Cajun Tartar Sauce – A Sprinkling of Cayenne

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My Cajun tartar sauce is super creamy condiment deliciousness, y’all!! The perfect dipping sauce for jazzing up all of your favorite fried foods, this easy homemade recipe takes just minutes to make. Yep and yay…

Cajun Tartar Sauce is a South Louisiana Spin on the Classic Condiment 

Cajun tartar sauce combines regional ingredients, such as hot sauce and coarse-grain mustard, into a mayonnaise base with fresh herbs, citrus, and pickles. It’s a local spin on the beloved, classic European condiment most commonly served with fried meats, seafood, and vegetables. 

And, we absolutely love it down here in South Louisiana, y’all!! Like remoulade sauce, it’s a must-have condiment that takes other Cajun foods to their highest taste and texture levels. 

My original version of Cajun tartar sauce is super simple, yet incredibly scrumptious. It’s out-of-this-world creamy, with bits of crunchy, herby yumminess standing out in each zesty, just-a-tad-spicy bite.

So, it’s the perfect condiment recipe to have on hand to add just the right amount of lusciousness to your fried food menu rotation, as it’s incredibly simple to whip up and only gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. Indeed!!

Storage

Store Cajun tartar sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. After this time, it will likely start to separate and lose much of its original flavor.

Freezing

I do not recommend freezing homemade tartar sauce, as it will likely be a separated, tasteless, oily mess once thawed.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Mayonnaise creates the ultra-creamy base for this homemade Cajun tartar sauce. I love and use Blue Plate. But you can use whatever kind you have on hand.
• The mixture of coarse-grain mustard and yellow mustard adds a unique tang to this original recipe. I recommend using Creole mustard if you can to truly experience this South Louisiana tartar sauce as it was intended. However, you can also use Dijon mustard, too.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the overall flavor profile. But, if you don’t have them on hand, you’ll still end up with a tasty Cajun tartar sauce.
• Hot sauce brings just the right amount of heat. I love and use Crystal, our local favorite. However, I also recommend Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce.
• Paprika lends a bit more heat and its beautiful red hue to the Cajun tartar sauce. There really is no one-to-one substitute for it. So, just omit it for your first attempt, and be sure to pick up a small bottle for the next time you prepare the recipe.
• Dill pickles add a bit of crunch and their signature tanginess to the sauce. I prefer to chop and use them right before stirring them into the other ingredients. That said, feel free to use dill pickle relish if that’s what you have.

How to Make Cajun Tartar Sauce

Begin the recipe by chopping the parsley and dill pickles, and zesting and juicing the lemon.

Now, add them to the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Then, stir the mixture until well combined, and transfer to an airtight container.

Finally, place the container in the refrigerator for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.

And that’s it, y’all!!

This Cajun tartar sauce impresses with a lush, super-creamy texture that’s beautifully balanced by the pops of crunchy pickle pieces. The parsley and paprika are also very prominent, each lending an earthy element to the sauce, which is enlivened by the hint of citrus juice and zest.

Then there’s the two-mustard finish, with its bold tanginess lingering blissfully along the back of your throat until your next blessed, highly anticipated bite. For sure!!

Share with those who always bring that little something extra to the table that energizes the entire encounter. Much food love, and see y’all on the yum side…

This post was originally published on February 7, 2022, and was updated with new content and pictures and republished on May 29, 2026.

• 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
• ¼ cup chopped dill pickles or dill pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustard such as Dijon or Creole mustard
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste I used about ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Pour all ingredients into a bowl.

• Stir until well combined.

• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but optimally 24 hours, before serving.

You will end up with a much creamier tartar sauce if you use full-fat mayonnaise as the base. While lighter mayos will still provide a tasty sauce, the texture will not be as rich or as robust.
Squeeze the excess juice out of the pickles by draining them or pressing them with paper towels right before use. This quick step ensures the finished sauce has the perfect consistency.
Stir the sauce right before serving to recombine the ingredients and enhance the overall taste and presentation. 
 
 

The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.

See our full nutrition disclaimer here.

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg