Homemade Tartar Sauce

Homemade tartar sauce is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of seafood. Enjoy it with breaded or battered fried fish, popcorn shrimp, crab cakes, or other dishes—it's also delicious with vegetables.

Better yet, it's one of the simplest sauces to make. No cooking is required and it comes together with pantry ingredients. Store-bought mayonnaise is the base for chopped cornichons, capers, minced shallot, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and it's ready to go. We often let our tartar sauce sit for 15 to 30 minutes to let the flavors meld—and you can make it a day ahead, if you'd like.

What Is Tartar Sauce?

A classic accompaniment to seafood, tartar sauce is sold in most grocery stores. It's basically a homemade or store-bought mayonnaise given piquancy by the addition of chopped cornichons (sometimes other pickles are used), capers, onions (we prefer shallots), and lemon juice or vinegar. Some versions add chopped dill or another fresh herb. We have a riff that uses crème fraîche in addition to mayonnaise and opts for pickle relish over chopped pickles.

Tartar sauce appears to have originated in France. The classic reference book of French cuisine, Larousse Gastronomique, has a version with chopped hard-boiled egg yolks and chives. It's name is said to be inspired by the supposed fieriness of the Tartar people of Central Asia (as is steak tartare.)