14 Store-Bought Tartar Sauce Upgrades To Trick Your Taste Buds

Tartar sauce — it's a simple yet transformative addition to any plate, with its distinct tangy, briny taste and creamy texture. This sauce is the classically paired with seafood, but there are a plethora of other ways to enjoy it too. And, whilst making your own batch at home is certainly an option, it's often far more convenient to pick up a premade, store-bought version. But, if you've grabbed a bottle only to find the flavor a tad lack-lustre, there are a few easy tricks you can use to spruce it up.

By adding a few everyday ingredients to your store-bought tartar sauce, you can trick your taste buds into thinking it's a freshly whipped up, homemade version. There are a variety of ways to amp up the tanginess, spiciness, or aromatic notes, to create a sauce with a noticeably more complex flavor. Whether you're aiming to brighten things up with fresh citrus, add a touch of balancing sweetness, or give the sauce an extra creamy consistency, it's more straightforward than you'd think to turn your sauce into something impressive. Below are 14 add-ins that are sure to work wonders on this much-loved condiment, so let's get mixing!

Most recipes for homemade tartar sauce feature dill, a flavorful herb with a subtly citrusy, grassy taste. However, browse the ingredients list on a store-bought version, and you won't always find this herb listed. That's why adding some fresh chopped dill is always a great idea. This touch of freshness can boost the sauce's flavor profile pretty dramatically, giving it a new lease of life whilst adorning it with appealing speckles of green. Start by pouring about half a cup of store-bought sauce into a bowl, and adding a tablespoon of finely chopped dill. You can of course adjust this to taste as you please.

Other herbs can work just as wonderfully here too. Parsley is great for adding a mild peppery sweetness, whilst tarragon brings subtle notes of licorice. Mint is a brilliant choice too, if you prefer something more refreshing. Dried herbs can of course be subbed in here if you don't have their fresh counterparts available. But, keep in mind that opting for fresh will provide your sauce with an unbeatable level of brightness.

Let's intensify that signature tang. Pickles are a key part of any good tartar sauce, and if your store-bought version is lacking in this department, feel free to toss in some extras. Dill pickles are the go-to here, and you'll want to chop them as finely as possible to ensure even distribution throughout the sauce. Depending on how pickle-forward you'd like the final creation to be, add around one to two small pickles per cup of sauce. Another top tip is to leave your jazzed up sauce in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavors to meld before serving. Then, it's ready for spooning over shrimp, or dunking crispy battered fish into.

To balance the newfound tanginess of your sauce, you can always try incorporating some other add-ins too. A dash of spice from cayenne pepper or paprika can work well, as can a squeeze of honey to bring a touch of sweetness. Another failsafe option is minced garlic, which pairs beautifully with the pickles and does an excellent job of enhancing the sauce's overall savory richness.

One of the major pros to making your own tartar sauce is the unmatchable fresh, zesty flavor you can achieve. More often than not, store-bought tartar doesn't even list lemon as an ingredient, despite most homemade recipes deeming it an essential component of the sauce. Fresh lemon therefore has to be one of the most effective add-ins for taking store-bought sauce to new levels of deliciousness. With a quick squeeze of juice, you can completely transform the sauce, giving it heaps of zing and brightness. About two tablespoons of lemon juice per cup of sauce is a good place to start. Just be mindful of adding too much so you don't drastically thin out the consistency of the sauce. If you want to make things extra citrusy, you could stir in some of the finely grated zest too. Around half a teaspoon per cup of sauce should be ideal.

Lemon fits in perfectly alongside a whole host of other add-ins too. Combine it with herbs like dill or parsley to continue with the fresh theme, or perhaps some chopped capers for extra briny goodness.

If you prefer your sauces with a bit of a kick to them, increasing the spice level of your store-bought tartar sauce couldn't be easier. Simply grab your favorite hot sauce and stir a spoonful or two into a portion of the tartar. The amount is down to your preference, so keep adding, mixing, and tasting until you've achieved your desired flavor. Each specific variety of hot sauce will give you a slightly different result. For example, sriracha boasts a milder, slightly sweet chili hit, with plenty of garlicky flavor. Tabasco, on the other hand, will deliver a punchier, tangier heat.

To create a well-rounded sauce, you might like to balance this spicy element with a touch more creaminess. In that case, mayonnaise is your friend. Add a cooling dollop and mix this through along with the hot sauce for a rich, indulgent result, where the heat will still shine through. Alternatively, you could amp up the spiciness even further, by combining your hot sauce add-in with a pinch of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or some fresh diced serrano chili pepper.

