Mary’s Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce with Fresh Dill
Homemade tartar sauce is so easy to make that after you learn this recipe, you may never buy a pre-made jar again. This delicious, savory tartar sauce pairs perfectly with my Beer Batter Fish Fry Recipe … and I’m gonna recommend you make some Hush Puppies too.
I have my dad to thank for this homemade tartar sauce.
Every time we do a fish fry out at the farm, we ALWAYS make this recipe. I learned most of the recipes I know from the women in my family, but I actually learned this one from my dad… so I always think of him when I make it. That’s one of the reasons scratch-made food is just so dang good: It has all the lovely memories tied to it, which makes every recipe so much sweeter.
Pro tip: use sweet to balance your homemade tartar sauce’s tartness!
I always include sweet pickle relish or diced sweet pickles in my tartar sauce—it’s the perfect way to counteract the tanginess of the sauce for a balanced flavor you just can’t put down. Horseradish is optional, of course… but I think it adds a wonderful little kick.
Tips and How To Store Your Homemade Tartar Sauce
This sauce can (and should) be made ahead of time. I like to make a batch at least a few hours in advance of serving it. Letting your homemade tartar sauce rest in the fridge for a while after combining the ingredients gives the flavors time to meld. I like to make mine at least 2-3 hours in advance, but you can make it up to 2 days ahead if you like!
Mary’s Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups mayonnaise
- ¼ cup diced sweet pickles or pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon horseradish
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice, dill, mustard, capers, and horseradish, if desired. Mix until combined.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remember that the capers will provide some salt to the sauce so taste before seasoning! Refrigerate the sauce for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
