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    Home » Recipes » Sauces

    Classic Old Fashioned Tartar Sauce - Quick and Easy

    By Chula King · Oct 22, 2022 · Updated: Mar 28, 2025

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Homemade Tartar Sauce.

    Old Fashioned Tartar Sauce is a classic condiment that is perfect on all sorts of fried seafood. This easy tartar sauce recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. I've been making this tartar sauce for years, and the Master Taste Tester consistently says that it's the best tartar sauce he's ever had. The ultimate compliment!

    Homemade Tartar Sauce with parsley.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
    • Simple Steps in Making the Tartar Sauce
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Dishes to Serve with Tartar Sauce
    • Recipe

    Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need

    Ingredients needed for Tartar Sauce.
    • The Base: Mayonnaise is the main ingredient for this delicious tartar sauce.
    • The Vegetables: I like to add sweet pickle relish, minced onions, minced parsley, and capers to the mayonnaise.
    • The Liquids: Fresh lemon juice provides the perfect amount of liquid for the proper consistency and the best flavor. In addition, Tabasco sauce gives the tartar sauce a hint of heat.

    Simple Steps in Making the Tartar Sauce

    1. First, I added all of the ingredients for the tartar sauce to a bowl.
    Ingredients for tartar sauce in a bowl.
    1. Once I had added the ingredients to a small bowl, I stirred everything together to ensure that the ingredients were well combined.
    1. Then, I transferred the tartar sauce to an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for the ingredients to blend together for the best flavor.
    Transferring tartar sauce to another dish.

    That's it - quick and easy with such a simple recipe. Yum!

    Adding tartar sauce to battered fish.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are capers?

    Capers are the caper bush's immature, unripened, green flower buds. The caper bush is found in Mediterranean countries, Asia and Australia. Italy, Morocco, and Spain, as well as Asia and Australia. Capers are often brined and provide texture and tanginess to tartar sauce.

    Can capers be omitted from the recipe?

    Capers provide an added flavor to the tartar sauce and should not be omitted, at least from this recipe.

    Why is tartar sauce often associated with seafood?

    Tartar sauce contains lemon juice, which is acidic. The acid in tartar sauce serves to neutralize the fishy taste of seafood in a manner similar to vinegar.

    How long will tartar sauce last?

    For best results, the tartar sauce should be covered and refrigerated. It should last about a week.

    Why is it called tartar sauce?

    Tartar sauce originated in France as sauce tartare. It was named after the Tatars, who settled in the Ukraine and in parts of Russia. 

    Can you substitute dill pickles for the sweet relish?

    I personally prefer the tartar sauce made with the sweet relish. However, it's a matter of preference.

    Dishes to Serve with Tartar Sauce

    This absolutely delicious tartar sauce is perfect on Fried Shrimp, Fish and Chips, Shrimp Po'Boy, and other seafood delicacies like crab cakes, fried fish, and even fish sticks. I also like to dip french fries in tartar sauce!

    Dipping shrimp in tartar sauce.

    I hope you liked this recipe for Homemade Tarter Sauce as much as I do. If so, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Also, if you'd like to receive notifications of new posts by email, enter your email address in the Subscribe box.

    Thank you so much for visiting Pudge Factor. I hope you'll come back!

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    Homemade Tartar Sauce.

    Classic Old Fashioned Tartar Sauce - Quick and Easy

    Old Fashioned Tartar Sauce is a classic condiment perfect on all sorts of fried seafood. This easy tartar sauce recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. I've been making this tartar sauce for years, and it never disappoints! 
    4.77 from 26 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 176 kcal

    Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup (5.38 ounces, 153 grams) mayonnaise
    • 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
    • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
    • 1 Tablespoon capers, drained
    • 1 Tablespoon minced onion
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • Dash of hot sauce (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients; stir well to combine.
    • Cover and chill several hours before serving.
    • Yield: 1 cup.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 2gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 235mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 1.8mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
    Keyword Homemade Tartar Sauce, Quick and Easy Tartar Sauce, Simple Tartar Sauce Recipe, Tartar Sauce, Tartar Sauce Recipe
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @PudgeFactor or tag #pudgefactor

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samantha W says

      January 17, 2025 at 6:40 pm

      Dill is a nice addition.

      Reply
      • Chula King says

        January 18, 2025 at 6:11 am

        What a good idea! Thanks.

        Chula

        Reply
    2. Julie B Hicks says

      January 18, 2021 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best tarter sauce ever better than store bought

      Reply
      • Chula King says

        January 18, 2021 at 7:47 pm

        This is the only tartar sauce that I ever make!

        Reply
    3. Carolyn says

      May 08, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      This is so easy and So good! I will never buy tartar sauce in the jar again! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Chula King says

        May 09, 2020 at 7:04 pm

        Carolyn, I totally agree about the tartar sauce. In fact, we had it with fish and chips for dinner. Yum!

        Reply
    4. Heidi Farkasdi says

      December 16, 2018 at 6:58 pm

      Very simple to make and quite tasty. Thank you! I may never buy tartar sauce again.

      Reply
      • PudgeFactor says

        December 16, 2018 at 8:49 pm

        I'm so glad that you liked it!

        Reply
    4.77 from 26 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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