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.



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
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!
- 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!
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.
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.
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!
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
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
Barbara
I live in the south,so I made this recipe with Duke's Mayonnaise. It's now a family favorite and we stopped buyig tarter sauce from the store. Thank you.
Peter Kolesnichenko
Thanks Barbara! I bought Duke's Mayonnaise once, it was available on Amazon here in Australia for a short time. It was great and would be a great base for this recipe! So glad you family enjoyed the recipe, much tastier than store bought!!!
Annie
Why buy tartar sauce when homemade is so much better? I loved the flavor of the fresh dill in this. It was so delicious on some of the trout I caught!
Jessica
I'm a huge fan of tartar sauce but until now had never made it homemade. I cannot believe how much better it tastes than the store-bought stuff and how easy it is to prepare. I served it with some fried fish and my whole family loved it. So fresh and flavorful, this recipe is definitely a keeper.
Tammy
Nothing beats a homemade sauce. This is perfect for all those summer tacos and grilled sandwiches...love it!
Leslie
I love homemade sauces...so much better than store-bought! This is such a classic tartar sauce recipe! Definitely a keeper!
Patricia
Is it weird that I'd eat this with things other than fish?? I love tartar sauce and what a great, easy recipe to make from scratch. Who would have thought to add sugar - thanks for this!
Marta
My son eats tartar sauce with EVERYTHING. I hated how much junk was in the bottled stuff and decided to make your recipe. He loves it more than the store bought stuff! Thank you!
Sean
I make fish and chips and this was a great tartar sauce to accompany it.
Raksha
I tried this tartar sauce recipe today. With the secret ingredients that is minced onion and dill pickles, it just turned so tasty. Will never buy from store again.
Natalie
My husband and brother love tartar sauce so I made your recipe last weekend. They loved it and you made me proud, thanks!