Vegan tartar sauce is a versatile dip perfect for anyone seeking a plant-based alternative to traditional tartar sauce. Traditionally made with mayonnaise, which contains eggs, we swap it with a vegan mayo that can be found at most grocery stores or you could even make your own plant-based mayo at home from scratch using cashews or tofu.
What Is Tartar Sauce?
Tartar sauce is a creamy condiment often served with seafood dishes, such as fish and chips. It is traditionally made with mayonnaise as its base, adding flavors such as pickles, mustard, and lemon juice to achieve its distinctive taste.
Our Vegan tartar sauce relies on vegan mayonnaise as its base. This means that not only is the sauce vegan but it is also suitable for those with egg allergies.
Creating a homemade vegan tartar sauce is simple and can be easily customized to suit your personal taste preferences. Our Tartar Sauce is made with red onion, dill pickles, capers, mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. These are easy-to-find ingredients that combined, make the perfect creamy sauce for your dishes such as Vegan Fish and Chips or Vegan Shrimp.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
We've created a vegan tartar sauce recipe that is easy to make and incredibly flavorful. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal preparation time, you can have this delicious, homemade sauce ready in minutes.
Using vegan mayonnaise as the base makes this recipe super simple to prepare, making it perfect for busy weeknight meals or last-minute meal prepping.
Our recipe is gluten-free and entirely plant-based. It can be used as a dipping sauce, a spread for sandwiches, or served alongside your favorite plant-based dishes.
Our Tartar Sauce is:
- Vegan
- Nut-free
- Oil-free
- Easy to make
- Made with store-bought vegan mayo
- Tangy
- Creamy
- Perfect summer dip or sauce
How to make the best Vegan Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
Vegan mayo. You can get store-bought vegan mayo in most supermarkets. Our go-to brand for vegan mayonnaise is Hellmann's Mayo. Another option is to make your own vegan mayo. We've tried making our own mayo following this recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen and it was easy to make and really tasty, totally recommend it if you got some extra time.
Red onion. We like adding some really finely chopped red onion to our vegan tartar sauce to add taste and texture. You can use white or yellow onion alternatively, but red onion is sweeter and great to use for raw recipes.
Dill pickles. For our tartar sauce, we use baby dill pickles. They are sweet and tangy. You can as well use sweet pickle relish or sweet relish if you have it at home.
Capers. Adding capers to your tartar sauce is a nice way to add saltiness, texture, and a delicious flavor. As an alternative, you could use chopped green olives.
Mustard. You can add any type of mustard you have but we prefer using Dijon Mustard, as it provides a deeper flavor and adds little spice to the sauce.
Lemon juice. You can use freshly squeezed lemon. It adds tanginess and acidity to the sauce. Alternatively, apple cider vinegar can as well be used.
Salt. We use sea salt for this recipe.
Fresh herbs for garnish. We normally use what we have growing in our garden, which is normally sage and basil. Fresh parsley, fresh dill or cilantro are great options to add to your vegan tartar sauce.
Optionally, you can add some maple syrup to add a hint of sweetness to the sauce. We use sweet dill pickles which already add little sweetness to the dip.
Step-by-Step method
- Add the vegan mayo to a small bowl. Finely chop the red onion, capers, and dill pickles. Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl.
- Combine all the ingredients and add salt to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley, coriander, basil, fresh dill, or sage.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to enjoying our delicious homemade tartar sauce, there are countless ways to incorporate it into your meals. As a condiment, it adds a tangy and rich flavor that complements various dishes, enhancing both their taste and presentation.
- Fries and Chips: Who doesn't love the classic combination of fries and tartar sauce? You can serve vegan tartar sauce with regular French fries, sweet potato fries, or even vegetable chips. Definitely the perfect dip for your fries.
- Vegan Fish Alternatives: One of our favorite appetizer are these Vegan Shrimp served with our Plant-based tartar sauce and as a main dish, we love serving this sauce with our classic Tofish and Chips, vegan crab cakes, or some vegan fish sticks.
- Vegan Meat Alternatives. Have you ever made Vegan Schnitzel? If not, you need to start today!
- Sandwiches and Wraps: Don't limit yourself to typical tartar sauce pairings! Spread some of our delicious creamy tartar sauce on your sandwiches or wraps for extra flavor and creaminess. It works particularly well with veggie-packed options, blending seamlessly with fresh ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- Baked or Roasted Veggies: Give your roasted or baked veggies a boost by serving them with a side of vegan tartar sauce for dipping.
- Potatoes: Whether you prefer them mashed, boiled, or baked, our vegan tartar sauce can serve as a tasty and unique topping for your potatoes.
- Fresh veggies. Another great option to serve this easy homemade vegan tartar sauce is with fresh veggie sticks such as carrots, celery, or bell peppers.
- Salad dressing. This sauce can be used as a salad dressing for your pasta and potato salads. Try it and thank me later!
Store
To keep your sauce fresh, put it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. The cold temperature helps maintain its flavor and prolong its shelf life. You can keep the sauce for about 3-4 days.
FAQ and Tips
Why is tartar sauce not naturally vegan?
Tartar sauce is made with mayonnaise, which naturally contains eggs (not vegan). Our tartar sauce is made with vegan mayonnaise, making it suitable for plant-based diets and egg-free diets.
Is store-bought tartar sauce vegan?
Not all store-bought tartar sauces are vegan, so make sure to check the ingredient list before purchasing. Although, some brands like Kraft Tartar Sauce are vegan-friendly.
Can I prepare the sauce in advance?
Yes! And probably should if you want to chill the sauce a little bit before serving it. I personally enjoy this sauce when it's been chilled for at least an hour. As well, making the sauce in advance will make the cooking process of the rest of your meal much easier.
Vegan Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ red onion small
- 5-6 small dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ½ tablespoon mustard
- Juice from ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup optional
- Salt to taste
- Fresh herbs of your choice for garnish
Instructions
- Add the vegan mayo to a mixing bowl.
- Finely chop the red onion, capers, and dill pickles and add to the vegan mayonnaise.
- Add the mustard and lemon juice and combine well until everything is incorporated. Optionally, add some maple syrup to add sweetness to the sauce.
- Add salt to taste and combine one more time.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, cilantro, sage or basil.
Notes
- Add more lemon juice or vinegar for acidity.
- Add more mustard for tanginess.
- Add more maple syrup for sweetness.
- Add more mayo for creaminess.
- Add some black pepper for spice.
Nutrition
| If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram. We are always happy to see your creations! |
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