Tartar sauce may have a reputation of being paired with seafood, but it actually goes well with many other dishes, too. The slightly tangy taste and creamy consistency are hard to resist, and once you try it out, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. The variety of ingredients and flavors ensures there are a number of foods to pair with tartar sauce. However, tartar sauces look similar to one another, and it may be difficult to figure out how to choose a good one.
Don't worry - you'll find many suggestions on how to choose a good tartar sauce in our buying guide. Frisch's Tartar Sauce is our favorite because it has an original taste, goes well with many dishes, and is the same sauce that is used in the Big Boy restaurant chain. If you want to know more, check out the rest of the products on our list!
We chose our favorite tartar sauces based on the following criteria:
Keep these criteria in mind when selecting a tartar sauce, and check out the Buying Guide below for more information!
Image | ![]() Frisch's | ![]() Beaver Brand | ![]() Kraft | ![]() Bookbinder's | ![]() Heinz | ![]() Louisiana Fish Fry | ![]() Primal Kitchen | ![]() Stonewall Kitchen | ![]() Inspired Vegan | ![]() McCormick |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Original Tartar Sauce | Gourmet Seafood Tartar Sauce | Tartar Sauce Squeeze Bottle | Traditional Tartar Sauce | Tartar Sauce Packets | Tartar Sauce | Tartar Sauce Made With Avocado Oil | Legal Seafoods Chipotle Tartar Sauce | Tartare Sauce | Golden Dipt Fat Free Tartar Sauce |
Features | Best Restaurant-Quality Traditional Tartar Sauce | Best Zesty Tartar Sauce With Capers | Best Sweet and Sour Tartar Sauce | Best Tartar Sauce With a Horseradish Punch | Best to Pack in Lunches and Take for Picnics | Best Tartar Sauce With a Hint of Spice | Best Sugar-Free Tartar Sauce With Avocado Oil | Best for Those Who Love Heat | Best Vegan Tartar Sauce | Best Fat Free Tartar Sauce |
Price | $4.22 | $2.62 | $1.98 | $10.81 | $23.99 | $2.29 | $12.97 | $10.30 | $12.83 | $7.99 |
Flavor | Traditional | Dill and capers | Traditional | Horseradish | Traditional | Cajun | Traditional with dill | Chipotle | Traditional | Traditional, fat-free |
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, pickles, egg yolk, onions, salt, spices | Soybean oil, cucumbers, white distilled vinegar, eggs, lemon juice, dill weed, capers, peppers | Soybean oil, pickles, vinegar, eggs, paprika, mustard, garlic | Soybean oil, vinegar, pickles, horseradish, garlic, onion, lemon juice, high fructose corn syrup, mustard | Soybean oil, sweet relish, sugar, white vinegar, egg yolk, mustard flour, lemon | Soybean oil, dill relish, egg yolk, distilled vinegar, natural spice | Avocado oil, pickle relish, egg yolk, organic distilled vinegar, organic lemon juice, black pepper, dill | Sweet pickle relish, canola oil, white vinegar, salted eggs, caramelized onions, chipotle peppers | Oil, gherkins, white grape vinegar, capers, mustard, shallots | Sweet pickle relish, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, distilled vinegar, egg, mustard, turmeric, lemon |
Type of packaging | Glass jar | Plastic bottle | Plastic bottle | Plastic bottle | Packet | Glass bottle | Glass jar | Glass jar | Glass bottle | Plastic bottle |
Amount | 16 oz. | 11.5 oz. | 12 oz. | 9.5 oz. each, 2 pack | 0.42 oz. each, 200 packets | 10.5 oz. | 7.5 oz. | 7.75 oz. | 7.4 oz. | 8 oz. |
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The tartar sauces in the following list offer variety in terms of flavor, ingredients, and packaging. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.
*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Jim Quast.
