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This healthy homemade tartar sauce recipe is a must-have if you eat fish. It’s simple and delicious, so skip the artificial grocery store tartar sauces!
I love tartar sauce!
It’s kind of an odd condiment because most people only eat it with fish, but I love it anyway. Fish fries, baked fish, fish sandwiches, po’boys. Even hush puppies and french fries are all better with tartar sauce.
A good tartar sauce recipe is a beautiful balance of acidity and sweetness that brings the best out of fried and baked seafood alike.
But, like many condiments, if you head to your grocery store shelves you will find bottles filled with artificial ingredients and flavorings.
What is Tartar Sauce?
At its most basic, tartar sauce is a mayonnaise-based condiment that adds some acid (typically in the form of lemon juice or vinegar) along with some sweetness from sweet pickles or relishes.
Ultimately, tartar sauce gets its name from theGolden Horde,Mongols who invaded Europe in the 13th century, who were known to the locals as Tartars.[1]
You could definitely make your own tartar sauce using homemade mayonnaise and the seasonings in the recipe below, butI wanted to take things a step further.
Making Healthy Homemade Tartar Sauce
Maybe it was fueled by my slight obsession with tartar sauce, or my tendency to pile it on to my plate or sandwich (only slightly guiltily), but I wanted to make a tartar sauce recipe that was actually good for you! One that I wouldn’t feel bad taking an extra large scoop of.
To achieve this, I turned to my go-to, healthy creamy base: homemade yogurt.By blending plain yogurt with the classic tartar sauce elements,you get a healthy condiment that seriously satisfies any tartar sauce craving.
Choosing A Yogurt For Your Base
If you use plain, Greek yogurt to make your tartar sauce, the sauce will be a bit thicker and sturdier.
If you use plain, regular yogurt to make your tartar sauce, the sauce will be a bit thinner. (Another solution would be to strain your regular yogurt for a couple of hours in a few layers of cheesecloth. This would give you a thicker yogurt base for your sauce.)
Either way, your homemade tartar sauce will still taste great. It all depends on the texture you’d prefer in your sauce.
Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe
This healthy homemade tartar sauce recipe is a must-have if you eat fish. It's simple and delicious, so skip the artificial grocery store tartar sauces!
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Mix Time
- 5 minutes
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Servings
- 12 Tbsps
- Course
- Condiment
- Cuisine
- English
- Estimated Cost
- $2
Ingredients
- ½cupplain yogurt(regular or Greek)
- 3Tbspminced sweet pickles
- 1Tbspminced onion
- 1Tbspminced capers
- 2tsplemon juice
- 1tspwhite vinegar
- 1tspDijon mustard
- ½tspsalt
- ¼tspdill
Instructions
To make this homemade tartar sauce recipe simply mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.
Notes
Your homemade tartar sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition:
Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 15mg
Have you ever tried making a homemade tartar sauce recipe? Try it, it’s easy and delicious!
*******
Sources
- Tartar Sauce. Wikipedia. Accessed July 2019.
About Sarah Ozimek
Sarah is a writer, recipe developer, traveler, gardener, and lover of (almost) all things outdoors. Together with her husband Tim, she writes the blog Curious Cuisiniere where they explore world cuisines and cooking using real ingredients and tried and true methods, the way our ancestors have done for ages. Connect with Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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FAQs
Instead of tartar sauce, use a garlicky aioli with or without a little dill or chopped pickle. Another good sauce option that goes well with seafood is a tomato-based co*cktail sauce. Hummus, which is also slightly acidic with lemon juice, can also make a nice dip for seafood.
Is tartar sauce healthy? ›
Tartar sauce is relatively high in fat—especially when compared to other condiments served with fish, such as ketchup or vinegar. There are 4.7 grams of fat in a serving of tartar sauce. About 0.9 grams is saturated fat. About 1 gram is monounsaturated fat and 2.5 grams are polyunsaturated fat.
What is traditional tartar sauce made of? ›
Wondering what's in tartar sauce? It's typically made with mayonnaise, chopped pickles or relish, lemon juice, and herbs (like tarragon and dill). There are also a handful of optional ingredients you can add that take the tartar sauce's flavor to the next level. For example, this recipe includes yellow mustard.
