Is tartar sauce the same as mayonnaise?

No, tartar sauce is based on mayonnaise but includes additional chopped ingredients like gherkins, capers, and herbs, giving it a tangy, chunky texture.

Can I make tartar sauce at home?

Yes, easily. Mix mayonnaise with finely chopped pickles (gherkins), capers, a little onion, lemon juice, and herbs like dill or parsley.

Why is it called 'tartar' sauce?

The name derives from the French 'sauce tartare', named after the Tatar people of Central Asia. The connection is likely via 'steak tartare' (raw chopped meat), for which a similar pungent sauce was served. The seafood version evolved separately.

What's a common substitute for tartar sauce?

A simple mix of mayonnaise and relish (sweet pickle relish) is a common quick substitute, though it's sweeter. Aïoli or remoulade can also work depending on the dish.

tartar sauce

UK/ˌtɑː.tə ˈsɔːs/US/ˌtɑr.t̬ɚ ˈsɑːs/

Informal, culinary

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A cold, creamy condiment made from mayonnaise, chopped pickles, capers, onions, and herbs, typically served with fried seafood.

A tangy, emulsified sauce used as a dip or accompaniment, primarily for fish and chips, fried fish, seafood cakes, and other fried foods. Its name derives from 'tartare', referencing the Tatar people, but the sauce itself is a European creation.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily a culinary term. The spelling 'tartar' is standard for the sauce; 'tartare' (as in steak tartare) refers to raw, chopped meat. The sauce is almost exclusively associated with seafood.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

In the UK, it is a standard accompaniment for fish and chips, often offered in 'chip shops'. In the US, it is strongly associated with fried fish sandwiches (e.g., Filet-O-Fish) and fried seafood platters. The UK version may sometimes include chopped hard-boiled egg or use a different herb profile (parsley vs. dill).

Connotations

Connotes casual, often fried, pub or takeaway food. In the US, it can have a slightly dated or mass-market fast-food connotation, whereas in the UK it's a classic chip shop staple.

Frequency

High frequency in culinary contexts in both regions. Less common in everyday conversation outside of ordering food.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

fish and chipsfried fishfish fingersseafood platterserve with

medium

creamy tartar saucehomemade tartar saucepot of tartar saucedollop of tartar sauce

weak

tartar sauce jartartar sauce recipetartar sauce bottle

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[eat/order/have] + NOUN + with tartar sauceserve + [fried fish] + with + tartar saucedip + [fish finger] + in/into + tartar sauce

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Neutral

seafood sauceremoulade (similar but distinct)

Weak

mayonnaise-based saucecreamy sauce

Vocabulary

Antonyms

ketchupmalt vinegarsweet chilli sauce

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare. Might appear in a restaurant supply or food manufacturing context.

Academic

Rare, except in historical or cultural studies of food.

Everyday

Common when ordering or discussing fried seafood.

Technical

Culinary and food science contexts.

Examples

By Part of Speech

noun

British English

I'll have cod and chips with a side of tartar sauce, please.
This pub does a proper homemade tartar sauce.

American English

The fish sandwich comes with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce.
Could I get extra tartar sauce for my fries?

Examples

By CEFR Level

I like tartar sauce with my fish.
What is in tartar sauce?

Could you pass the tartar sauce? The fish fingers need dipping.
We ran out of tartar sauce, so we used mayonnaise instead.

The secret to their popular fish and chips is the dill-infused tartar sauce.
While tartar sauce is classic, I sometimes prefer a squeeze of lemon.

The gastropub's deconstructed fish and chips featured a quenelle of tarragon tartar sauce.
Tartar sauce, with its origins in French cuisine as 'sauce tartare', has been simplified and popularised globally as a fast-food condiment.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a TART biting into a TAR-TANGY sauce with their fish.

Conceptual Metaphor

SAUCE IS AN ACCOMPANIMENT / SAUCE IS A DIP

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with 'соус тартар' (which is correct) and the dental substance 'зубной камень' (also 'тартар'). The sauce is unrelated to the dental term.

Common Mistakes

Spelling it as 'tartare sauce' when referring to the condiment (though this is a common variant, 'tartar' is standard for the sauce).
Using it as a sauce for non-seafood items like chicken, which is atypical.
Pronouncing the first 'r' in 'tartar' in British English (it's often silent: /ˈtɑː.tə/).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

For a more authentic experience, have your fish and chips with rather than ketchup.

Multiple Choice

Tartar sauce is most traditionally served with which of the following?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, tartar sauce is based on mayonnaise but includes additional chopped ingredients like gherkins, capers, and herbs, giving it a tangy, chunky texture.
: Yes, easily. Mix mayonnaise with finely chopped pickles (gherkins), capers, a little onion, lemon juice, and herbs like dill or parsley.
: The name derives from the French 'sauce tartare', named after the Tatar people of Central Asia. The connection is likely via 'steak tartare' (raw chopped meat), for which a similar pungent sauce was served. The seafood version evolved separately.
: A simple mix of mayonnaise and relish (sweet pickle relish) is a common quick substitute, though it's sweeter. Aïoli or remoulade can also work depending on the dish.