I stopped buying tartar sauce from the store a few years ago. Not because I had some grand plan to make everything from scratch. I just ran out one night with fish already on the table, grabbed the mayo, a handful of pickles, and a splash of the brine, and that was it. Five minutes. Three ingredients. It was noticeably better than what I’d been buying for years.
That’s the thing about this 3 ingredient tartar sauce. It’s not a compromise. It’s actually the version I prefer now. Fresher, tangier, and you know exactly what’s in it. No mystery ingredients, no preservatives you can’t pronounce, no squeeze bottle that’s been open for three months.
If you’ve been searching for a tartar sauce recipe that doesn’t require a special trip to the store or a long ingredients list, this 3 ingredient tartar sauce is the one. Mayo, dill pickles, pickle juice. Done.
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3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce The Only Recipe You’ll Ever Need
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This 3 ingredient tartar sauce is the easiest homemade condiment you will ever make. Just mayo, chopped dill pickles, and pickle juice stirred together in one bowl. Creamy, tangy, and ready in 5 minutes — no capers, no lemon, no fuss.
Ingredients
½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon pickle juice (straight from the jar)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Add the mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, and pickle juice to a small bowl.
2. Stir well until fully combined.
3. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together (optional but recommended).
5. Serve cold alongside your favorite seafood dishes and enjoy.
Notes
Use full-fat mayo for the best texture — light mayo turns watery when mixed with brine.
For a lighter version, replace half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt.
Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or fresh chopped dill to customize the flavor.
Stores in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Do not freeze — mayo-based sauces separate when thawed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Condiments, Sauces
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 223
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
Keywords: 3 ingredient tartar sauce, tartar sauce recipe, homemade tartar sauce, sauce tartare, easy tartar sauce with pickles, tartar sauce no relish, sauce tartar
Why This 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce Works So Well
Most classic sauce tartare recipes call for capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, and sometimes shallots. All good things, but not things most people have ready on a Tuesday night. This 3 ingredient tartar sauce gets the same result by leaning into what actually drives the flavor: fat, acid, and brine.
The mayo is the creamy foundation. The chopped pickles give you the texture and that savory bite. And the pickle juice, just one tablespoon, does the work of three separate add-ins. It carries salt, vinegar, and dill all in one pour. That’s why this 3 ingredient tartar sauce no relish version holds up so well against recipes twice as long.
What I like most is that it tastes like someone made it. Not like it came from a squeeze bottle that’s been sitting in a fridge door for six months. There’s a brightness to a freshly made 3 ingredient tartar sauce that store-bought simply can’t replicate, and once you’ve had it, going back feels like a step down.
I’ve made this sauce dozens of times now. For fish fry nights, for weekend crab cakes, for simple shrimp dips at gatherings. Every single time, someone asks for the recipe. And every single time, they’re surprised by how short the answer is. Three things. That’s it.
What Makes a Good Tartar Sauce
Before we get to the recipe itself, it’s worth understanding why these three specific ingredients work so well together. A great 3 ingredient tartar sauce isn’t just about convenience. Each component is doing real, irreplaceable work.
Mayonnaise is an emulsion, fat and water held together by egg yolk lecithin. That stable, creamy structure is what gives tartar sauce its body and makes it cling to food rather than sliding off. This is why full-fat mayo is essential. According to the FDA standard of identity for mayonnaise (21 CFR § 169.140), real mayonnaise must contain at least 65% vegetable oil by weight along with egg yolk, which is precisely what gives it that thick, coating texture that makes this 3 ingredient tartar sauce work.
The pickles contribute two things simultaneously: acidity and texture. That small crunch in every bite is what keeps the sauce interesting beyond the first dip. Without it, you’d just have flavored mayo.
The pickle juice is the binding flavor element. It brings vinegar sharpness, salt depth, and dill aroma all in one ingredient. This is why a 3 ingredient tartar sauce made with pickle juice consistently outperforms a version made with just mayo and pickles. That third ingredient is the bridge that makes the whole thing taste intentional rather than assembled.
The 3 Ingredients and What Each One Actually Does
Mayonnaise: The Base That Holds Everything Together
Use full-fat mayo. This matters more than people think. Light mayo gets watery when you mix it with brine, and the whole 3 ingredient tartar sauce loses its body. I’ve made it both ways and the difference is real. If you want a lighter version, replace half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt. You’ll lose a little richness but keep the tang, and it still works well.
For a 4 ingredient tartar sauce with mayonnaise, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard stirred in is the easiest upgrade. It adds a quiet sharpness that works particularly well if you’re serving this with something richer like crab cakes or salmon. But the base 3 ingredient tartar sauce doesn’t need it. The Dijon is a bonus, not a requirement.
Chopped Dill Pickles: The Texture and the Bite
Dill pickles, not sweet. I know some recipes use sweet pickle relish and if that’s what you have it’ll work in a pinch, but dill is the right call here. The savory, garlicky flavor is what gives this 3 ingredient tartar sauce its character. Chop them fine, about an eighth of an inch. Too chunky and the sauce feels uneven. Too fine and you lose the texture that makes each dip interesting.
