McDonald’s Tartar Sauce Copycat Recipe
McDonald’s tartar sauce is that quietly reliable condiment that makes the Filet-O-Fish actually worth eating, and this copycat gets the flavor exactly right. It comes together in about 5 minutes with pantry staples you almost certainly already have.
No cooking required and no special equipment needed. Make it tonight and use it all week.
Why I Love This Recipe
The texture here is the thing: creamy but not heavy, with a little briny bite from the relish and a mild tang from the lemon juice that keeps it from tasting flat.
This is the version I keep coming back to because the ratio of mayo to relish is calibrated so it tastes like the real thing rather than just a generic tartar sauce. A small amount of dried minced onion is the detail most homemade versions skip, and it makes a genuine difference.
Recipe Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise – Full-fat gives the best texture; Hellmann’s or Duke’s are both great here
- 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish – This is what McDonald’s uses; dill relish makes it sharper and more traditional
- 1 tsp dried minced onion – Rehydrates into the sauce and mimics the texture of the original
- 1 tsp lemon juice – Fresh or bottled both work; adds the brightness that keeps it from tasting one-note
- ½ tsp white vinegar – Sharpens the flavor without overpowering the sweet relish
- ¼ tsp sugar – Just enough to round out the acidity
- ⅛ tsp salt – Taste first, then adjust; your mayo may already be salty
Variations / Substitutions
- Dill relish instead of sweet – Makes the sauce tangier and less sweet, closer to a classic diner-style tartar sauce.
- Greek yogurt for half the mayo – Lightens the sauce noticeably; the texture is slightly thinner but still works well as a dip.
- Apple cider vinegar instead of white – Adds a very faint fruitiness; the difference is subtle but it rounds the flavor a touch.
- A pinch of cayenne – Gives the sauce a mild warmth that works especially well with fried fish.
- Fresh minced onion instead of dried – Use 1 tsp finely minced; the texture will be slightly coarser and the onion flavor more pronounced.
If you enjoy this on fish sandwiches, the Copycat McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Recipe is worth making alongside it.
How To Make Tartar Sauce
Step 1: Whisk the Base
In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp dried minced onion, 1 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp white vinegar, ¼ tsp sugar, and ⅛ tsp salt. Stir everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform, about 30 seconds.
At this point the sauce will look a little loose and the dried onion will be visible as small flecks. That is completely normal.
Step 2: Rest and Taste the Sauce
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce for at least 15 minutes. This short rest lets the dried minced onion soften and absorb into the mayo, which changes the texture and mellows the raw sharpness.
After resting, taste the sauce and adjust. If it needs more brightness, add a few extra drops of lemon juice. If it tastes flat, a small pinch more salt will fix it.
Step 3: Serve with a Garnish Drizzle
Spoon the finished tartar sauce into a small serving bowl, then drag the back of the spoon through the top to create a shallow swirl. Drizzle about ½ tsp of lemon juice lightly across the surface and scatter 2 or 3 small pieces of relish on top for color.
Recipe Tips
- Use full-fat mayo. Low-fat versions add water to the formula, which makes the sauce runny after a day in the fridge.
- Don’t skip the rest time. Fifteen minutes makes a real difference. The dried onion needs that time to rehydrate fully.
- Taste before serving. Every brand of mayo has a different salt level, so the ⅛ tsp salt in the recipe is a starting point, not a fixed number.
- Double the batch if you’re making fish sandwiches for more than 2 people. This recipe makes about ½ cup, which covers roughly 4 sandwiches generously.
Scale it to your batch size:
| Servings | Mayonnaise | Sweet Pickle Relish |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | ½ cup | 2 tbsp |
| 8 | 1 cup | 4 tbsp |
| 12 | 1½ cups | 6 tbsp |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Keep the sauce in an airtight jar or container for up to 1 week. The flavor actually improves on day 2 as everything settles together.
- Serve Cold – This sauce is meant to be served cold, straight from the fridge. No reheating needed.
What To Serve With Tartar Sauce
A crispy fried fish fillet is the obvious choice, and for good reason: the cold, creamy sauce cuts through the hot oil flavor in a way that a plain condiment doesn’t. It also works well spooned over fish tacos, where the sweetness of the relish balances a spicy slaw. Try it as a dipping sauce alongside frozen or homemade fish sticks for a quick weeknight dinner where the sauce does most of the flavor work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this tartar sauce ahead of time?
Yes. You can make it up to 3 days ahead and it keeps well in the fridge. The flavor is actually better on day 2 than day 1.
Why does my tartar sauce taste too sweet?
The sweet relish varies a lot by brand. If yours is on the sweeter side, swap half of it for dill relish or add an extra ¼ tsp of white vinegar to pull it back.
Can I freeze tartar sauce?
No. Mayo-based sauces break when frozen and thawed, leaving a greasy, separated texture that won’t come back together no matter how much you stir.
Is there a dairy-free version?
Yes. Use a vegan mayo like Hellmann’s Vegan or Kewpie Vegan, and every other ingredient in this recipe is already dairy-free.
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Tartar Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp dried minced onion, 1 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp white vinegar, ¼ tsp sugar, and ⅛ tsp salt in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so the dried onion softens and the flavors come together.
- Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice as needed, then spoon into a serving bowl with a swirl on top and a light drizzle of lemon juice.
