There’s something uniquely satisfying about the creamy, tangy tartar sauce that McDonald’s pairs with their iconic Filet-O-Fish sandwich. If you’ve ever wished you could enjoy that distinctive flavor at home without hoarding those tiny packets, you’re in the right place. As someone who’s recreated dozens of fast-food favorites, I can confidently say this four-ingredient wonder is one of the easiest—and most rewarding—copycat recipes you’ll ever make.
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Why This Tartar Sauce Will Change Your Fish Sandwich Game
What makes McDonald’s tartar sauce so special isn’t complexity—it’s the perfect balance of creamy, tangy, sweet, and savory elements that create a condiment that elevates a simple fish sandwich into something craveable. The best part? You likely already have everything you need in your kitchen right now.
What Makes McDonald’s Tartar Sauce Different?
Unlike traditional tartar sauces that might include capers, herbs, lemon juice, or multiple pickle varieties, McDonald’s version keeps things remarkably simple. The secret lies in the balance rather than complexity. This minimalist approach creates a sauce that complements rather than competes with the flavor of the fish.
The McDonald’s version also has a smoother texture and slightly sweeter profile than many restaurant or store-bought versions, which makes it particularly appealing even to those who don’t typically enjoy tartar sauce. This copycat recipe captures that same approachable, crowd-pleasing quality that has made the original a fast-food legend for decades. You are going to love this easy copycat recipe.
Ingredients
All you’ll need to make a tasty, authentic batch of McDonald’s Tartar Sauce is:
- Mayonnaise: This creamy condiment forms the base for the sauce, providing a blank canvas to build upon. We recommend Dukes or Hellman’s, which are high-quality choices that work perfectly for this recipe.
- Dill pickle relish: One of the ingredients that gives tartar sauce its distinctive flavor and texture, this relish (made from chopped pickles, dill, and other flavorings) perfectly complements the taste of fish.
- White onion: Dice up an onion to add to the flavor and texture of your sauce. Make sure it’s a white onion, as others can be too “hot.”
- Sugar: Round out your tartar sauce with a touch of sweetness from everyday sugar to create an ideally balanced condiment.
How to make McDonald’s tartar sauce
There’s not much skill or cooking knowledge required to whip up this tasty McDonald’s tartar sauce recipe. Simply stir all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl until combined. Then, chill your tartar sauce in the fridge for 30 minutes or more to allow the flavors to meld.
What to serve McDonald’s Tartar Sauce with
For the most iconic pairing, spread some of the sauce on a bun and enjoy with a fried filet of fish (like cod or pollock) and a slice of American cheese as a McDonald’s copycat filet ‘o fish sandwich. However, this tartar sauce is delicious with all sorts of fried, grilled, or baked seafood.
It can also serve as a tasty dip, dipping sauce, or condiment for many other types of fast food, such as french fries, chicken nuggets, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, fresh veggies, and more.
4-Ingredient Copycat McDonald’s Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dill pickle relish
- 3 teaspoons white onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cover and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Tips For Perfect Results Every Time
- Finely dice the onion: Large pieces of onion can overwhelm individual bites.
- Allow time for chilling: The flavor improves significantly after refrigeration.
- Taste before serving: Flavors can develop differently based on your specific brands of ingredients.
- Use fresh ingredients: Even though this is a simple recipe, the quality of each component matters.
- Consistent measuring: Use level rather than heaping measurements for predictable results.
Nutrition
Storage Instructions
- Signs of spoilage: Discard if you notice any off odors, discoloration, or mold.
- Container: Store in an airtight container—glass jars or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids work well.
- Temperature: Always keep refrigerated at 40°F or below.
- Duration: Properly stored, this sauce will maintain optimal quality for up to 7 days.
Do you like McDonald’s recipes? Be sure to check out these copycat recipes
- McDonald’s Homestyle Hamburger
- McDonald’s Nugget Sauces – Hot Mustard
- What’s in Big Mac Sauce
- McSkillet Burrito Recipe
- Sweet Iced Tea
- More McDonalds Recipes
Great Sandwich and Dipping Sauce Recipes
- Chick-Fil-A Sauces – Honey Mustard
- Arbys Sauces – Classic Arby’s Sauce
- Dominos Garlic Sauce
- Best Sauce for Onion Rings
- Sub Oil Recipe
- Chicken George Restaurant Recipe – Jan Sauce
- Joe’s Crab Shack Copycat Recipes – Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
Find even more of my famous restaurant copycat recipes and easy homemade sauces.
This recipe is perfect! However, I ordered a McDonald’s filet of fish recently and both the sandwich and tartar sauce tasted terrible. I hope they haven’t changed their recipe.
McDonald’s tartar sauce has a…..lingering flavor. It’s a forward flavor but sits on the tongue for a while. It’s (ready for this?) Capers. Chop up a few and add them. It makes a world of difference if you’re trying to replicate McD’s.
I wish I can rate this 10 stars! So, We are fasting this holy month of Ramadan. I decided to look up a copy car McDonald’s recipe since it’s our favorite! I seen an few and thought this was the most simple with the fewest ingredients! I prepped it in advance for our fish wraps! I couldn’t taste just yet but the smell was unbelievable! It was time for iftar and my husband was the first to try it out! He took one bite, looked at me and said “no way!, this tastes identical to McDonalds!” I said “really!? Give me a bite” and oh my goodness! This is going to be our tarter sauce recipe from now on!! Amazing! I used the Kroger brand dil relish that came in the can. The Kroger brand olive oil mayonnaise. White onion and sugar! What?? So easy!
This recipe is PERFECT! 👌 It’s EXACTLY the same as the McDonald’s version!!
It’s Tartare sauce pronounced tartar.
I WOULD THINK THAT THE KIND OF MAYO WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, DUKES, HELLMANS, KRAFT? THIS IS STUFF WE NEED TO KNOW SISTER.
My preference for mayo is Dukes, then Hellman, then Kraft.
Side note! Can you publish a copykat recipe for Frisch’s tartar sauce? I hear they may be going out of business and that’s my favorite sauce next to McDonalds.
Thank you for the idea. I will keep it in mind.
Love to have receipt for local restaurants spaghetti meat sauce and their meat ball Muriales’s Italian restaurant in Fairmont WV it is getting out of our price range to take my family there only maybe once a year
Your copykat recipes are amazing and always so dead on!!! Thank you so much.
I don’t even have to try this to know it’s good! My family always made tarter sauce when we fried shrimp (from scratch). My mother used to make it with onion, sweet pickle and mayo, then our friend found a recipe with sweet pickle and no onion that we liked. I have experimented with both and different seasonings and finally “lit” on my own version I really liked enough to write down! I’ve always really liked McD’s tarter sauce because it is the closest to our family’s homemade kind. And, I agree Kraft is NOT like McD’s! Close, but just not good enough to buy instead of make myself! (I never really liked Kraft Mayo either, though!)