Tartar Sauce for Crab Cakes, Fish, and More

tartar sauce for crab cakes, fish, oysters, and more in a small bowl with a spoon and a lemon wedge

5 from 2 votes

Tartar Sauce for Crab Cakes, Fish, and More

Here's how to make classic tartar sauce for crab cakes, fried fish, oysters, and more. Quick, easy, make-ahead-friendly recipe with all the traditional flavors.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Sauces and Condiments

Cuisine: American

Keyword: tartar sauce for crab cakes

Calories: 74kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

The basics

¾ cup (180 grams) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30 grams) sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons (20 grams) minced dill pickle
1 tablespoon (8 grams) minced shallot
1 tablespoon (15 grams) drained, minced capers
1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional additions

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.
Mix well, until all ingredients are well-distributed.
Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors bloom.

Notes

You can use a good-quality supermarket mayo like Hellman's or an easy homemade version. Truth be told, I usually go with store-bought in this recipe since tartar sauce has so many other great flavors to enhance it.
Sweet pickle relish gives this sauce a hint of sweetness to balance all the savory and tangy elements. This is the same stuff you may have in a jar on your fridge door from your last cookout.
Dill pickle or (full-sour pickle) and capers add savoriness. Use capers in brine (from a bottle) and drain them well before mincing.
A tiny bit of minced shallot adds a nuanced hint of heat and allium.
Dried dill is also called dill weed. It goes beautifully with fish and shellfish.
A hint of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds brightens the sauce.
The optional ingredients work well alone or in combination if you're so inclined.
Tartar sauce will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, so you can make it ahead if you like, and store any leftovers that haven't been dipped into the same way. If you'll be making ahead and adding any fresh herbs (which are among the optional ingredients), consider stirring them in shortly before serving time.

Nutrition