The refrigerator section of most grocery stores carries dill pickles stored in brine rather than vinegar. Those tend to have more crunch and a cleaner flavor. Worth looking for when you shop.
Pickle Juice: The Ingredient Most People Pour Down the Drain
This is what separates a good homemade 3 ingredient tartar sauce from a flat one. Pickle juice is already seasoned with salt, vinegar, garlic, and dill. One tablespoon of it does more than a squeeze of lemon ever could. It sharpens the richness of the mayo, brightens the whole sauce, and gives it that clean tangy finish you expect from a proper sauce tartar.
Just use it straight from the jar. No prep needed. And if you ever wondered why your homemade version tasted a bit dull compared to restaurant tartar sauce, this is probably why. You don’t need lemon for a great 4 ingredient tartar sauce without lemon juice when the brine is right there doing the job better.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce: Step by Step
One bowl. One spoon. About two minutes of actual work. This is how I make my 3 ingredient tartar sauce every time.
Ingredients
½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon pickle juice (straight from the jar)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Add the mayo, chopped pickles, and pickle juice to a small bowl. Stir until fully combined.
Step 2: Taste it. Season with salt and pepper if needed, though the brine usually handles most of the salt work already.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes if you have time. This is optional, but the flavors settle into each other in a way that makes the sauce noticeably rounder. I almost always rest it when I can. If you’re in a rush, serve it immediately. It’s still good.
Step 4: Serve cold alongside whatever needs it.
Total time: 5 to 7 minutes. Yield: about 4 servings. This 3 ingredient tartar sauce keeps in the fridge for up to one week in a sealed container.
Common Mistakes When Making 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce
I’ve watched people make small errors with this recipe that change the result more than you’d expect. Here are the ones worth knowing before you start.
Using light mayo. The texture turns thin and slightly watery. The 3 ingredient tartar sauce needs the fat from full-fat mayo to hold its body. Go full-fat or use the Greek yogurt blend instead.
Skipping the rest time. You can eat this immediately and it tastes fine. But after 30 minutes in the fridge, the pickle brine works through the mayo and everything tightens up. The difference between a freshly made 3 ingredient tartar sauce and one that’s rested is real. If you can plan ahead, do it.
Chopping pickles too coarsely. Big chunks create an uneven eating experience. You want the pickle distributed throughout so every scoop has the same texture. Fine chop, around an eighth of an inch, is the right target.
Using sweet pickles instead of dill. Sweet relish creates a noticeably different sauce. Not bad, but not what most people mean when they say tartar sauce. Dill is the correct choice for a classic result.
Adding too much pickle juice. One tablespoon is the right amount for half a cup of mayo. More than that and the sauce gets too thin and too sharp. Start with one tablespoon, taste, and only add more if you want a stronger brine flavor.
What to Serve With Homemade 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce
The obvious pairings work for a reason. Fried fish, fish and chips, shrimp, crab cakes: the creamy, tangy sauce cuts through the richness of fried seafood in exactly the right way. A fish sandwich with a proper smear of this 3 ingredient tartar sauce on both sides of the bun is genuinely one of the better simple meals I make at home.
But it goes further than seafood. I use it as a dip for potato wedges and onion rings. It works as a spread on a burger instead of plain mayo. It’s excellent alongside roasted vegetables when you want something creamy and acidic to balance the sweetness. Try it with this anchovy garlic butter salmon: the acidity in the tartar balances the richness of that dish in a way that feels deliberate.
The French version, what’s sometimes called sauce tartare McDonald-style, is essentially the same concept scaled up: a mayo base, pickle element, and enough acid to cut through fat. Same logic, slightly different proportions. Once you understand what this 3 ingredient tartar sauce is doing, you’ll find uses for it you didn’t expect.
One pairing I didn’t expect to love: a simple bowl of boiled or steamed potatoes with a side of this sauce. It’s the kind of combination that sounds underwhelming and tastes like something you’d order at a good casual restaurant. The sauce elevates the potatoes without overpowering them.
How to Customize Your 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce
The base is complete on its own. But if you want to go further, here’s what actually works, tested in my kitchen, not just listed for the sake of it.
Spicy Tartar Sauce
Add a teaspoon of hot sauce or a small pinch of cayenne to your 3 ingredient tartar sauce. It adds heat without changing the texture. Works especially well with fried shrimp and anything breaded. The heat and the tang work together in a way that keeps you reaching for more.
Herby Tartar Sauce
Stir in a tablespoon of fresh chopped dill. This takes the 3 ingredient tartar sauce close to a traditional European-style sauce tartare: brighter, more aromatic, and it feels restaurant-quality without needing capers or shallots. If you have fresh chives, those work too.
Lighter Tartar Sauce
Swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt. The texture thins slightly but the flavor is still there. The brine and pickles carry it. Good option if you’re watching calories but don’t want to give up the sauce entirely. The result still tastes like a proper 3 ingredient tartar sauce, just a little lighter on the palate.
