Homemade Tartar Sauce - Carolina Girl Cooks

Homemade tartar sauce elevates any seafood dish with its perfect balance of creamy richness, tangy brightness, and briny depth. This classic condiment transforms simple fried fish, shrimp, or crab cakes into restaurant-quality meals, and making it from scratch allows you to control flavor intensity and customize ingredients to match your preferences perfectly.

How to Make Homemade Tartar Sauce

Classic Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise (preferably full-fat)
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 green onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and white pepper to taste

Alternative Pickle Options

2 tablespoons dill pickle relish (instead of sweet)
1 large dill pickle, finely diced
2 tablespoons cornichons, chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions

Basic Preparation:

Start with room temperature mayonnaise for easiest mixing
Drain pickles and capers thoroughly to prevent watery sauce
Pat capers dry with paper towels and chop roughly
Mince green onion and parsley as finely as possible for even distribution

Mixing Process:

Combine mayonnaise, pickle relish, and chopped capers in medium bowl
Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard
Whisk until smooth and well combined
Fold in minced green onion and parsley
Add Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder
Season with salt and white pepper to taste

Flavor Development:

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving
Taste and adjust seasoning after chilling
Add more lemon juice for brightness or pickles for tang
Thin with additional lemon juice if too thick
Let flavors meld for up to 24 hours for best results

Final Adjustments:

Stir well before serving as ingredients may separate slightly
Adjust consistency with mayonnaise or lemon juice as needed
Taste and add salt, pepper, or acid to balance flavors
Serve chilled alongside fried or grilled seafood

Conclusion

Homemade tartar sauce transforms simple ingredients into a sophisticated condiment that elevates any seafood dish. The perfect balance of creamy mayonnaise, tangy pickles, briny capers, and bright herbs creates complex flavors that develop beautifully over time. With quality ingredients and proper technique, this classic sauce provides restaurant-quality results that far exceed store-bought versions, making every fish dinner feel like a special occasion.

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Jennifer Glover

I’m Jennifer, the writer, recipe developer and photographer behind this site. I love food! I dream in food! I started CGC in October of 2011 as a way to catalog the constant thoughts of food that float through my mind. The best part of my day is dancing around my kitchen to music, singing my lungs out, while creating and photographing dishes inspired from years of travel, mixed with good ole southern culture to share with you. Thanks for reading and I hope you keep coming back for more recipes, travel bits and a dash of this and that... Cheers!

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