How To Make The Best Tartar Sauce Recipe

I finally cracked the code for Homemade Tartar Sauce with capers, mayonnaise and a splash of pickle juice, plus one unexpected pantry ingredient you’ll want to try.

I used to be lazy with store-bought stuff until one afternoon I stirred together mayonnaise and capers and everything changed. This Best Tartar Sauce Recipe wakes up a bite with briny pops and a tang that makes you look twice, it’s bright but sneaky and sometimes even I cant predict which note will steal the show.

I like messy, imperfect splashes of flavor, the little caper bits that catch your teeth. Try a spoon and you’ll know exactly what I mean, you might even hide the jar so nobody borrows it.

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: Creamy base, mostly fat, little protein, adds richness and smooth mouthfeel.
• Dill pickles or relish: Briny crunch, low cal, adds tang and a subtle sweet sour pop.
• Capers: Tiny salty floral buds, bring salty bite and a vinegary tang, its very low calories.
• Lemon juice: Bright acid, adds acidity and freshness, vitamin C, cuts through richness.
• Shallot or red onion: Sharp bite, small fiber boost, adds savory crunch, mild sweetness when cooked.
• Dijon mustard: Pungent spice, low cal, gives tangy depth and emulsifying help to blend flavors.
• Parsley or dill: Herb lift, tiny vitamins and antioxidants, adds green freshness and bright herbal notes.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles or dill relish
• 1 tablespoon capers drained and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot or red onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or dill
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)

How to Make this

1. Put everything out on the counter so you dont forget anything: mayo, pickles or relish, capers, pickle juice, shallot or red onion, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, parsley or dill, salt, black pepper and that optional half teaspoon sugar.

2. Drain the capers well and chop them fine, same with the dill pickles or relish, and mince the shallot or onion small so you dont get big bites of onion later.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together the cup of mayonnaise, the tablespoon lemon juice, tablespoon Dijon mustard, and the tablespoon dill pickle juice plus the half teaspoon sugar if you want a touch of sweetness; whisk until smooth.

4. Fold in the chopped pickles, chopped capers and the minced shallot or red onion, then stir in the tablespoon chopped parsley or dill.

5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste but go light at first since capers and pickles are salty; you can always add more later.

6. Taste and adjust: if its too tangy add a bit more mayo, if its flat add a touch more lemon juice or pickle juice, if you want more bite add extra capers or a pinch more mustard.

7. For a creamier, smoother sauce you can pulse it a couple times in a small food processor, or leave it chunky if you like texture.

8. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour or overnight so the flavors mellow and marry, then stir again before serving.

9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, give it a quick stir before each use and taste again for seasoning.

10. Serve cold with fried or grilled fish, on sandwiches, or as a dip, and remember dont overdo the pickle juice at first you can always add more but you cant take it out.

Equipment Needed

1. Measuring cups and spoons, you need a 1 cup, 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
2. Medium mixing bowl for whisking and folding
3. Whisk, or a fork if youre in a hurry
4. Cutting board
5. Sharp chef knife for chopping capers pickles and shallot
6. Small strainer or paper towel to drain capers and pickles well
7. Rubber spatula or spoon for folding the mixture together
8. Small food processor or immersion blender, optional if you want it extra smooth
9. Airtight container for chilling and storing in the fridge

FAQ

How To Make The Best Tartar Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Mayonnaise: swap with plain Greek yogurt for a tangy, lower-fat option (use 1:1), or sour cream for richer flavor, or vegan mayo if you want it plant-based.
• Dill pickles or relish: use finely chopped cornichons or bread-and-butter pickles for similar texture, or grate a small dill cucumber, squeeze out excess water and stir in 1/2 tsp vinegar to mimic the tang.
• Capers: replace with chopped green olives for a briny hit, or just add an extra tablespoon of chopped pickles if capers aren’t available.
• Shallot or red onion: sub with finely sliced scallion or chopped chives for a milder onion flavor, or use a tiny pinch of onion powder if you want no crunch.

Pro Tips

1) Start light on salt and pickle juice, you can always add more later, but you cant take it out. If it ends up too salty stir in a little extra mayo or plain yogurt to calm it down — works every time.

2) For texture decide up front: pulse it a few times in a small food processor for a silky sauce or fold gently if you want chunks. If you want less onion bite soak the minced shallot in lemon juice for 5 minutes then drain, it mellows fast.

3) Let it rest in the fridge at least an hour, better overnight. Flavors mellow and blend, so it will taste noticeably better the next day. Before serving give it a quick taste and stir, then tweak acid, sugar or mustard in tiny amounts until it sings.

4) Save some garnish for the end like a few whole capers or a sprinkle of fresh dill, that makes it look fresh. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days, and take it out 10 minutes before serving so the mayo loosens a bit and spreads easier.