Kraft Tartar Sauce Copycat Recipe

Make your own Kraft Tartar Sauce at home! It brings tangy, cream flavor to all your favorite seafood dishes! Use this copycat Kraft tartar sauce recipe gives you the same great taste along with a homemade touch.

Making homemade tartar sauce makes a better tasting and more affordable option than picking up a bottle of your favorite brand at the store.

It's way easier than you would think and you can even customize it to your preferences. It's a tasty condiment that's great to serve with smoked crab cakes, pancake battered fried fish recipe, and crispy coconut shrimp.

If you love making your own condiments as much as I do, you might also enjoy this ketchup with onions, pesto mayo, Avocado Hot Sauce and my homemade honey mustard.

Why You Will Love This Easy Tartar Sauce

• So Versatile. It's the perfect condiment for everything from fish to vegetables but also tastes great on sandwiches, burgers and so much more!
• Quick and Easy. It takes just minutes to prepare and uses four common ingredients.
• Control Over the Ingredients. This means you can choose budget-friendly options while also avoiding condiments containing artificial additives or unwanted chemicals
• Impressive Flavor. Your family and guests will love this homemade tartar sauce

Ingredients

When making a homemade tartar sauce, you can easily create a tasty and tangy condiment with just a few simple items.

• Mayo: Gives a creamy texture and smooth base, although some people prefer to use Miracle Whip for a tangier and sweeter flavor.
• Sweet Pickle Relish: The traditional type of pickle used in tartar sauce but you can use dill relish for a less sweet flavor. Another option is to add some diced dill pickles or bread and butter pickles into the mixture.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is always ideal however store bought lemon juice will work as well.
• Onion or Shallot: Gives a nice hint of onion flavor to the tartar sauce. Either option works well but fresh minced onion is ideal for a slightly sharper taste.
• Mustard: Dijon is preferred for its more complex flavor but you can also use yellow mustard.
• Capers: These give an added burst of tanginess and saltiness that tastes great and makes this an authentic Kraft tartar sauce copycat recipe.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Substitutions and Variations

If you're looking to switch up this copycat Tartar Sauce recipe or need a substitution, here are some ideas for you.

• More Dill Flavor: Enhance the dill flavor by adding some fresh or dried dill.
• Herbs: Add a tablespoon of fresh or dried tarragon for a slightly different flavor.
• Horseradish: For a bit of heat add a teaspoon for a burst of flavor/
• Worcestershire sauce: Add a splash for some smoky flavor.
• Spicy: Add a pinch of chili pepper flakes, paprika, diced jalapeno pepper, homemade hot pepper sauce, our jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the mayo mixture for a bit of heat.
• Healthier option: If you're looking to cut back on some of the fat you can swap out the mayo for Greek yogurt or use half of each.
• No Lemon Juice? You can use a splash of vinegar or even some pickle brine in a pinch.

How to Make Kraft Tartar Sauce at Home

To create this delicious and simple Tartar Sauce, you'll need a few kitchen items and just a little bit of your time. Let's look at the steps to prepare this easy homemade sauce.

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
2. Mix everything together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors all blend nicely together.

⭐️ Hint: This Tartar Sauce recipe is a taste as you go recipe.  Literally, taste it as you make it.  For example, when adding the relish start with 3 tablespoons and have a taste and see if you prefer more.  The same thing applies to the dijon or yellow mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our lemon garlic aioli. Also check out our Condiment Recipes for a variety of flavors that make an already delicious dish taste even better!

Storage

• Refrigerate: Place in an airtight container inside your refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep in mind if you use homemade mayo in your tartar sauce it won't last as long than if you use store-bought mayo, maybe only 3 days.
• Freeze: Freezing sauces like this one is not recommended as the mayo will likely separate and the sauce will become inedible or not enjoyable.
• Make Ahead: If you're planning to make your sauce ahead of time, it's a good idea to use store-bought mayonnaise, as it will last longer. After preparing the sauce, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in your refrigerator until needed. The flavors will meld together as the sauce sits, which will improve taste over time.

What to Serve with Kraft Tartar Sauce Copycat

Here are several suggestions of servings that will make the most of out your tasty Tartar Sauce:

• Drizzle it over your favorite fried or grilled fish dishes, like our pancake battered fish and chips, fish sticks, fish sandwiches, salmon patties, fried salmon bites, a crab cake sandwich, and fish tacos.
• Enjoy it with other seafood dishes such as shrimp cocktail, grilled or steamed clams, calamari, and even sushi rolls.
• It makes a fantastic spread on sandwiches like our roast beef sandwich and old fashioned hamburgers. Try substituting regular mayonnaise or mustard with it.
• Use it as a dipping sauce for crispy fries, these mashed potato fries, tempura-battered vegetables, or potato wedges.
• Mix it into salads such as coleslaw or potato salad, to create a more tangy salad dressing.
• Serve it with vegetable dishes like steamed or broiled asparagus, air fryer asparagus fries, artichoke hearts, or zucchini bites.
• Give it a try as a pizza sauce base, especially if you're making a seafood-inspired pizza like our Red Lobster lobster pizza copycat.

Tips

With just a few ingredients, you can make an amazing tartar sauce that's both tasty and easy to prepare. Here are some tips to help you create the perfect homemade tartar sauce:

• Use Fresh Ingredients. Whenever possible, use fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice for stronger flavor.
• Experiment with mustards. There are various types of mustards available and each adds a slightly different flavor.
• Make It Kid-friendly. Generally speaking, if you're serving this to kids make sure to use sweet pickle relish creating a sweeter sauce that kids will enjoy.
• Get Flavors Right. If your sauce is too tangy, consider adding a touch more mayonnaise and/or mustard. If it’s too mild, add more lemon juice or herbs.
• Season to Taste. Always taste your sauce as you prepare it and adjust the seasoning by adding herbs, salt and pepper as desired.
• Chill Before Serving. The flavors will intensify and meld together if you allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, if not an hour, before serving.

FAQ

Do you have questions about this old fashioned tartar sauce? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about it.

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Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.