Let’s be honest, crispy fish fillets served between soft white rolls taste really good. Or if you are feeling slightly less classy then a fish finger sandwich can fit the bill as well. But nobody wants a sandwich that is dry and bland. Balancing taste and texture can be a tricky act. Fortunately in this instance we can let one of the best known restaurants in the world guide us along the way.
McDonald’s have been sandwiching taste and greatness between soft buns for decades, so it’s safe to say, they know what they are doing. Fortunately with a few simple ingredients and a tiny bit of time, you can create a sauce that easily matches the McDonald’s tartar sauce recipe.
Tartar Sauce is the ideal accompaniment to fried fish. It’s rare that you will find one without the other, and they compliment each other beautifully. You wouldn’t have a hot-dog without mustard or ketchup would you?
Well you should apply the same principle whenever you are looking for the ideal accompaniment for fish. By fusing the creamy and rich goodness of mayonnaise with the acidity and texture of pickles, and the sweetness of finely chopped onions, you can create a sauce that perfectly counterbalances the crunch and texture found in fried breaded or battered fish.
You could pop down to your local McDonald’s and ask for a couple more sachets, but if you are going out of the house, why not acquire the ingredients you need to whip up a batch whenever you like? We are going to take a look at how to make the McDonald’s tartar dip recipe, in the comfort of your own kitchen.
How To Make McDonald’s Tartar Sauce
Our McDonald’s tartar sauce recipe is pretty quick, easy, and simple, with no actual cooking required. All you will need is a sharp knife, a spoon and a mixing bowl (or a blender if you are feeling super lazy). All that said there are one or two things that you will maybe need to consider to ensure that your dip is as close as it can be to the real thing. The first is to make sure that when you chop the onion, you chop it as finely as you can.
Biting into a big chunk of onion is not going to be the most pleasant experience. If you aren’t a fan of chunky texture and want a perfectly smooth sauce, you can put all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz until entirely smooth.
Secondly, as with most sauces, this recipe tastes better if left for a little time after you have prepared it. So it might be best to make it slightly in advance of when you intend to actually cook. You can make it a few days in advance if you prefer, as it will keep in the fridge, this also makes it ideal to use at a later date if you have any leftovers.
By leaving the tartar sauce you are allowing the sugar to fully dissolve, the onions to release a little of their moisture, become ever so slightly sweeter, and perhaps pickle slightly in the acidic element of the dill pickle.
Dill pickle relish is not always readily available, but in a pinch you can make a very close approximation by finely slicing a small handful of gherkins and stirring with a couple of teaspoons of white wine vinegar or lemon juice. If you don’t have gherkins then finely chopped capers will give a similar taste and texture.
If you wanted to go super classy you could consider making and using home made mayonnaise.
McDonald’s Tartar Sauce
4 from 127 votes
Recipe by Laura Ritterman Course: SauceCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings
12
servings
Prep time
5
minutes
Calories
120
kcal
Resting Time
30
minutes
Tartar Sauce from McDonald’s is the perfect dip to compliment any dish. We’ve made this easy to prepare recipe simple for you to follow below.
Ingredients
½ small onion
1 teaspoon 1 sugar
2 teaspoons 2 dill pickle relish or chopped Pickles
1 cup 1 (200ml) of Mayonnaise
Directions
- First, chop the onion as finely as you can. Add the chopped onion to a small mixing bowl, add the dill pickle relish and sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Using a large spoon, add the mayonnaise, and then fold and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
- Leave in air locked container in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Serve a generous spoonful
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Conclusion
Making a McDonald’s sauce so that it matches the restaurant’s tartar sauce recipe doesn’t have to be rocket science or overly complex. A few store cupboard ingredients, and a little time and patience, is all it takes. Tartar sauce is not a new invention and whilst in this recipe we have tried to emulate the taste of McDonald’s tartar sauce, you can tweak different elements in order to get the taste that you like.
If you want to spice up your recipe try adding a small amount of chopped chilli or jalapenos. A handful of chopped chives can be used to add hints of colour. A spoonful of dried parsley adds another element of depth, and as a coincidence is another flavour that goes remarkably well with fish. You are not limited to serving tartar sauce with fish only. It makes quite a nice dip for any seafood, such as tempura prawns, or even french fries.
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Laura Ritterman
Hi, I’m Laura and having studied an MSc in Nutrition, becoming a professional chef and appearing on major publications with my recipes I decided to create a website of my own. This website is where I share unique recipes, tips and cooking inspiration that will allow your culinary skills flourish. You can contact me here. For more information, you can find more about me.
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2 Comments
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KathyD
April 2, 2022 at 7:57 pm ·Reply
Tried this the other night on some pan-fried cod and it was delicious! I have tried a few different types of bottled tartar sauce and LOTS of recipes, but never finding one that tasted ‘fresh’. Until THIS ONE! So very good! My husband and I took turns finishing the bowl – straight! Just wanted to let you know I am adding to my recipes @RecipeFairy… Thank you!
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Laura Ritterman
April 2, 2022 at 9:11 pm ·Reply
Thank you so much for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
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