Tartar Sauce Recipe

This easy tartar sauce recipe takes 5 minutes, just 7 ingredients, and tastes a million times better than store-bought. Creamy, tangy, and perfect with seafood!

Tartar sauce is one of those condiments that honestly doesn’t get enough credit. It’s creamy, it’s tangy, it’s a little briny — and when you make it from scratch, it absolutely blows the bottled stuff out of the water. I’m Linda Sandra — a Charleston home cook who believes every meal deserves a great sidekick, and this tartar sauce recipe is exactly that.

We’re talking about mayonnaise, finely chopped dill pickles, fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar — all stirred together in one bowl in about five minutes flat. It’s the kind of condiment that pairs beautifully with fried fish, crab cakes, shrimp, and honestly even French fries if that’s your thing (no judgment here).

Little Snapshot: What This Recipe Delivers

This homemade tartar sauce is a 5-minute, no-cook condiment made with mayonnaise, dill pickles, fresh dill or parsley, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar. It serves 8, requires zero cooking, and delivers that perfectly creamy, tangy, pickle-forward flavor that makes fried fish, seafood, and sandwiches taste like a million bucks.

Nutritional Peek

Here’s a rough nutritional breakdown per serving — because even condiments deserve a little transparency.

Nutrient	Amount Per Serving
Calories	~210 kcal
Protein	0g
Carbohydrates	3g
Total Fat	22g
Saturated Fat	3g
Fiber	0g
Sugar	2g
Sodium	~280mg

Values are estimates based on standard ingredients. Your numbers may vary depending on the mayonnaise brand you use.

Ingredients

For this homemade tartar sauce, the ingredient list is refreshingly short and sweet. Your base is mayonnaise and finely chopped dill pickles — these two do the heavy lifting for creaminess and that signature tangy crunch.

Then you’ve got your flavor-builders: fresh dill (or parsley), lemon juice, a touch of sugar, black pepper, and optional onion for a little extra bite.

Amount	Ingredient
1 cup	Mayonnaise — grab the good stuff, because it’s basically the star of the show*
1 cup	Dill pickles, finely chopped — the chunkier or finer you go is totally up to you
1 Tbsp	Fresh dill (or frozen dill, OR 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley)
1 tsp	Lemon juice — freshly squeezed if you’ve got a lemon handy
1 tsp	Sugar — just a whisper to balance all that tanginess
¼ tsp	Black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp	Onion, finely chopped (optional, but I always toss it in)

A note on mayo: full-fat mayo gives you the richest, creamiest result. Light mayo works in a pinch, but the texture won’t be quite as luscious.

Tools You’ll Actually Use

• Medium mixing bowl — nothing fancy, just big enough to stir comfortably
• Cutting board and sharp knife — for chopping your pickles, herbs, and onion
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spoon or spatula for stirring
• Airtight container or jar for storage

Optional: A citrus squeezer if you’re using fresh lemon — it makes getting every last drop so much easier.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making this tartar sauce from scratch is so easy it almost feels like cheating. There’s no cooking involved, no fancy techniques — just a bowl, a spoon, and about five minutes of your time.

Step 1: Chop your pickles, herbs, and onion. Take 1 cup of dill pickles and finely chop them on a cutting board until you’ve got small, even pieces — not mushy, but not chunky either. Think somewhere between a dice and a mince.

Then finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh dill (or fresh parsley) and 2 tablespoons of onion if you’re using it. Give everything a little pat with a paper towel if it seems extra wet — you don’t want excess pickle juice watering down your sauce.

Step 2: Combine everything in a bowl. In a medium mixing bowl, add the 1 cup of mayonnaise, your finely chopped dill pickles, the fresh dill or parsley, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

If you’re adding the optional finely chopped onion, toss that in too. Give it all a good stir with a spoon or spatula until everything is evenly combined and the sauce looks creamy, speckled, and gorgeous.

Step 3: Taste and adjust. This is the fun part. Dip a spoon in and taste it. Want more tang? Add another squeeze of lemon juice. Want more pickle punch? Stir in a couple extra tablespoons of chopped pickles. Prefer it herbier? Add another pinch of dill. This is your sauce — make it exactly how you like it.

Step 4: Chill and serve. Transfer your tartar sauce to an airtight container or jar and pop it in the fridge for at least 15–20 minutes before serving. This resting time lets all the flavors meld together and makes a noticeable difference. Serve it alongside fried fish, crab cakes, shrimp, or honestly anything that could use a creamy, tangy companion.

Pro Tips & Gentle Guidance

These classic tartar sauce recipe tips are the little details that separate “good” from “people will be begging you for the recipe.” They’re all super simple — just tiny adjustments that make a real difference.

Let it rest before serving. I know it’s tempting to dig in immediately, but giving your tartar sauce even 15–20 minutes in the fridge lets the flavors marry. The pickles soften slightly into the mayo, the herbs bloom, and everything just tastes more cohesive. If you can let it sit for an hour, even better.

Drain your pickles well. This is the number one thing that trips people up. If your chopped pickles are swimming in brine, they’ll thin out the sauce and make it watery instead of thick and creamy. A quick squeeze in a paper towel or a few pats on the cutting board does the trick.

