Fresh Tartar Sauce Is Only 3 Simple Ingredients Away

Tartar sauce may not be a staple condiment you stock in your fridge, but luckily, it's easy to throw together in a pinch. Whether you've fried up some fish and chips from scratch or maybe took a short cut with frozen fish sticks, nothing goes with your crispy catch like tangy tartar sauce. Luckily, all you need are three simple ingredients for a fresh batch: mayonnaise, lemon, and relish.

For every 1 cup of mayonnaise, simply add 2 teaspoons of sweet relish and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix well, and you've got fresh tartar sauce to top your fish burger, crab cakes, or to serve with breaded shrimp. If you don't have relish, you can still make a simple three-ingredient tartar sauce. Just grab the pickle jar and finely dice a few pickles, and throw in a splash of the pickle juice, too. 

Out of mayonnaise or looking to make a lower-fat version? Grab some Greek yogurt, which is a great substitute for mayo in tartar sauce. (Plus you get some added protein.) Since Greek yogurt is thicker than mayonnaise, pickle juice can come in handy to get the right consistency — just mix it in a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You can also substitute sour cream instead of mayonnaise if you're trying to keep it egg-free — or do half sour cream, half Greek yogurt.

Don't limit your tartar sauce usage to just fried fish. Tartar sauce is versatile and can be served with grilled salmon, used as a sandwich spread, or even as a dip for chips or veggies. You can even try putting it on your next burger.

In our easy tartar sauce recipe, we use chopped shallots and capers for a bit more texture and sharpness. If you like extra tang in you tartar sauce, stir in Dijon or yellow mustard. But really, all you need are three simple ingredients to put together fresh tartar sauce any time.