Is there a difference between tartar sauce and cream of tartar? ›
In reality, the two have nothing to do with one another. Cream of tartar is a powdery baking ingredient that you'd find in sweets like cookies or meringues. Tartar sauce, on the other hand, is super savory, rich, and tangy. It's typically served with seafood, but trust me – this delicious condiment can do so much more.
What is McDonald's tartar sauce made of? ›
According to McDonald's website, the ingredients for the actual tartar sauce that goes on the Filet-O-Fish include soybean oil, pickle relish, calcium chloride, spice extractives, polysorbate 80, egg yolks, water, onions, distilled vinegar, sugar, spice, salt, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, and parsley.
Is tartar sauce healthier than mayo? ›
No.
The classic seafood condiment tartar sauce continues the trend that creamy sauces belong toward the bottom of the list. But, it has less than half the calories per tablespoon as ranch and one-quarter the fat content of mayonnaise.
What is a healthy substitute for cream of tartar? ›
What is a Good Replacement for Cream of Tartar? A good replacement for cream of tartar in baking is 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
What can I eat with fish instead of tartar sauce? ›
10 Quick Sauces for Fish
- Get the Recipe: Parsley Sauce.
- Get the Recipe: Smoked-Almond Romesco Sauce.
- Get the Recipe: Fresh Herb Sauce.
- Seasoning with Herbs.
- Get the Recipe: Rich Ketchup Sauce.
- Get the Recipe: Mint Sauce.
- Get the Recipe: Lemon Cream Sauce.
- Get the Recipe: Salmoriglio Sauce.
Mix well to combine. Store: To store tartar sauce, keep it covered and chilled in the refrigerator. It should easily last 1 week or longer.
How do I thicken my tartar sauce? ›
Add Sour Cream For A Thicker, Tangier Tartar Sauce
By adjusting the amount of sour cream you can customize the sauce. Start by adding one or two dollops at a time and incorporate more until you discover the perfect portion.
What is the healthiest condiment?
- Guacamole.
- Mustard.
- Balsamic Vinegar.
- Salsa.
- Hot sauce.
- Tzatziki.
- Hummus.
- Pesto.
Gordon Ramsay adds crème fraîche for a tangy tartar sauce
Gordon Ramsay combines around three tablespoons of the dairy product with ⅓ cup mayonnaise for his tartar sauce, along with pickles, finely diced shallots, and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
What is Cajun tartar sauce made of? ›
Cajun Tartar Sauce:
In a bowl stir tegether the mayonnaise, sweet picle, green onion, parsley, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Served with fried fish and seafood. Makes 1 1/4 cup of sauce.
What is a substitute for cream of tartar sauce? ›
The Best Substitute for Cream of Tartar
For every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in the recipe, use 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. As an example, if your cookie recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice instead of the cream of tartar.
How does Gordon Ramsay make batter for fish? ›
Cooking instructions
- In a large bowl, mix both flours, baking powder and sugar.
- Add soda water, lager and salt.
- Mix together only until the batter binds together and is smooth. ...
- Cover your fish with a dusting of plain flour, then drop into the batter and coat completely.
- Pre-heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 180C.
Water, Soybean Oil, Vinegar, Sugar, Cucumbers, Modified Corn Starch, Liquid Yolk (egg), Salt, Dried Onion, Mustard Flour, Spices, Natural And Artificial Flavour, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Disodium Edta, Calcium Chloride, Dried Garlic, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil.
What are the culinary uses of tartar sauce? ›
Ideal for breaded and fried foods, barbecue, hamburgers, tacos, rice, etc. Tartar sauce is a popular condiment in Western cuisine. It is popular as a dip in European Chinese Restaurant dishes such as prawn toast and spring rolls. Marinating the chicken with this sauce and then grilling on a barbeque is fantastic..
Why does tartar sauce taste so good? ›
It typically has a creamy and tangy profile with ingredients like mayonnaise, pickles, capers, onions, and lemon juice. These elements add a combination of creaminess, acidity, and a hint of sweetness that complements the mild and delicate flavor of fish.
