Homemade Tartar Sauce – Quick and Easy Recipe for Any Dish!

Creamy Homemade Tatar Sauce with specks of Dill served in a red bowl. — Red Bowl full of my creamy Homemade Tatar Sauce.

The Best Homemade Tartar Sauce, Ever

I know often brag about my recipes but this truly is the best Homemade Tartar Sauce. I’m a big fan of deep fried fish and fish in general, if it’s prepared correctly. And breaded fried Seafood has got to have a condiment that compliments their flavors to the fullest. Whether you want it on a sandwich or served on the side with fish and chips, Tartar Sauce should be hitting on all levels of fantastic. That’s why I’ve been working, diligently, on this recipe. That pre-made store bought crap just doesn’t cut it and I’ve been disappointed every time I’ve reluctantly bought a jar. So let’s get crackin’ and show you how to make this sauce wonderful!

Basket of Deep Fried Beer Battered Fish to be served with Homemade Tartar Sauce. — This Homemade Tatar Sauce pairs well with Beer Battered Deep Fried Fish.

Why make Homemade Tartar Sauce

In my book, Tartar Sauce is a must with fried fish. I know that some folks like to have malt vinegar, and that’s fine, but give me fish and chips or a fish sandwich with homemade tartar sauce any day. Why homemade, you ask? Because there’s simply no comparison to the fresh, creamy flavor you get when you make it yourself. Store-bought versions are often packed with preservatives and lack the vibrant tanginess that comes from using fresh ingredients. Homemade tartar sauce lets you control the texture, sweetness, and tang to perfectly complement your dish. Plus, it’s quick and easy to whip up with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll never go back to the jarred stuff again. It’s a game-changer for your seafood meals.

Traditional Tartar Sauce

Traditional Tartar Sauce varies, depending on where it comes from. Some recipes have mustard, chopped boiled eggs or even olives in them. Tartar Sauce, from what I understand, comes from the French sauce Tartare, named after the Tartars. I don’t want to rant or preach about it. Just know that if your traditional recipe has an Italian, French, English or American descent, the ingredients are going to vary. Of course, traditional for me is going to be based on what I was raised on here in the US. That means school lunch, restaurants and good old southern cooking.

My Homemade Tarter Sauce Recipe

This recipe is truly unique because it takes what some might consider an “unorthodox” approach. For example, I include sour cream, which might sound unusual at first. Trust me, though,—you need to try it before making any judgments. Furthermore, I skip adding lemon juice since mayonnaise already contains it. However, if your mayo doesn’t, a good squeeze of lemon will do the trick. In addition, I incorporate horseradish, pickle, capers, and chopped green onions to add texture and bold flavor. Finally, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill bring balance to this sauce. Just a small amount of each goes a long way.

Tips for Serving and Storing

Refrigeration is key and I talk about that in the video. This Homemade Tartar Sauce should be prepared the day before you want to serve it. Marination is key so give it at least a good 12 to 24 hours to chill and set up properly. This will ensure you’ll be dishing up an amazing cold sauce to compliment whatever else you’re serving.

Also, be sure to check out my Beer Batter Recipe and my Fish Fry Recipe. They can be tricky to master but both are worth the effort if you do!

How to make Homemade Tatar Sauce video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet.

Tartar Sauce Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise – The creamy base for the sauce.
1/2 cup Sour Cream – Adds tanginess and lightens the texture.
1 large Pickle, finely chopped – For crunch and a tangy bite.
2 tbsp Capers, chopped – Adds a touch of saltiness and brine.
3 Green Onions, finely chopped – Mild onion flavor and freshness.
1 1/2 tbsp Horseradish – Brings a zesty kick.
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce – Boosts the umami flavor.
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder – Adds subtle savory depth.
1/2 tsp Onion Powder – Enhances the onion profile.
1 tsp Dried Dill (or fresh dill, finely chopped) – A classic herb for freshness.
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions for Homemade Tartar Sauce

Combine the base ingredients.
In a mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the texture boosters.
Fold in the chopped pickle, capers, and green onions, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Add the flavor enhancers.
Stir in 1 1/2 tbsp horseradish, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp onion powder. Mix thoroughly to blend the flavors.
Finish with dill.
Sprinkle in 1 tsp dried dill (or fresh dill if using). Mix well, ensuring the dill is evenly incorporated.
Taste and adjust.
Give the tartar sauce a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You can add a pinch of salt, a splash of pickle juice for extra tang, or more horseradish for a spicier kick.
Chill before serving.
Transfer the tartar sauce to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve and enjoy!
Use this creamy, flavorful tartar sauce as a dip for fried fish, shrimp, or calamari, or spread it on a fish sandwich for an extra layer of deliciousness.