Another wonderfully tangy add-in that can instantly elevate tartar sauce is mustard. With its sharp, pungent taste, a little goes a long way with this ingredient, so it won't take much to give your sauce a boost. More specifically, Dijon mustard is a fantastic choice here. It has a creamy, easily blendable texture and a slightly more complex flavor profile than your everyday yellow mustard. As a rule of thumb, you'll want to add about a teaspoon of Dijon mustard per cup of tartar sauce, but don't hesitate to increase this to your taste.

You can also opt for other varieties of mustard here. Wholegrain mustard is great for adding a little texture to your tartar sauce, and mustard powder is great for achieving a more concentrated flavor. You could even go for a splash of honey mustard dressing, for a more balanced tangy-sweet combo. Whichever version you choose, you'll find that mustard is especially versatile. It'll fit right in with a range of other add-ins, whether that's fresh lemon, a sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning, or some minced aromatics like onion or garlic.

The foundation of most recipes for homemade tartar sauce, mayonnaise serves as the ultimate creamy base. If your store-bought tartar isn't feeling quite as rich as you'd like, adding a dollop of mayo can makes things that bit more indulgent. Store-bought versions can sometimes be a little runnier in consistency, so mayonnaise is an excellent tool for thickening the sauce, whilst staying true to the classic tartar flavor. Just add your tartar sauce to a bowl, squeeze or spoon in some mayo, and stir until well combined. Add as much or as little as you'd like, until the consistency is just right.

Mayonnaise does of course come in a variety of flavored forms too. Garlic, sriracha, or lime mayo would all be fantastic options if you're looking to give the tartar sauce more of a unique twist. Alternatively, complement a classic mayo with other add-ins like lemon juice, diced pickles, or mustard for a more complex finish.

Vinegar is a particularly game-changing add-in, that can give store-bought tartar sauce a much-needed dose of acidity. It's the perfect choice if your sauce is tasting somewhat flat or overly heavy, since it can cut right through the richness and balance the other elements of the sauce with its potent tang. There are a few different types to choose from here. White vinegar is a classic staple, with a clean, neutral taste. Apple cider vinegar is slightly fruitier, whilst balsamic tends to be sweeter and tangier. Rice wine vinegar is another popular choice, boasting a milder, less acidic taste that'll enhance the sauce more subtly. 

Add about two teaspoons of your chosen vinegar to the tartar sauce to give it a tangy revamp. For optimal effectiveness, you can pair this with other acidic ingredients like lemon, pickles, or even a splash of pickle brine. Depending on the initial taste of your store-bought sauce, you might benefit from balancing the acidity with some sweetness, in the form of honey or sugar, or extra richness, perhaps with a spoonful of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.

The holy grail ingredient for packing a recipe with savory depth, Worcestershire sauce might be just the thing your store-bought tartar is missing. This flavor-rich condiment is typically made from vinegar, anchovies, molasses, and tamarind, as well as other aromatics and seasonings. It's loaded with bold, complex notes of umami, and you'll only need a few dashes to give your tartar a serious upgrade. To enhance a cupful of tartar sauce, drizzle over a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and stir well. If you're working with a vegan-friendly tartar sauce, and want to keep things plant-based, you can also get hold of plant-based, anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce alternativesin many large grocery stores, or even try making your own.

With the main effect of Worcestershire sauce being to deepen the savory elements of the tartar, it can work exceptionally well in unison with other sweeter, tangier ingredients. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice and spoonful of honey alongside the Worcestershire can create a truly harmonious balance of flavors, and leave your store-bought sauce tasting like it was made entirely from scratch.

Capers are another ingredient that we see again and again in homemade tartar sauce recipes. They are however somewhat elusive in the store-bought tartar realm, and that's a real shame. These tiny, briny gems are actually pickled flower buds from the caper bush, and despite their small size, they offer a pretty mighty burst of flavor. Thankfully, capers are a readily available add-in, and only require a quick chop before tossing them into a store-bought tartar sauce. Just chop them as finely as you can so they distribute nice and evenly throughout the sauce. They should add a distinctive tangy brightness and make things a touch saltier too, since most capers come preserved in salt or brine.

This add-in will fit in beautifully with other components of traditional homemade tartar, so go ahead and follow the capers with some fresh dill, a dash of mustard, or some chopped pickles. The more flavor elements, the better!

