Who doesn’t love to slather cool, creamy tartar sauce on fried catfish or shrimp? Easy to make, you can seasoning tartar sauce any way you like to add just the right touch to fried foods, vegetables, and sandwiches.

Taste tartar sauces after they have chilled for at least an hour, then adjust the seasonings as necessary. If you have time to make tartar sauce the day before, taste an hour or two before serving, adjust the seasonings as necessary, and return to the refrigerator until serving time.

Green Onion Tartar Sauce
Made with green onions and Creole mustard, this tartar sauce is a Cajun classic!

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

1 egg
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons green onion, chopped
1 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon Creole or whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon salt

Put the egg, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and green onions in the bowl of a food processor and puree for 15 seconds. With processor running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to blend. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Better yet, make the day before.

Cajun Tartar Sauce
Not for the weak, the addition of horseradish and Cajun seasoning give this tartar sauce a gator sized bit!

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Best if made the day before.

Swamp Scum Gator Sauceb
Dip deep fried gator bites, chicken fingers, or any fried fish or vegetable in this smoky hot tartar sauce for a mouth full of flavor!

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons Creole or whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Swamp Scum Sauce
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 stalk finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Best if made the day before.

Cook’s Notes
Swamp Scum Sauce is one of my favorite hot sauces. It has lots of smoky flavor and just the right amount of heat. If you can’t find it locally, you can purchase it from selected online retailers (see link below). In a pinch, you can combine hot sauce and Worcestershire as a fair substitute.