Cajun Tartar Sauce
Homemade tartar sauce with a Cajun kick. This spicy Cajun tartar sauce has a little heat from hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and cajun seasoning. It pairs perfectly with fried fish, blackened shrimp, crab cakes, and seafood of all kinds. Only 10 minutes of prep.
Homemade Tartar Sauce
Growing up in South Louisiana, my dad was an avid fisherman. One of my favorite meals was fried fish, hush puppies, and french fries. I remember my mom would fry the fish on the back porch in her Fry Daddy while my dad cleaned and fileted the fish in the garage.
This cajun tartar sauce recipe is the perfect pairing for fried fish! If you love zesty cajun sauces, I know you’ll also love New Orleans Remoulade Sauce, Cajun Ranch, and Spicy Cajun Garlic Aioli.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Homemade is always better! Making your own tartar sauce is easy, and the homemade version tastes way better than store bought!
- It’s adjustable. Make this sauce as spicy or as mild as you want by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.
- It was made for fried fish. This creamy tartar sauce is perfect for golden brown fried fish, but is delicious with any seafood and fried food.
What is tartar sauce?
Traditional tartar sauce is a creamy condiment with a mayonnaise base flavored with dill, pickles or relish, and capers. It can also have lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, or dijon mustard.
This creamy sauce goes great with fried seafood, and is classically served with fried fish recipes. Use it as a dipping sauce or a sandwich spread.
In this recipe, tartar sauce gets a zesty makeover with a little cajun kick from hot sauce, cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Mayonnaise – If you want to make it truly Cajun, use Blue Plate mayo!
- Fresh herbs – This tartar sauce is flavored with fresh dill and green onions. You can throw some parsley in there too if you have it! Don’t skip the fresh dill. It helps with that classic tartar sauce flavor. Can substitute green onions for fresh chives.
- Dill pickles – Another ingredient that gives tartar sauce its classic flavor! My favorite pickles are the Dilly Garlic Pickles from Cleveland Kitchen. You can substitute for dill pickle relish but taste it first, as some dill relish is quite sweet.
- Nonpareil capers – Nonpareil capers are a smaller and more delicate flavored caper. They are briny and add a great texture and flavor to this homemade tartar sauce recipe. You can find them near the pickles and olives at the grocery store.
- Hot sauce – Use a vinegar based hot sauce. Bonus points for using a Louisiana based variety like Crystal Hot Sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce, or Tabasco Hot Sauce. My favorite is Crystal.
- Cayenne pepper – Use as much or as little as you like to give your sauce extra heat.
- Cajun seasoning – Different Cajun seasoning blends have different amounts of salt, so add just a little at first then adjust to your liking. You can always make your own homemade Cajun seasoning – it’s a Cajun pantry staple! Can substitute for creole seasoning, they are similar.
How to make Cajun tartar sauce
This easy tartar sauce recipe just needs a little chopping and mixing. It only takes about 10 minutes of prep time.
STEP ONE: PREP
Finely chop pickles, green onion, capers, and dill.
STEP TWO: MIX
Combine mayonnaise with remaining ingredients and mix well.
PRO TIP: For the best flavor, refrigerate at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. It’s even better the next day!
Expert Tips
- Let it chill. This delicious sauce tastes even better after it chills for a while, so make it about an hour before you want to serve it and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Squeeze the juice. Use paper towels to blot up the excess liquid from the chopped pickles and capers so your sauce doesn’t get watery.
- Chop finely. Chop pickles, herbs, and capers finely for the best texture.
- If you want it smooth, you can pulse all the ingredients in a food processor instead of chopping them. A good homemade tartar sauce is a little bit chunky though in my opinion.
Storage & make ahead
How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
How to freeze: Do not freeze mayonnaise based sauces. It will change the texture when thawed.
Make ahead: Prepare this sauce a day in advance and refrigerate covered until ready to use.
What to serve with tartar sauce
Tartar sauce is the perfect condiment for fried fish, but works with seafood and fried foods of all kinds. Serve it with your favorite seafood dishes. Here are some great ways to serve it.
- Crab cakes
- Blackened Shrimp
- Baked Blackened Salmon
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Blackened Cod
- Blackened Grouper
- Cajun Shrimp Cocktail
- Chicken fingers or fish sticks
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Hush puppies
- Fried fish sandwiches
- Salmon Cakes
Seafood recipes to pair with cajun tartar sauce
See all the seafood recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, I don’t recommend freezing tartar sauce or any mayonnaise based sauces.
No, tartar sauce is a mayonnaise based sauce that usually does not contain any dairy products. Some recipes may contain sour cream though, which is dairy, so check your labels and ingredients.
More Homemade Sauces
If you love making your own condiments, check out these delicious sauces.
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
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Homemade Cajun Tartar Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
- 1 tablespoon nonpareil capers finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce use a vinegar based Louisiana variety (my favorite is Crystal Hot Sauce)
- ⅛ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Cajun seasoning or salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- PREP: Finely chop pickles, green onion, capers, and dill.
- MIX: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- CHILL: Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
Notes
- Make your own homemade cajun seasoning with this recipe.
- I think the pickles and capers give this sauce enough acid, but if you feel like its missing acidity, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
- How to freeze: Do not freeze mayonnaise based sauces. It will change the texture when thawed.