My Recommendations

Deep Fryer, Mixing Bowls, Hand Mixer, Whisk, Wire Cooking Rack

Chicken Tikka Masala

The Best Chicken Tikka Masala

I know that everyone thinks they have the “Best” Chicken Tikka Masala recipe but most of these food bloggers are cutting corners and they’re not honoring the full recipe. Simple and easy recipes usually means that your not getting all of the flavor you could be enjoying if you put in just a little more love and finesse. There are a ton of ingredients in this recipe. In fact, probably the most I’ve ever published to date but after enjoying some Authentic Indian cuisine, Valentines Day, I decided this wasn’t a recipe I was going to cheat. So I got to work on it, immediately, and I shopped around until I found all of the ingredients I needed to make the Best Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.

Chicken Tikka Masala Seasoning

The most common ingredient in Chicken Tikka Masala is Garam Masala. Though, you can buy it as one seasoning, it’s really a combination of several other ingredients indigenous to India. Ironically, though, Chicken Tikka comes from India, the Masala recipe was created in England for locals that preferred a gravy with their Chicken Tikka and rice. So if you put the two together, you now have Chicken Tikka Masala and they both have the Garam Masala seasoning in them.

Other Ingredients in this recipe include Cardamom powder, which I have seen used as green and black seeds in recipes that use a blender and a sieve to strain the sauce. Also Fenugreek Leaves are usually used but I could only find the powder. I think everything else is more commonly known, like Cumin, Tumeric, Red Chili Powder(which shouldn’t be taken lightly), Coriander, Cinnamon and Clove.

The Chicken Tikka Masala Marinade

In the video tutorial, I show you how to make the Chicken Tikka Masala Marinade and this can be used the exact same way to prepare either chicken or shrimp. Again, the Garam Masala is used for marinating but the easiest way to add in all of the other ingredients is to just mix them altogether from the start, then add spoon fulls to both the marinade and the Masala, separately. The Seasoning recipe below provides you with enough spice to have a little left over, which is great on steaks, roasts and seafood. Also, the marinade calls for Curd or plain Yogurt. Use which ever is available to you. I went deep with it and bought Greek. On a side note, instead of Heavy Whipping Cream, I also bought Crema or Table Cream from the Mexican Food section in my dairy.

If you’re interested in trying my Plain or Garlic Naan recipe, to go along with this dish, I highly recommend it. I also make a mean Curry Chicken Salad!

Chicken Tikka Masala Ingredients:

1 lbs Chicken or Shrimp

1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, chopped
1/4 cup Curd or Plain Yogurt
1 cup Table Cream or Heavy Whipping
4 cups Tomato Puree
1/2 Red Onion Chopped
1 bunch Coriander Leaves, chopped
1 Lemon, squeezed
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive Oil, for cooking
1/2 tsp Salt

Seasoning
2 tbsp Garam Masala
1 to 2 tbsp Red Chili Powder, to taste(spicy)
2 tbsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Tumeric Powder
2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Fenugreek Powder or Leaves(preferred)
1 tbsp Cardamom Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/2 tsp Clove, ground

Salt and Pepper to Taste

I use half of the garlic and ginger, all of the curd/yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and 2 heaping tbsp’s of the seasoning mix to marinade the chicken or shrimp. I use approximately 4 heaping tbsp of the seasoning mix for the sauce but you need to play that by ear and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Just be sure to watch the short video tutorial so that you can see exactly how to make this Chicken Tikka Masala.

Mac and Cheese with Shrimp

The Best Mac and Cheese has Shrimp

I love this Mac and Cheese recipe and I’m not one to ever order Macaroni and Cheese at any restaurant, either. Not because I don’t like it. I just don’t think that most restaurants, especially the major chains, make a quality dish. So I put together a Cheese Sauce that has a real nice balance of flavor and adding shrimp helps bring out a nice seafood stock kind of taste. Lobster would be a fantastic alternative, if you’d like to step it up, but you don’t have to add any seafood to this dish at all if you’re not into shell fish. The other ingredients, listed down below, make one of the best Mac ‘N Cheese sauces on the planet.

My Mac and Cheese Secret

Most Mac and Cheese recipes use Milk, Flour and Cheddar Cheese but I don’t use any of those and I’ll tell you why. Milk makes the sauce thin. That’s why the flour is needed and I think it makes the sauce taste bland and chalky. The Cheddar Cheese keeps it simple, whether you use sharp, medium or mild. Simple may be fine in some kitchens and if that’s all you’ve got, by all means, use it but keeping it simple means it tastes simple. I know that some recipes are great when they’re simple. But if you’re able to trick it up a bit by adding a variety of different cheese, why not control the outcome with perfect balance for your specific tastes. That’s why I use Colby Jack, Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.

Mac and Cheese with Shrimp Ingredients:

8 oz Pasta, cooked
1 1/2 doz Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp butter
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 1/2 cup Half & Half
1 tsp Bouillon, Tomato/Chicken or Beef
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 cup Colby Jack cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients
1 Green Onion, chopped
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
3 Bacon Strips, cooked

Watch and follow the Mac and Cheese with Shrimp Video Tutorial for specific directions about making this recipe.