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    Home » Recipes » Sauces Recipes

    Dill Tartar Sauce

    Author: Peter · Published: Apr 20, 2018 · Modified: Sep 4, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Everyone needs a tasty and delicious easy Tartar Sauce recipe, and this one won't disappoint! It's so much tastier than store bought, Dill Tartar Sauce can be made in minutes. Perfect with Grilled Fish or Beer Battered Fish.

    tartar sauce in a blue bowl beside fries
    slicing pickles on a cutting board
    mixing homemade tartar sauce in a bowl with mayo

    I hate buying store bought Tartar, it's too expensive for what it is, and homemade Tartar Sauce always tastes better! Plus you probably have most of these ingredients lying around. I always have Dill growing in the garden, which is another secret ingredient for this Tartar Sauce recipe.

    Ingredients

    This easy Tartar Sauce recipe only needs 6 ingredients, and packs amazing flavor! However, this might be made differently from other recipes. You can adjust with different Tartar variations by adding Capers, Tarragon, Mustard, Pickle Relish or Parsley. It's ok to mix it up with your favorite ingredients, but here's what you'll need.

    • Mayonnaise - the creamy base for your sauce
    • Dill Pickles - for a crunchy contrast
    • Fresh Dill - adds a subtle herb flavor
    • Lemon Juice - an acid to cut through the mayo
    • Sugar - trust me, you need a bit to balance sweetness
    • Onions - for a tasty tang
    Quick and easy homemade Tartar Sauce, tastier than store bought! Made with dill pickles and mayo, and no added sugar, perfect for fish fingers or fish and chips, a dip you won't be able to stop eating! Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe

    How to Make Homemade Tartar Sauce

    This is a quick and easy Dill Tartar Sauce recipe, that's made in a few easy steps. Trust me, it's worth making!

    1. Chop Pickles - thinly slice and dice ½ cup of Dill Pickles into small cubes
    2. Prepare Dill - finely chop a tablespoon of Fresh Dill
    3. Combine - in a bowl, add Mayo, chopped Pickles, Dill, Lemon Juice and Sugar. Using a Garlic Press, squeeze in the fresh Minced Onion and Onion Juices
    4. Mix - using a spoon, stir to mix until combined.
    5. Serve - mix together. Use right away or refrigerate for the flavors to meld together. Enjoy!

    Recipe Tips and FAQs

    • Fresh Dill - this is such a game changer to elevate flavor and adds color too. Can use dried dill but use half as much.
    • Meld - after mixing allow flavors to sit for 30 minutes to infuse together
    • Creamier and Light - reduce Mayo and substitute with Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
    • Thinner Sauce - add extra Lemon Juice or Pickle Juice to make sauce runnier

    What Mayo Is Best For Tartar Sauce?

    It's important to start with a great tasting mayo for this recipe. I suggest Hellmans Real Mayo, Best Foods or Heinz Mayo for the tastiest result. As Mayo is the base of this recipe, the flavor is very important. Some Mayos aren't rich and creamy and taste too vinegar-y. I've made this recipe with Kewpie Japanese Mayo as well, and that was delicious!

    How Long Does Tartar Sauce Keep in the Fridge?

    If you don't eat all the Tartar Sauce right away, just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Because it's made fresh, it should last about 1 week because of all the fresh ingredients.

    Why is this Tartar Sauce so Tasty?

    The secret to this sauce is the Dill Pickles and Minced Onions. What adds a great crunch to this recipe is Dill Pickles. I use either my Homemade Dill Pickles or Costco Vlasic Pickles, and usually have a jar in the fridge. The hardest part of this recipe is chopping the Dill Pickle pieces into small diced pieces, but it's worth it!

    The other ingredient that elevates this homemade Tartar Sauce is using Minced Onion. It sounds strange to Mince Onion, but it only takes a few seconds to do. Please don't use Onion Powder, fresh is best! I use my Garlic Press, and squeeze through a few pieces of Onion, which pulverizes and adds Onion Juice. It's a game changer in flavor. Don't add any chunky Onion pieces.

    close up of tartar sauce in a glass jar

    Spicy Tartar Sauce

    Always a favorite if you love some heat. Mix in some of these spicy ingredients to take your Tartar Sauce up a notch! Adjust to your personal preference.

    • Habaneros - if you dare... finely dice or mince some Habaneros for some heat that will blow everyone away! over my fish fillet, and dip my fries in it. It's also a great sauce to dip Butterflied Shrimp or Salt and Pepper Shrimp. I could almost drink it!
    • Hot Sauce - so easy to add a few dashes of Tabasco or Sriracha for mild heat
    • Jalapeños - mix through diced pickled Jalapeños or freshly chopped Chili Peppers
    • Cayenne Pepper - start with ⅓ teaspoon, mix and adjust as needed
    • Chipotles in Adobo Sauce - I always have this in my fridge, adds a smokiness and some heat

    Dill Pickle Dip

    This recipe could even be used as an easy Pickle Dip for your next party. I usually add an extra diced Dill Pickle to this Dip recipe, with a little bit extra Minced Onion, and sometimes a tiny bit of Grated Carrot. It has the crunchy texture of the Pickles, with the tang of the Onions. Perfect to dip crackers or vegetables for you next party. Make extra as a Fry Dip with your Fish and Chips.

    dipping a chip into tartar sauce

    Flavorful Recipes Using Minced Onion

    Minced Onion is the secret flavor boost to several of my sauce recipes. Check them out!

    • Homemade French Dressing
    • Blue Cheese Dip
    • Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs
    • Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
    • Bacon Ranch Dressing

    Quick and Easy homemade Tartar Sauce, better than store bought! Made with Dill Pickles and Mayo, perfect serving suggestion for Fish Fingers or Fish and Chips, a Seafood Lobster Feast, Grilled Fish, alongside Boiled Crawfish or as a Dip you won't be able to stop eating! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    tartar sauce in a blue ramekin beside chips

    Dill Tartar Sauce

    Quick and easy homemade Dill Tartar Sauce, tastier than store bought! Made with Pickles, Mayo, fresh Dill and minced Onion. Perfect for Fish Fingers or Fish and Chips, a dip you won't be able to stop eating! Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
    4.60 from 47 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Condiment, Sauce
    Cuisine American, British, English
    Servings 6 servings

    Equipment

    • Garlic Press
    • Knife and Cutting Board
    • small Mixing Bowl

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup Mayonnaise
    • ½ cup Dill Pickles finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon Fresh Dill finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
    • 1 teaspoon Sugar
    • 2 tablespoons Onion minced through a garlic press
    • pinch of Black Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Chop Pickles - thinly slice and dice ½ cup of Dill Pickles into small cubes
    • Prepare Dill - finely chop a tablespoon of Fresh Dill
    • Combine - in a bowl, add Mayo, chopped Pickles, Dill, Lemon Juice and Sugar. Using a Garlic Press, squeeze in the fresh Minced Onion and Onion Juices
    • Mix - using a spoon, stir to mix until combined.
    • Serve - mix together. Use right away or refrigerate for the flavors to meld together. Enjoy!

    Video

    Keyword Dill Tartar Sauce, easy tartar sauce, homemade tartar sauce, tartar sauce, tartar sauce with dill, tartare sauce

    ©PetersFoodAdventures.com

    Quick and Easy homemade tartar sauce, better than store bought! Made with dill pickles and mayo, and no added sugar, perfect for fish fingers or fish and chips, a dip you won't be able to stop eating! Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
    dipping tartar sauce
    ramekin of tartar sauce

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    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

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