Vegan Tartar Sauce

This vegan tartar sauce recipe features egg-free mayo, pickles, capers, and fresh dill. Ready in 5 minutes or less, it’s creamy, tangy, and zesty. Serve it with beer-battered vegan fish, sandwiches, and more!

💚 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Minimal ingredients: All you’ll need are a handful of pantry staples. You can even make your own vegan mayo!
• Storage-friendly: Make a batch of vegan tartar sauce at the beginning of the week, and store it in the fridge for a quick, flavorful dip when you need it.
• Budget-friendly: Unlike expensive store-bought options, this homemade recipe is lighter on the wallet, especially if you make your own mayo.
• Customizable: Keep it simple, or spruce it up with extra seasonings and herbs.

If you’re a vegan tartar sauce fan, you’ll love our dairy-free sour cream, cashew crema, creamy garlic sauce, and vegan ranch dressing.

🥒 What is tartar sauce?

Traditionally, tartar sauce is a creamy condiment served with fish and other fried foods. It exists in many styles, but no matter how it is prepared, it always starts with a base of mayonnaise and pickles.

Many recipes include flavor enhancers like mustard, lemon juice, fresh dill, and various seasonings. Whether it’s thick, chunky, or thin, tartar sauce is a household staple.

🌱 What is vegan tartar sauce?

As you can tell, traditional tartar sauce is not very vegan-friendly. But with a few simple swaps, the same flavor and consistency can be recreated for a completely plant-based alternative.

Vegan tartar sauce incorporates many of the same ingredients as traditional tartar sauce, making it just as thick and creamy. The difference lies in the substitution of egg-free mayo for regular mayo.

As a result, it’s completely gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan, making it suitable for a wide variety of needs and just as tasty as the real deal.

📜 History

The exact origins of tartar sauce remain unclear to this day. Many believe that it was originally referred to as tartare, and created in 1700s France after the invention of mayonnaise.

First used as an accompaniment to beef, tartar sauce began showing up on menus around the world in the 20th century. Interestingly, it didn’t become a household staple until Hellmann’s started selling their own version of tartar sauce in the 1920s.

Today, this condiment can be found in nearly every restaurant, grocery store, and home.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Vegan mayonnaise: Forms the base of this vegan tartar sauce, adding its characteristic rich and creamy element. Use store-bought vegan mayo, or make your own.
• Dijon mustard: Adds the perfect tang with a little kick. If you don’t have Dijon on hand, replace it with a combination of horseradish or more mayo, mustard powder, and a dash of white wine vinegar.
• Dill pickles: We prefer garlic dill pickles, but sweet pickles also work!
• Capers: Common in Mediterranean cuisine, capers are immature, unripened green flowers. They can be replaced with more dill pickles if you don’t have any in your fridge.
• Fresh dill: Provides a bright, sweet, and citrusy element (and contains a significant amount of vitamins and minerals). If you don’t have dill, fresh parsley or tarragon work just as well.
• Lemon juice: The tartness helps cut through the fat from the mayonnaise, creating a more balanced flavor.
• Sweetener: We use regular cane sugar, but agave tastes just as great.
• Salt & pepper: Used to enhance the rest of the ingredients.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan tartar sauce

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

Add the vegan mayo, Dijon mustard, diced pickles, capers, fresh dill, lemon juice, and cane sugar to a small bowl. Use a whisk or fork to mix until smooth.

Step 2: Season to taste

Taste your vegan tartar sauce, and adjust the salt and pepper to suit your preferences. Alternatively, add more Dijon or lemon juice for extra tang, a dash of cane sugar for a sweeter flavor, or even diced shallots for a bit of a kick!

Step 3: Chill and serve

Serve your tartar sauce right away. Or, transfer it to a glass container, and place it in the fridge for a few hours to chill.

If you have questions about making this vegan tartar sauce recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🐟 What to serve with vegan tartar sauce

There are endless ways to enjoy this vegan tartar sauce! Try using it as a dip, spread, or sauce along with recipes like these:

• Ensenada-style fish tacos: fresh and flavorful vegan-style “fish” tacos made with beer-battered tofu.
• Crispy vegan “chicken” tenders: Baked or fried and tossed in Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
• Homemade potato wedges: Lightly seasoned crisp and tender restaurant-style potato edges.
• Air fryer zucchini: A quick and easy budget-friendly side dish!

🌡️ Storage

This vegan tartar sauce recipe is pretty addicting, so you’ll definitely want to whip up a double or triple batch! Here’s what to do to keep it fresh:

• Fridge: Store it in an airtight container or mason jar, and it will last in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: We do not recommend freezing tartar sauce as the taste and texture will change significantly once thawed.

♻️ Variations

• Plain: Omit the extra flavorings, and use a simple base of mayo, pickles, salt, and pepper for a basic vegan tartar sauce recipe.
• Hot Sauce: Spice things up with a dash of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
• Shallot: Add zest and a mild garlic flavor with a diced shallot or two!
• Worcestershire: Create hearty, umami-rich flavors with a small splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce.
• Create a lighter sauce: For a lighter recipe, replace half of the mayonnaise with non-dairy yogurt.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Mix well: Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated for a sauce with balanced flavors.
• Adjust the seasonings: Taste and adjust the seasonings slowly to suit your preferences.
• Change the consistency: If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more lemon juice, pickle juice, or water. For a thicker sauce, use more vegan mayo.
• Chill: To enhance the flavor, let your tartar sauce chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving it.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More sauce recipes

If you enjoyed this vegan tartar sauce recipe, be sure to check out some more sauces like these:

• Garlic rosemary aioli: From our chickpea fries recipe, this aioli is earthy, zesty, and creamy.
• Vegan avocado cream sauce: A simple, 6-ingredient sauce.
• Green enchilada sauce: A classic and traditional recipe to serve with enchiladas.
• Teriyaki sauce: The perfect sauce for a tofu and vegetable stir-fry.