How would I have known a sumptuous dish like mussel fritters with tartar sauce if I hadn’t visited my aunt along the coastline a few years ago? If you love creamy savoury condiments, this sauce could instantly become your favourite.
However, for those on selective diets, the creamy texture and off-white colour of this condiment can make you wonder about its dairy status… We have done the research for you, and here is what you need to know:
What is tartar sauce made of?
At first glance, tartar sauce commands the aura of a pudding, but it tastes nothing like one. It has a slightly sweet, tangy, and savoury taste that varies largely depending on the ingredients used.
A basic tartar sauce is made with mayonnaise, chopped pickled cucumber, chopped onions, and sometimes mustard, capers, lemon juice, and other bespoke ingredients. All these contribute to the burst of flavour we all love.
Is Tartar Sauce Dairy-Free?
Tartar sauce is dairy-free when made with a traditional recipe. However, store-bought versions may contain dairy depending on the manufacturer. Ingredients like milk, cream, and butter are not essential to this condiment.
You might wonder about its creamy texture. This is all thanks to the mayonnaise base. Mayonnaise is made by emulsifying oil (olive, avocado, or practically any vegetable oil) with egg yolk, vinegar, and seasoning.
Eggs are an animal product, but they don’t contain the allergens found in milk, such as casein, whey, or lactose, making them dairy-free. As for the pickles, they are cucumbers soaked in brine or vinegar, which is also dairy-free.
However, the dairy threat may come from commercially made tartar sauce. It should be second nature to check the ingredient list to rule out any dairy addition.
If you are eating at a friend’s place or dining out, you may enquire what they added to the sauce. A friend of mine loves adding yoghurt to hers. This makes the sauce more tangy and creamier. Another friend adds creme fraiche, which makes hers slightly sour, just as she loves it.
Best Dairy-Free Tartar Sauce (store-bought)
For complete control over the tartar sauce’s taste or its ingredients, homemade is always the best route. But sometimes, we want to open the jar and pour the condiment over our fish and chips without the hassle of making it from scratch. Here are the best dairy-free tartar sauces you can find in supermarkets.
Phillips Tartar Sauce
This is almost a 1:1 with restaurant-style tartar sauce. It has the right balance of creaminess, subtle sweetness, and tang. It doesn’t overpower the taste of your seafood like most other brands that feature way too much sugary relish.
Kelchner’s Traditional Tartar Sauce
This classic tartar sauce lists no dairy allergens as ingredients. It is made with chopped pickles, egg yolks, soybean oil, distilled vinegar, capers, lemon juice, xanthan gum, and natural flavours.
Kelchner’s has a creamy, sweet, and tangy flavour with a bit of savouriness—thanks to briny capers. It has a velvety, thick consistency and is slightly lighter on the tongue compared to Phillips.
Humble & Frank Original Tartar Sauce
While the other two brands above give a dining-esque experience, Humble and Frank offer a homemade one. It lists no dairy ingredients and has the lightest mouthfeel of all three. It spoons well and has a crunchy texture emanating from dill pickles and caper berries.
Best Pairings
While popular among seafood lovers, I believe tartar sauce has a role beyond fish and chips. It is a versatile condiment and pairs with some surprising selections on our list.
Mussel fritters: This is what introduced me to tartar sauce, and the combination is difficult to put into words. The crisp golden exterior adds texture in your mouth when paired with that creamy goodness of the tartar sauce.
Sandwiches and Burgers: Once I’ve discovered a sauce, I basically try it on/in a lot of things. I add some spice and more mustard or ketchup when I use tartar sauce for burgers and sandwiches. Tartar sauce also pairs well with vegetable wraps.
Other good options: crab cakes, fried shrimp and calamari, fish fingers, and roasted veggies.
Final Thoughts
Tartar sauce is safe for a dairy-free diet, as its traditional ingredients — mayonnaise, pickles, capers, and seasonings — are all dairy-free. Commercially made versions may have added dairy ingredients for texture or taste. Always check the ingredient list to rule out that possibility.