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Tartar Sauce

By Genevieve Ko

Published July 14, 2021

Tartar Sauce
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Victoria Granof.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(607)
Comments
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Packed with crunchy, sharp zing from onion, and tang and savoriness from capers, this homemade tartar sauce delivers bold freshness. Once you’ve mixed the base below, you can stir in more of whichever ingredients you most enjoy. And if you don’t like the bite of raw onion, you can soak it in cold water for 10 minutes and drain before stirring it in. Thick yet spreadable, this works as a dip, too.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1 cup
  • ½cup mayonnaise
  • ½cup finely chopped dill pickle
  • 2tablespoons finely chopped white onion
  • 2teaspoons capers, finely chopped
  • 1teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or parsley (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

410 calories; 45 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 27 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 0 grams protein; 728 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, pickle, onion, capers, lemon juice, mustard and dill, if using. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

  2. Step 2

    Use as a dip for fried fish or other seafood, fries, chips, pita chips and crudités. Mix into tuna, egg or potato salad, or spread onto bread for tuna, egg or chicken salad sandwiches, as well as for roast beef and fried chicken or fish sandwiches, and salmon burgers.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
607 user ratings
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Comments

Potter

I have been using a version of this smeared over olive oil drizzled salmon or haddock before I "speed cook" the fish. I use an Advantium oven, but you can roast or bakes usual. My recipe is without the pickle, just generous capers, half the mayo adding whole-fat Greek yoghurt for the other half plus course ground Dijon..parsley/dill optional. Lemon is on the side.

barbara

I add a little horseradish and sour cream.

Julia

This was delicious just the way the recipe was written.

Gordeaux D.

I was the executive chef of the busiest seafood restaurant at the Jersey shore. This is the best tartar sauce recipe I ever tasted, which happened at The Pearl Oyster Bar in Greenwich Village. I cup Hellman's mayonnaise I heaping tablespoon of chopped red onion I heaping tablespoon of chopped capers I heaping tablespoon of chopped cornichons. plus 2 teaspoons of the juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Stir & refrigerate. Good for a month after being made.

Susan

I made this as written. It was good, not stellar, and a bit soupy. It was a good accompaniment to salty potato chips but so so for the fish. Next time I will omit the onion and add some garlic or additional seasoning.

denise

too sour for my taste. I'll skip the capers next time

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