We know that dried herbs and spices are fantastically convenient tools for transforming the taste of a dish, but it can be hard to know how to get the blend of flavors just right. That's where pre-mixed seasonings come in handy, and for enhancing tartar sauce, there's one that stands out as a natural fit. Old Bay seasoning has long been a favorite for sprinkling into seafood-based recipes. It consists of a perfectly blended medley of herbs and spices such as celery salt, paprika, and thyme, that result in a mixture with a smoky, savory taste, balanced by a hint of sweetness. This profile complements tartar sauce brilliantly. We recommended adding anywhere between half a teaspoon and two teaspoons of Old Bay per cup of tartar sauce, depending on how prominent you'd like the flavor to be. As well as upgrading the taste, it'll add a lovely orange tint to the sauce too.

Old Bay-infused tartar sauce makes for an incredible accompaniment to a classic British fish and chips. You could also dollop it onto grilled salmon, use it as a spicy sandwich spread, or serve it as a creamy side for dunking homemade crab cakes into.

To pack some aromatic goodness into a basic store bought sauce, reach for those humble recipe staples — onion and garlic. Both are fantastic for injecting some savory depth, that complements and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients wonderfully. To add onion, you'll need to mince it finely first. This will allow it to unleash as much flavor as possible once added to the sauce, and won't leave you biting into any unwanted hefty chunks. You can either mince an onion by dicing it as finely as possible with a sharp knife, or tossing peeled and quartered onions into a food processor and pulsing into broken down into tiny pieces. About one tablespoon of minced onion should work well stirred into a cup of tartar sauce.

The same goes for garlic, which again needs to be finely minced to get the best out of its aromatic flavor. Use a garlic press, sharp knife, or even a fine grater to do this. One small clove is enough to make a cupful of store-bought tartar a whole lot tastier.

There's rather a lot of choice when it comes to spices, but two stand-outs for taking tartar sauce to the next level are paprika and cayenne pepper. Paprika comes in various forms, including sweet, smoked, and hot. Made from red bell peppers, sweet paprika is the mildest variety, offering a subtle peppery flavor. For the smoked version, the bell peppers are, as the name would suggest, smoked over an oak fire before drying. This gives the resulting powder a distinctive woody taste. Hot paprika (also known as Hungarian paprika) is the fieriest of them all, made from spicier pepper varieties, and its perfect for giving your tartar sauce a kick. Cayenne pepper is another great option for delivering some serious heat. It's even spicier than hot paprika, so a little goes a long way in making your sauce altogether more memorable.

Choose whichever spice takes your fancy, and start by sprinkling a quarter to half a teaspoon or so into a cup of tartar sauce. As always, this is very much open to your interpretation, so you can absolutely add as much or as little as your taste buds desire. You can absolutely pair these dried spices with hot sauce or red pepper flakes, too.

Many of the add-ins on this list focus on increasing the tanginess or savory depth of the tartar sauce, but an essential and often overlooked element of any well-balanced sauce is sweetness. This is where honey comes in. A small amount of this sticky golden nectar can be the solution for a store-bought tartar that's overly sharp, salty, or citrusy. It can also be your saviour if you accidentally go overboard with another add-in like lemon or vinegar, working to balance everything out. To start with, experiment with adding just half a teaspoon of honey to a cup of sauce, and adjust this accordingly if needed. Honey is also a match made in heaven for mustard, so go ahead and add a dash of Dijon or wholegrain to craft the ultimate combo of sweet and tangy.

If you don't have honey to hand, other liquid sweeteners like agave syrup or maple syrup are equally suitable options. And of course, plain old granulated sugar is totally fine too. 

This one might seem a little unconventional, but horseradish is a surprisingly fitting addition to tartar sauce. This root vegetable has an unmistakably pungent, peppery taste, and is therefore best used sparingly. But, get the quantities right, and horseradish will give your sauce an irresistibly fresh twist. A simple prepared horseradish is your best bet here. This has already been peeled and finely grated, and typically comes in a jar, preserved in vinegar and salt. It's ready to use as is, so try stirring a teaspoon of prepared horseradish into a cup of store-bought tartar to get started, before adding more if desired.

Using horseradish sauce is another delicious way to incorporate this unique flavor. To make this, the horseradish is typically blended with creamy ingredients like mayonnaise or sour cream, which softens its pungency somewhat. Horseradish sauce is available to purchase in most large grocery stores, and with its smooth, blendable texture, it can be combined with tartar sauce in much the same way as prepared horseradish. However, you might find that you need to add a little more to achieve a noticeable flavor. It works particularly well if you're after a more subtle peppery hit.