Homemade Tartar Sauce
Traditional French tartar sauce recipe, made using real mayonnaise from scratch. For best flavour and texture, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to create a tangy, creamy sauce.A quicker 4-ingredient version using good-quality store-bought mayonnaise is possible, but the full homemade version delivers the freshest, most authentic taste.
Equipment
Ingredients
Basic Mayonnaise
- 2 fresh egg yolks, raw or cooked* organic/free range (at room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon salt (fleur de sel, Maldon flakes, Celtic sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 200 ml (7fl oz/ ¾ cup) olive oil or sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Tartare Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon pickled capers finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickled gherkins (small pickled cucumbers) finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon shallot, chives or spring onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley ( or mix with fresh dill, tarragon or chervil)
Instructions
Basic Mayonnaise
- Whisk the egg yolks (raw or cooked - see NOTES below), salt and mustard with a small hand whisk in a medium bowl. Gradually add the olive oil, dribbling it finely, slowly and regularly, whisking constantly. Once the mixture creates an emulsion and starts to thicken, add the white wine vinegar.
Tartare sauce garniture
- Stir in all of the remaining ingredients until well incorporated and season with more salt if necessary and freshly milled pepper.Chill until ready to use.
Notes
Tartar Sauce Tip: Ensure your ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth, well-emulsified sauce.
Egg Yolks: In France, sauce tartare can be made using raw egg yolks, cooked yolks, or a mix of both. For cooked yolks, hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes until just creamy. Overcooking will turn them grey and chalky.
Pickles (Cornichons): In France, we use cornichons — small, sharp gherkins.
In the US, use finely chopped dill pickles or small pickled cucumbers for the closest flavour. Shortcut Version: A quicker 4-ingredient tartar sauce can be made using good-quality store-bought mayonnaise with chopped capers, pickles, and herbs. That said, the fully homemade version delivers the cleanest, most authentic French flavour. To Serve: Traditionally served with breaded fish and seafood, this sauce is perfect with fish and chips or Scottish fishcakes. In France, sauce tartare also accompanies cold fish, oysters, pied de veau (calf’s trotters), and crispy potatoes.
Although there’s no lemon juice in the sauce itself, a wedge of fresh lemon on the side adds extra acidity. Storage: tartar(e) sauce can keep well for at least 5 days sealed in an airtight container (a jam jar is ideal) in the refrigerator, making it ideal to prepare ahead. Nutrition per 75g serving: 2g protein; 53g lipids; 0g carbohydrates; glycemic index: 0
In the US, use finely chopped dill pickles or small pickled cucumbers for the closest flavour. Shortcut Version: A quicker 4-ingredient tartar sauce can be made using good-quality store-bought mayonnaise with chopped capers, pickles, and herbs. That said, the fully homemade version delivers the cleanest, most authentic French flavour. To Serve: Traditionally served with breaded fish and seafood, this sauce is perfect with fish and chips or Scottish fishcakes. In France, sauce tartare also accompanies cold fish, oysters, pied de veau (calf’s trotters), and crispy potatoes.
Although there’s no lemon juice in the sauce itself, a wedge of fresh lemon on the side adds extra acidity. Storage: tartar(e) sauce can keep well for at least 5 days sealed in an airtight container (a jam jar is ideal) in the refrigerator, making it ideal to prepare ahead. Nutrition per 75g serving: 2g protein; 53g lipids; 0g carbohydrates; glycemic index: 0
Nutrition
Calories: 487kcal
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