Combining just a few ingredients gives you the best tartar sauce around! Ditch the storebought with this creamy, salty-dill flavored with a touch of horseradish – sauce. Perfect for fish and anything else you want to dip in it!
Give me something to dip my fish in – and I’m a happy girl! Seriously, tartar sauce has been around for centuries and though its base has not strayed from mayonnaise, what is mixed in with the mayo is where we find diversity. Most tartar sauce recipes are on the sweet side and limit themselves to only accompany seafood or fish. Not this recipe!
Why This Recipe is Awesome!
- It’s not just for fish! What I like about my own version is that it is wonderful served with meats and vegetables too. This stuff would make a McDonald’s chicken nugget taste gourmet.
- It’s comes together in minutes. This recipe is simple with just a mix of ingredients to create this one-of-a-kind sauce.
- It gets better with age. Make this one ahead of time to let the flavors really do their thing.
Key Ingredients
- Quality mayonnaise. Use your favorite here, but go with the good stuff!
- Red onion. Red onions are ideal for non-cooked dishes and sauces because their mildness adds flavor rather than spice.
- Dill and more Dill. We use dill relish and dried dill in this recipe!
- Horseradish Mustard. Not just mustard. Not just horseradish but the combination of the two.
How to Make Your Own Tarter Sauce
- Prep. Chop 2 tablespoons of red onion and set aside. Squeeze enough juice out of a half lemon to get 1 Tablespoon and again, set aside.
- Blend then stir. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the red onion) to your food processor or in a bowl to be mixed by hand with a whisk. Mix in the red onion by hand.
- Store. Add to a pint jar with a lid to store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Recipe Tips
Make Ahead. This recipe tastes even better if you can make it ahead of time. The flavors get to really hang out! I prefer making it the day before I’ll be using it.
Storing. Once prepared keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. Store any leftovers the same way for up to 1 week.
Jar Size. I used a pint-sized jar to store this tarter sauce, and it was the perfect size as this recipe makes about 1 1/4 Cup of tarter sauce!
More Homemade Sauces
If you love this recipe, you’ll love these other sauces as well!
- Homemade Pizza Sauce from Cherry Tomatoes
- Raspberry Sauce Recipe
- The Best Crockpot Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Tarter Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoon red onion chopped
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon dill relish
- 1 teaspoon horseradish mustard
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Chop the red onion and set it aside.
- Combine remaining ingredients in your food processor or in a bowl to be mixed by hand: 1 cup quality mayo, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon dill relish, 1 teaspoon horseradish mustard, ¼ t. dried dill, ¼ t. salt and cracked black pepper. Blend until creamy. If not using a food processor, simply use a whisk.
- Stir in the red onion.
- Pour into the serving dish and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally shared in 2014. It has been updated with instructions and photos but the recipe is the same.
Comments & Reviews
This sounds really good! I am wondering what Dill Relish is?
Thanks!
Hi Terry!
Dill relish is chopped dill pickle with no added sugar. You can find it at most any grocery store 🙂