The 3 Ingredients Required For Simple Yet Fresh Tartar Sauce

If you're planning to whip out some frozen fish sticks for dinner but don't have any tartar sauce on hand, there's no need to make a trip to the grocery store just yet. You can make your own tartar sauce at home using three common pantry ingredients. All you need is mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, and lemon juice. Mix those together to taste and you've got a simple tartar sauce that checks all the boxes.

Anything else is just a bonus. So, if you have capers, shallots, or any fresh herbs like dill or parsley in your fridge, feel free to add away. Even some sprinklings of dry herbs will work. Ground black pepper is always a good choice, but a touch of strong mustard can add some complexity too. Of course, these aren't absolutely necessary; they're just ideas for upgrading the three key ingredients (mayonnaise, relish, and lemon juice) which are the backbone of a proper tartar sauce. Whether you go with this base formula or choose to get creative, this recipe will ensure you have something good to dip your fish sticks into. Making your own condiments from scratch is a great way to take back control of what ingredients you're including in your diet, at the very least.

If you don't have the three items listed here, you can get away with some slight substitutions. I do think mayo is the best base for tartar sauce, but you can try using sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt in a pinch (preferably unflavored). Just be aware that the final result is going to read more like an approximation of a tzatziki sauce than a proper tartar sauce. But, beggars can't be choosers.

If you don't have relish, dig around for whole pickles. Finely dice the pickles in lieu of pickle relish to mimic the fact that pickle relish is basically minced pickles anyway. Remember, there are all kinds of pickle products out there. We'd be happy to put diced cornichons or gherkins in a tartar sauce. If you don't have any pickles, capers work to bring a briny, salty pop. As for the lemon juice, you can try substituting in a dash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to mimic the lemon's acidity which is there to balance out the fat from the mayo. I'd be a little careful with this, though. Be sure to taste as you go along so you don't accidentally put in too much of a vinegar flavor. See? Saved you a trip to the store. When it comes down to it, the true secret is that tartar sauce is really simple. The best part is, you don't have to sit on the excess. You can use leftover tartar sauce as a quick binder for egg salad.