Easy Homemade "Better Than Store Bought" Tartar Sauce

Alright, so today we’ve got a sauce for you! Well its Tartar sauce, in case you’re not familiar with it, is basically mayo dressed up with a bunch of sour or tangy stuff mixed in. This is mostly the classic version, with no capers, which are actually one of the traditional add ins, but otherwise this is the classic recipe, and honestly I prefer this version with chopped cucumber pickles, shallot and parsley. I usually make it or a version of it to serve with fried foods like fried battered fish, I know, basic! Ha.

I honestly don’t know the exact origin of this sauce, I went looking and it’s still pretty murky, but it clearly came about after mayonnaise was invented, and the name is thought to come from the French “tartare” (raw dishes), maybe because of how it looks, or because it was often served alongside that kind of dishes. These days it’s common to serve it with fish or shellfish, or as a topping for salads. Let’s get to the recipe!

Easy Homemade Better Than Store Bought Tartar Sauce

Servings: 4
Time: 15mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Why go with just plain mayo if you can upgrade to a delicious and creamy tartar sauce.

Ingredients

Mayonnaise – 300g
Cucumber Pickles – 40g
Shallots – 30g
Parsley – 15g
Lemon Juice – 20ml
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch (+/- 5g)

Directions

Finely chop the shallot and dice the pickled cucumbers into small cubes, then place everything in a bowl.
Next, add the mayonnaise and chopped parsley.
Now add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, mix well until everything is well combined, taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Finally, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, just to enhance the aroma and chill everything well, ready to serve, enjoy!

Notes & Tips: I mentioned that tartar sauce is usually served with fish or shellfish, but these days there are plenty more ways to use it. It’s excellent on beef or fish burgers, it’s also great inside sandwiches and wraps, often mixed with extra herbs or a bit of hot sauce, and it works as a mayo alternative for dipping fries. It’s a classic sauce, sure, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have plenty of uses.

I used sweet pickles, but you can use the traditional dill kind too, both work well, the sweet ones are just slightly less acidic, i compensate with just a bit more lemon juice.

If you can’t find shallots, use white onion instead, you basically want a fine mince of an onion that leans a little sweet, hence the shallot.

A common variation is swapping out half the mayonnaise for yogurt (Greek yogurt is often used since it’s thicker) for a lighter version, good for salads and sandwiches.

You can also use a light mayonnaise to cut down on calories, there are some decent tasting ones on the market these days.

Also worth noting, this recipe is pretty flexible. For example, if I’m using it in a sandwich I’ll usually go a bit heavier on the shallot and pickles so it’s more “rustic” and spreads better, but if I want it for fries, I’ll cut back a little on the pickles and shallot since they never cling to the fries very well anyway. It’s always a good idea to adjust it to however you like it best or however it works best for you.

Once made, this keeps well for about 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This recipe for Easy Homemade “Better Than Store Bought” Tartar Sauce was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Molho Tártaro Cremoso e Caseiro foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.