Richer Tartar Sauce
Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a minced shallot. This is your dinner-party version of the 3 ingredient tartar sauce: same base, more complexity. It’s closer to what Gordon Ramsay would make, with Dijon, capers, cornichons, and sometimes a touch of crème fraîche. Good when you’re serving something elevated and want the sauce to match the occasion.
If you enjoy quick sauces and dips built around simple pantry ingredients, this garlic butter sauce follows the same logic: few ingredients, big payoff, no complicated technique required.
How to Store Homemade 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce
Store it in a small airtight container in the fridge. A glass jar with a lid is ideal: it doesn’t absorb flavors and you can see exactly how much is left. The pickle brine acts as a natural preservative, so the 3 ingredient tartar sauce holds well for up to one week. After that, the mayo starts to break down and the flavor fades. The USDA’s official commercial item description for tartar sauce defines it as a mayo-based condiment with a pleasingly tart flavor and off-white to light cream color with bits of pickled ingredients, which is exactly what this homemade version delivers.
Don’t freeze it. Mayo-based sauces don’t survive freezing. They separate when thawed and the texture turns grainy. Just make a small batch and use it within the week. Honestly, this 3 ingredient tartar sauce usually disappears in two or three days anyway.
Make a double batch if you know you’ll need it for multiple meals. It takes exactly the same amount of effort and saves you five minutes the next time around. Pair it with something like this crispy fried pickle ranch dip for a spread of condiments that covers every dipping need at the table.
Nutrition Per Serving
Per serving (about 2 tablespoons, ¼ of the full recipe): approximately 223 calories, 21g fat, 3g saturated fat, 9g carbohydrates, 1g sugar, 0g protein. This is a condiment and two tablespoons goes a long way. The lighter Greek yogurt version of this 3 ingredient tartar sauce roughly halves those numbers if that matters to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce
What are the ingredients of tartar sauce?
Traditional tartar sauce is made with mayonnaise, chopped cornichons or pickles, capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs like dill or parsley. This 3 ingredient tartar sauce skips the capers and lemon and uses pickle juice instead: fewer steps, very close result. The pickle juice carries the acidity and seasoning that lemon and capers would normally provide, which is why the shortcut works so well.
How do you make a cheat tartar sauce?
The fastest version is a spoonful of mayo and a teaspoon of any pickle product, relish, chopped pickles, or even just brine. Stir and go. That’s genuinely all you need for a workable tartar sauce in under two minutes. This 3 ingredient tartar sauce is already the cheat version, and it’s the one I use most often.
What does Gordon Ramsay put in his tartar sauce?
Gordon Ramsay’s version includes full-fat mayonnaise, finely minced cornichons, capers, minced shallot, fresh chives, tarragon, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice. Some versions swap part of the mayo for crème fraîche, which adds a more complex tang. It’s richer and more refined than this 3 ingredient tartar sauce and takes considerably longer to prepare. Both are worth knowing, depending on what you’re making and how much time you have.
What’s a substitute for tartar sauce?
Remoulade is the closest cousin: same mayo base, similar pickle and herb profile. A simple mix of mayo and lemon juice gets you halfway there. Ranch dressing works in casual settings. Tzatziki is a lighter option that pairs surprisingly well with grilled fish, especially if you add a pinch of dill. That said, the real answer is to just make this 3 ingredient tartar sauce. You almost certainly have everything already.
Is there a 2 ingredient tartar sauce?
Yes. Mayo plus pickle relish or chopped pickles is a legitimate two-ingredient version. It works. The difference when you add pickle juice as the third ingredient is noticeable: the sauce goes from decent to actually good. That tablespoon of brine adds the seasoning and acidity that makes it taste complete rather than just functional. That’s the core argument for this 3 ingredient tartar sauce over any two-ingredient shortcut.
How long does homemade tartar sauce last?
A properly stored 3 ingredient tartar sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator keeps well for up to seven days. The acidity from the pickle juice helps preserve it. After a week, the mayo starts breaking down and the flavor becomes less fresh. Always use a clean spoon when serving to avoid introducing bacteria that shorten its shelf life.
Can I make tartar sauce without relish?
Absolutely. This entire recipe is a 3 ingredient tartar sauce no relish version. Finely chopped dill pickles do everything relish would do, but with better texture and a cleaner savory flavor. Relish is sweeter and finer-textured, which changes the character of the sauce. The chopped pickle approach gives you more control over the final result.
Make It Once, Keep It in Your Rotation
This 3 ingredient tartar sauce doesn’t need more than three ingredients because those three ingredients are already doing the right things. The mayo coats. The pickles give texture and character. The brine ties it all together with salt, vinegar, and depth. Nothing is missing because nothing needs to be added.
Make it on a weeknight next to fried fish. Keep a jar in your fridge through the week. Use it on sandwiches, as a dip, as a spread, alongside roasted fish, or as a topping for a simple grain bowl. And if you try this 3 ingredient tartar sauce and find yourself tweaking it, adding dill, mustard, or a little heat, that’s the whole point. The base gives you something solid to build from.
If you make this, I’d love to hear what you paired it with. Leave a comment below: the combinations people come up with are always more interesting than I expect. And if three-ingredient recipes are your thing, the 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies follow the same philosophy and are worth trying next.
