Tartar sauce is a classic cold French sauce made with mayonnaise (or egg yolks and butter) and finely chopped pickles, capers, herbs and onions. It’s traditionally served with fish, seafood and roasted vegetables.
The sauce’s name translates from French as sauce tartare, meaning “Tatar sauce.” However, it has no direct connection to authentic Tatar cuisine.
French myth: The French mistakenly associated distant eastern peoples (Tatars) with a wild, spicy and savage nature. Because of its piquant, pungent flavor (early versions of the sauce included a lot of mustard and spicy onions), the dressing was called “Tatar.”
Initially, French chefs served this spicy sauce with a dish of raw minced meat. Later, the meat dish itself adopted the sauce’s name and became known as steak tartare, while the sauce itself became a standalone condiment for fish.
In the 19th century, the famous restaurateur Georges-Auguste Escoffier standardized the recipe for French cuisine, establishing tartare as its modern base – mayonnaise mixed with capers, gherkins and chives.
Classic step-by-step recipe
Homemade sauce is much more flavorful and richer than store-bought.
Ingredients:
Mayonnaise (preferably fatty homemade) – 150 g
Pickled gherkins (or cucumbers) – 2-3 pcs. (about 40 g)
Capers – 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard – 1 teaspoon
Fresh herbs (dill, parsley or green onions) – a small bunch
Garlic – 1 clove (optional, for spiciness)
Salt and black pepper – to taste
Cooking process:
Preparing the base: Place the mayonnaise in a small, deep bowl and add the Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly with a whisk or spoon.
Cutting the ingredients: Chop the gherkins and capers with a knife into the smallest possible cubes.
Chef’s secret: don’t use a blender, otherwise the sauce will turn into a runny mess. Tartar is prized for the distinct texture of the crisp cucumbers.
Shredding the greens: Finely chop the dill and green onions. If using garlic, press it through a garlic press.
Mixing: Add chopped cucumbers, capers, herbs, and garlic to the mayonnaise base. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Infusion: Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes. During this time, the flavors will meld, and the sauce will acquire its signature savory balance.