Use fresh herbs when you can. Dried dill works in a pinch, but fresh dill (or fresh parsley) gives you that bright, green, aromatic pop that really elevates the whole thing. If using dried, cut the amount in half since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Try Duke’s mayo if you’re a Southern cook. Different mayonnaise brands genuinely taste different, and the one you choose will flavor the entire sauce. Duke’s has that classic Southern tang that pairs beautifully here.

If you’re curious about how different ingredients change the final product, Serious Eats has a detailed breakdown of what makes great tartar sauce that’s worth a read.

Quick Fixes for Tartar Sauce

My tartar sauce is too thin and runny. This almost always means there’s too much liquid from the pickles or lemon juice. Stir in an extra tablespoon or two of mayonnaise to thicken it back up, or drain some of the excess liquid off the top. Next time, make sure to pat your chopped pickles dry before adding them.

It tastes too bland. Bland tartar sauce just needs a flavor boost. Try adding a pinch more salt, another squeeze of lemon, or a few extra chopped pickles. Sometimes a tiny dash of hot sauce or a half-teaspoon of Dijon mustard wakes the whole thing up beautifully.

It’s too tangy or sour for my taste. If the lemon and pickle combo hit a little too hard, stir in another half-teaspoon of sugar to balance things out. You can also fold in a bit more mayonnaise to mellow the acidity. Start small and taste as you go.

The texture is too chunky (or not chunky enough). This one is all about how you chop your pickles. For a smoother sauce, mince them super fine or even pulse them in a food processor for a few seconds. If you want more texture, go for a rougher chop. There’s no wrong answer — it’s totally a personal preference thing.

Variations & Adaptations

This tartar sauce recipe is basically a blank canvas for whatever flavor direction you’re craving. Here are some of my favorite twists.

Spicy tartar sauce: Stir in a teaspoon of sriracha or a few dashes of hot sauce for a version that pairs perfectly with fried shrimp or fish tacos. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a subtler warmth.

Dill pickle relish swap: Don’t want to chop pickles? Use sweet or dill pickle relish instead — just reduce the sugar slightly since relish is often pre-sweetened.

Caper and cornichon version: For a more French-inspired spin, swap the dill pickles for finely chopped cornichons and add a tablespoon of drained capers. It’s briny, elegant, and fantastic on salmon.

Dairy-free option: Use a high-quality vegan mayonnaise and everything else stays the same. The flavor difference is surprisingly minimal, and it keeps things inclusive for guests with dietary restrictions.

Herb-loaded variation: Go wild with the herbs — add fresh chives, tarragon, or a pinch of dried oregano alongside the dill. This herb-forward version is incredible as a veggie dip or sandwich spread.

Serving, Storage & Reheating

Serving suggestions: This tartar sauce is a natural match for fried fish, fish and chips, crab cakes, shrimp po’boys, and baked salmon. But don’t stop there — it’s also surprisingly delicious as a dipping sauce for French fries, a spread for sandwiches and wraps.

Or even alongside something like Cajun steak tips in cheesy rigatoni parmesan sauce when you want a cool, creamy contrast to something rich and bold. Try it with a chickpea feta avocado salad as a fun, unexpected drizzle too.

Storage: If you somehow manage not to eat the whole batch in one sitting, store your tartar sauce in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days. Because it’s mayonnaise-based, always keep it cold and never leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Reheating: There’s no reheating needed here — tartar sauce is served cold or at cool room temperature, straight from the fridge. Just give it a quick stir before serving since the ingredients can settle a bit as it sits. If it thickens up too much after a couple days in the fridge, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice loosens it right back up.

No-Waste Kitchen Magic

Leftover pickle brine is liquid gold. Don’t pour that pickle juice down the drain! Use it to brine chicken before frying, add a splash to salad dressings for extra tang, or mix it into Bloody Marys. It’s also fantastic for quick-pickling sliced onions or cucumbers.

Extra chopped herbs? If you have leftover dill or parsley from this recipe, toss them into scrambled eggs, sprinkle them over roasted potatoes, or stir them into a simple pasta dish like creamy gnocchi with spinach and feta. Fresh herbs don’t last forever, so using them across multiple meals is the smartest move.

Turn leftover tartar sauce into a salad dressing. Thin it out with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and a splash of water, whisk it up, and drizzle it over a simple green salad or coleslaw. It’s tangy, creamy, and basically a remoulade at that point — win-win.

Tartar Sauce FAQs

Closing

So there you go — a tartar sauce that feels fancy, tastes incredible, and is secretly one of the easiest things you’ll ever make in your kitchen. Five minutes, one bowl, and seven simple ingredients. That’s it. That’s the whole secret.

I’d love to see your spin on this tartar sauce! Drop a comment below with your photos or tell me about any fun variations you tried — extra capers? Spicy? Herb-loaded? I want to hear it all. This tartar sauce is so versatile; I bet you’ve already got amazing ideas for how to make it your own.

If you loved this recipe, share it with a friend who’s still buying the bottled stuff — they deserve better. And if you try it, come back and let me know. Your feedback honestly makes my day.

I’m Linda Sandra — a Charleston home chef and comfort-food daydreamer. Around here, cooking’s not about perfection — it’s about cozy vibes, creative twists, and food that feels like love.