If you're looking for a fast, tangy, and creamy condiment to pair with your favorite seafood, this 3-Ingredient Tartar Sauce needs to be on your menu. It's so simple, yet so flavorful, and comes together in under 5 minutes.
You'll love how it transforms fried catfish nuggets. Baked salmon is also quite delicious with it. Smoked crab cakes and even french fries get turned into something extra special.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Side dish or sauce for crispy mains, veggies, or potatoes as well all types of fish and seafood dishes.
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 5 minutes max!
- 🍴 Servings: Makes about 1 ½ cups of sauce.
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet with a bright citrus finish.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Fried fish
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Great made up to 3 days ahead.
From Our Kitchen to Yours
Have you ever forgotten to buy tartar sauce, and your fish is already in the oven? This 3-ingredient version saves the day.
One night, while cooking dinner, I realized we had no sauce for our fish. I grabbed a few pantry staples, and this creamy tartar sauce was born. It's been a must-make ever since.
If you enjoy quick and easy condiments, you'll also love our 2-minute chipotle mayo and homemade honey mustard mayo.
Karin & Ken
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It's incredibly quick: Ready in just 5 minutes with no cooking required.
- Pantry-friendly: Uses ingredients you likely already have.
- Perfectly balanced flavor: Creamy, tangy, and just a little sweet, making it ideal for seafood.
- Customizable: Easy to tweak for dill lovers, spice seekers, or citrus fans.
- Versatile: Go beyond just fried fish, and use it with air fried chicken tenders or coconut shrimp!
- Low calorie: If you are looking for a leaner option, swap out the mayo with a lower-calorie mayo, or you can even swap half the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt or sour cream. It's a bit different but still tasty.
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise: The creamy base. Use full-fat for the best flavor.
- Sweet pickle relish: Adds texture and a mild sweetness.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the sauce and balances the richness.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Variations
- Add Seasoning: To enhance flavors and balance the tang from the lemon juice and relish, feel free to add a little salt, pepper, or sugar to taste. You can even enhance the flavors with garlic powder or onion powder.
- Fresh Herbs: Stir in a tablespoon of chopped parsley, dill, chives, or tarragon.
- Dill Lovers: Swap sweet relish for dill relish and stir in chopped fresh dill.
- Spicy Kick: Add a ½ teaspoon homemade pepper sauce or a bit of minced jalapeño.
🍽️ Serving Suggestion: Any of these variations works as a sauce for this almond crusted walleye or this smoked whitefish. Or keep it more traditional with just the 3 ingredients.
How to Make Tartar Sauce with Sweet Relish
Step 1: Combine. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the flavors.
Step 2: Chill. Place the sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This will allow the flavors to meld together. Enjoy with air fried haddock, salmon patties, or any seafood dish.
Recipe Tips
- Chill Before Serving. Even 30 minutes of fridge time improves the flavor, though we prefer at least an hour! If you can make it the day before!
- Adjust the Consistency. Wait until after you chill to adjust the consistency as it thickens as it sits. If it's too thin, add more mayonnaise, and if you want it thinner, add more lemon juice.
- Storing Tip: Store the sauce for up to a week in an airtight container. Stir it well before serving as the relish may settle on the bottom of the container.
Love Kraft tartar sauce? Try our homemade Kraft tartar sauce! It's a little more involved to make, but a great option as well.
There's something I want to share with you folks now that I've got your attention. Creamy horseradish sauce is our latest and greatest recipe to come your way. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Serving Suggestions
While most people pair tartar sauce with fish, it's also delicious with unexpected dishes like turkey burgers, veggie fritters, roasted potato wedges, and crispy chicken dishes.
- Enjoy as a dipping sauce for
Red Lobster crab cakes or slather it on your crab cake sandwich to take it the next level! - Swap out your ketchup and use it as a sauce for french fries, air fryer baby potatoes, or air fryer frozen sweet potato fries.
- Try it with chicken! We love it with air fried popcorn chicken or air fryer crispy chicken thighs.
3-Ingredient Tartar Sauce Recipe FAQs
Tartar sauce will last about 7 days in the fridge when stored in a well-sealed sealed container.
Yes, you can. You can substitute it with white vinegar or lime juice for a similar tang.
No, sauces made with mayonnaise do not freeze well. The mayonnaise tends to separate and the texture changes.
Making Tartar Sauce Video
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Quick & Creamy 3-Ingredient Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or air tight container.
- Place sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
- Stir before using.
Video
Notes
- Chill for Best Flavor: Even a quick 30-minute chill enhances the taste, but an hour or overnight lets the flavors fully develop.
- Check Consistency After Chilling: The sauce will thicken as it rests. Stir and adjust before serving - more mayo for thickness, more lemon juice for a thinner texture.
Emma says
The first time making it. It turned out really good. Thanks for the recipe.
Karin and Ken says
As always you’re most welcome. I try my best. Enjoy your day! Karin
Mitch says
Thank you for this recipe. Tasted great with our fish and we are keeping the rest for sandwiches. I love all the choices. The next time I make this tartar sauce im going to try one or two. Thx again 💕
Karin and Ken says
I love having choices too! For years it never occurred to me to use tartar sauce on anything but fish but we make it all the time now and use it on burgers and sandwiches too. Thank you for letting me know. All the best. Karin