$4.22
Flavor | Traditional |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, pickles, egg yolk, onions, salt, spices |
Type of packaging | Glass jar |
Amount | 16 oz. |
$2.62
Flavor | Dill and capers |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, cucumbers, white distilled vinegar, eggs, lemon juice, dill weed, capers, peppers |
Type of packaging | Plastic bottle |
Amount | 11.5 oz. |
$1.98
Flavor | Traditional |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, pickles, vinegar, eggs, paprika, mustard, garlic |
Type of packaging | Plastic bottle |
Amount | 12 oz. |
$10.81
Flavor | Horseradish |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, vinegar, pickles, horseradish, garlic, onion, lemon juice, high fructose corn syrup, mustard |
Type of packaging | Plastic bottle |
Amount | 9.5 oz. each, 2 pack |
$23.99
Flavor | Traditional |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, sweet relish, sugar, white vinegar, egg yolk, mustard flour, lemon |
Type of packaging | Packet |
Amount | 0.42 oz. each, 200 packets |
$2.29
Flavor | Cajun |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Soybean oil, dill relish, egg yolk, distilled vinegar, natural spice |
Type of packaging | Glass bottle |
Amount | 10.5 oz. |
$12.97
Flavor | Traditional with dill |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Avocado oil, pickle relish, egg yolk, organic distilled vinegar, organic lemon juice, black pepper, dill |
Type of packaging | Glass jar |
Amount | 7.5 oz. |
$10.30
Flavor | Chipotle |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Sweet pickle relish, canola oil, white vinegar, salted eggs, caramelized onions, chipotle peppers |
Type of packaging | Glass jar |
Amount | 7.75 oz. |
$12.83
Flavor | Traditional |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Oil, gherkins, white grape vinegar, capers, mustard, shallots |
Type of packaging | Glass bottle |
Amount | 7.4 oz. |
$7.99
Flavor | Traditional, fat-free |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Sweet pickle relish, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, distilled vinegar, egg, mustard, turmeric, lemon |
Type of packaging | Plastic bottle |
Amount | 8 oz. |
There are several things to consider when buying a tartar sauce, such as ingredients, flavor, and packaging. This buying guide will help you navigate the information necessary to find the perfect tartar sauce.
Most tartar sauces are made with the same ingredients for the base: mayonnaise made with eggs and oil. The creamy base allows tartar sauce to pair well with a variety of foods. Some tartar sauces forgo the eggs and utilize an aioli base of garlic and oil, making them suitable for vegans.
Spicy ingredients such as mustard seed, jalapeño, and horseradish can add some heat to the sauce, while herbs like turmeric, cilantro, dill, parsley, and tarragon help improve aroma and flavor. There is also tartar sauce made with lemon juice for extra tang. Lemon juice compliments tartar sauce and pairs well with seafood and fish.
If you prefer your sauce to have a lot of texture, look for a product that contains chopped pickles, cucumbers, or onions. Those ingredients not only enhance the flavor profile of the sauce, but also give it some crunch. These types of tartar sauces contain flavor profiles that taste great with fried foods.
However, if you just want something simple, go for a traditional recipe made with basic ingredients like egg yolks, aioli, and seasonings. With a classic sauce, you can freely add extra ingredients and seasonings to your taste.
Three common types of packaging are plastic bottles, glass jars, and packets. If you're looking for a single serving, we suggest you choose packets. They're one-time use, so you don’t need to worry about having too much leftover sauce that could expire. They are perfect to pack in lunches, too.
But if you want to buy in a larger quantity, we suggest you choose a plastic squeeze bottle. Squeeze bottles are the easiest to use. They are more lightweight than a glass jar. They would be best for households with children, and they are sanitary because you don't have to worry about dirty utensils getting dipped in the sauce.
The good thing about glass containers is they're free from chemicals like BPA. BPA is a chemical compound used in the production of plastics. The adverse health effects of BPA are debated, but those who are cautious of extra chemicals in their food would do best to use glass jars.
Once opened, tartar sauce usually lasts for about six months in the refrigerator. You want to keep tartar sauce refrigerated and tightly sealed at all times. Glass and plastic containers with a sealable lid are best for storing opened tartar sauce.
But sometimes tartar sauce can go bad before the expiration date, too. How can you tell when it’s time to throw out your sauce? If you notice mold or a change in taste, texture, color, or smell, then it is probably time to toss it!
The longevity depends on how well you store the product. Before the tartar sauce is opened, we suggest you store it in a dry and cool area to maintain quality.
Making tartar sauce by yourself is very easy and requires only a few ingredients. Plus, you can adjust the flavor and add different seasonings based on what you like, too. We have chosen the easiest and quickest tartar sauce recipe that requires only five minutes and nine ingredients. Here is the recipe from SweetySalado!
Ingredients
Directions
Learning about food is almost as enjoyable as eating it! We did some research and found out some fun facts about tartar sauce for you.
The name “Tartar” comes from the French sauce Tartare, and the origin is the eastern part of France. Tartar sauce is usually made with egg yolk, oil, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, pickles, parsley, onion, and sugar. It’s rich, creamy, and pairs well with fried fish, shrimp, and other seafood dishes.
While it's not known exactly when tartar sauce was first invented, we do know that similar recipes existed in Medieval times. We also know that Hellman's (the mayonnaise brand) introduced the first commercialized version in the 1920s. Now you can enjoy it pretty much anywhere!
Since there are many types of dipping sauces, we have selected three popular sauces that pair well with different snacks and foods. If you want to know how to choose a good one, don't forget to check these articles out as well!
If you're still uncertain what type of tartar sauce is for you, or if you need some ideas, take a look at Amazon's best-selling tartar sauces.
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