real Food » DIY/Condiments/Sauces » Homemade Tartar Sauce

    Homemade Tartar Sauce

    By Kristen Chidsey | 6 Comments | Published September 10, 2020 | Updated September 14, 2020 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Homemade Tartar Sauce only takes 5 minutes and 5 ingredients to whip together and is so much tastier than the store-bought sauce.

    Homemade Tartar Sauce only takes 5 minutes and 6 ingredients to whip together and is so much tastier than the store-bought sauce. This dip is creamy, yet bursting with tiny chunks of pickles and is the perfect consistency for dipping!

    Tartar sauce is an absolute must-have condiment for Fish Sticks, Fish Sandwiches, and Tuna Cakes, yet is also delicious served with Homemade French Fries or Onion rings. And this is the BEST recipe for Tartar Sauce, thanks to one special ingredient.

    White bowl with homeamde tartar sauce

    If I want to watch my family gobble up fish, I must have a side of Tartar Sauce. And not store-bought--only this recipe for homemade tartar sauce will do!

    The texture is perfect, the flavor is on point, and it is so much fresher than anything from a jar. And because it only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to make, it is easy to make yourself.

    Ingredients for Tartar Sauce

    • Mayonnaise: Use light or full-fat mayonnaise, but not fat-free, as the flavor will be compromised. If you would like to lighten up the tartar sauce, replace up to half of the mayonnaise with plain nonfat yogurt. I have made tartar sauce using only plain yogurt before and while good, it is not the same as using some mayonnaise in the recipe.
    • Dill Pickles: It is important to finely dice the dill pickles so that they don't compromise the dipping ability of the sauce. As for how many pickles to add, the advantage of making the sauce at home is that you can control that yourself. I recommend using between ¼ cup to ½ diced pickles--just depends how chunky you prefer the sauce to be.
    • Dill: Fresh dill is best, BUT feel free to use dried dill if that is all you have one hand.
    • Worcestershire Sauce: This my "secret" ingredient that really adds depth of flavor to Tartar Sauce. Feel free to omit, but it does help to balance everything out well.
    • Mustard: Mustard gives the sauce a great depth of flavor to the sauce. Use Dijon or spicy brown mustard, not yellow mustard.
    • Lemon: To brighten up Tartar Sauce, a bit of fresh lemon juice is needed. Fresh is best, but if you don't have any lemons use a teaspoon of the dill pickle juice instead, as that acidity will work to perk up the sauce as well.
    • Onion: This is an optional ingredient. Freshly minced onion will give the tartar sauce a bit more texture and tang. Personally, I prefer using onion powder over minced onion--as do my kids.

    mayo, mustard, pickles, lemon, dill, and Worchestire Sauce on coutner

    How to Make Tartar Sauce

    It is complicated....put the ingredients into a bowl and mix. Now the dip is best if refrigerated for at least 30 minutes before serving.

    Side by side bowl of tartar sauce being mixed together

    Storage and Use

    Tartar sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled, so I only make what I need for a week's time, as Tartar sauce can not be frozen.

    Use this sauce as a dip or spread for sandwiches, or anything fried or oven-baked--fried fish, Baked Fish Strips, french fries, tater tots, chicken strips, or breaded oysters.

    Whether serving with seafood, fried food, or chicken, this creamy, tangy Tartar Sauce is the perfect compliment. 

    Bowl of Homemade Tartar Sauce

    Homemade Tartar Sauce

    Homemade Tartar Sauce only takes 5 minutes and 6 ingredients to whip together and is so much tastier than the store-bought sauce.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Refrigerate: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 129kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons fresh dill minced (or ½ teaspoon dried)
    • ½ tablespoon Dijon/Brown mustard
    • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    • ¼-1/2 cup dill pickles finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon minced onion or ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
    • Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes prior to serving.

    Notes

    Nutrition has been calculated using full-fat mayonnaise. 
    • Mayonnaise: Use light or full-fat mayonnaise, but not fat-free, as the flavor will be compromised. If you would like to lighten up the tartar sauce, replace up to half of the mayonnaise with plain nonfat yogurt. 
    • Pickles: It is important to finely dice the dill pickles so that they don't compromise the dipping ability of the sauce. Add the full ½ cup of pickles if you like a chunky tartar sauce and only ¼ cup for a smoother sauce.
    • Salt: There is no need to add additional salt to this sauce. The Worcestershire sauce and pickles add plenty. 
    • Dill: Fresh dill is best, BUT feel free to use dried dill if that is all you have one hand.
    • Mustard: Use Dijon or spicy brown mustard, not yellow mustard.
    • In place of fresh lemon juice, use 1 teaspoon of the dill pickle juice as a substitute.
    • Onions are completely optional. Use onion powder for a more kid-friendly sauce. 
    • Tartar sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. 
    • This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 176mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

     

     

     

    Pin
    Share
    « Easy Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls
    Instant Pot Italian Beef »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz

      September 14, 2020 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 14, 2020 at 3:25 pm

        Oh I would LOVE to see that recipe creation, sounds delicious!

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      September 14, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 14, 2020 at 3:26 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed this sauce! And what a great use of all this extra time 🙂

        Reply
    3. Margie Pierce

      September 10, 2020 at 10:04 am

      The recipe says 1/2 mayonaise.....should we assume that should be 1/2 cup?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 10, 2020 at 10:05 am

        YES--fixing now. Sorry about that!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet A Mind "Full" Mom

    welcomeHi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

    Instant Pot Favorites

    jar of plain yogurt next to instant pot

    Instant Pot Yogurt

    Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Sliced Open on cutting board

    Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

    Shredded Pot Roast with carrots and Potatoes in white bowl next to Instant Pot.

    Instant Pot Pot Roast

    Whole Chicken on cutting board

    Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken

    Bowl of Cold Start Yogurt

    Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt

    Inner pot of instant pot filled dried beans

    Instant Pot Beans

    4 chicken breasts cooked inside instant pot.

    Instant Pot Chicken Breast (Fresh or Frozen)

    How to use the instant pot as a slow cooker

    How to Use Your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker

    Reader Favorites

    Bowl of Baked Meatballs.

    The Best Baked Meatballs

    slice of egg cheese overnight breakfast casserole with sausage

    Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

    Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice in yellow casserole dish

    Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice

    Baked Potato on White Plate

    Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

    Chili seasonings labled on wooden board

    DIY Chili Seasoning

    Plate of chicken and bok choy stir fry topped with cilantro.

    Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy

    Platter of Instant Pot Wings next to ranch dressing

    Instant Pot Chicken Wings

    Bowl of slow cooker oatmeal topped with maple syrup and nuts

    Slow Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal

    Taco Meat in skillet with wooden spoon

    The Best Taco Meat Recipe

    Homemade Chicken Tenders on platter.

    Homemade Chicken Tenders

    FEATURED ON

    featured

    Footer

    Featured on:

    Websites AMind"Full"Mom has been featured on

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    DISCLAIMER: THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE AND IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR TREATMENT. AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I GENUINELY LOVE ARE OFTEN INCORPORATED IN MY POSTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

    Copyright © 2020 · A MIND "FULL" MOM