This vegan tartar sauce recipe is easy to make and perfect as a sauce for your favorite entree, sandwich, or tangy dip. So dip in a little vegan tartar sauce and enjoy!
Vegan tartar sauce is made with clean whole foods with few ingredients yet tastes just like traditional tartar sauce. So, the next time you want tartar sauce, make this vegan tartar sauce recipe.
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In my opinion, vegan sauces and condiments make or break a recipe. I love condiments, but most store-bought condiments are full of sugar and preservatives. So, most of the time, I 'veganize' my favorite sauces and condiments and keep them clean and healthy.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cashew Mayo: I make my own cashew mayo wth whole foods ingredients.
- Dill Pickles: I love dill pickles and chop them finely for this vegan tartar sauce recipe.
- Lemon Juice: I prefer fresh lemon juice whenever possible.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard gives a wonderful tanginess to the tartar sauce.
Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose sunflower seeds, silken tofu, and white beans instead of nuts in the cashew mayo recipe. Subsitutions are supplied in the recipe.
- Try unsweetened, unflavored plain vegan yogurt instead of cashew mayo.
- Sweet pickles are also great in this recipe for a sweeter taste.
- Consider using pickle relish already chopped for another option.
- Use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice.
- Stoneground mustard is an excellent substitute for dijon mustard.
- For store-bought vegan mayonnaise options, try Follow Your Heart Vegenaise, Hellmann's, and Best Foods Vegan Carefully Crafted Dressing.
- Or Earth Balance Mindful Mayo and Trader Joe's Vegan Spread & Dressing, and Reduced Fat Mayo Dressing are also other options.
Once stirred together, refrigerate, and the sauce will thicken while in the refrigerator.
The Nut Debate
The debate about nuts in the plant-based world is intense, to say the very least. For example, one side debates the dangers of eating nuts, as they are too high in fat and cause obesity. On the other hand, the counterargues small amounts of nuts have health benefits and are necessary for healthy fats.
Obviously, for those with nut allergies, nuts pose a dangerous threat. But do raw nuts pose a danger to the average plant-based eater?
Honestly, I don't think so. But I also wouldn't suggest someone sit down and eat a whole bag of nuts or a whole batch of cashew mayo. Dr. Furhman, for example, suggests 1-ounce a day.
A lot of research points to the benefits of raw cashews, for example, as providing:
- Protein
- Antioxidants
- Boost the immune system
- No cholesterol
- Vitamins E, K, and B6
- Minerals
- Healthy fatty acids
Vegan Mayo
When searching for an excellent vegan mayo, most people are looking for a sandwich spread or a dressing to add to a salad. Before becoming vegan, I was never a mayo fan.
I thought it tasted like sour milk. No one eats real mayo with a spoon; I don't know anyone who does. Instead, mayo is used with other ingredients to make dressings or give a creamy texture to food.
For example, vegan cashew mayo does not "taste" like mayo but has the innate ability to provide creaminess and a base for other dressings.
First, remember homemade dressings only last one week refrigerated. Unlike processed foods, you are not using preservatives. So, ensure the amount you make will be used in 7 days.
Then, consider all the recipes you can use your vegan cashew mayo for, such as Chickpea Tuna Salad, Cobb "Eggless" Tofu Salad, a dip for grilled artichokes, or vegan crab cakes.
What to Eat with Vegan Tartar Sauce
One of my favorite ways to use this vegan tartar sauce recipe is to dip vegan calamari or as a sauce for hearts of palm crab cakes, tofu crab cakes, or vegan scallops.
And, for a bit of heat, add 2 teaspoons of Sriracha for a spicy version of vegan tartar sauce.
Recipe FAQs
No. Traditional tartar sauce isn't vegan as it contains eggs and dairy. However, you can always make your own vegan version.
No. Tartar sauce doesn't contain cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is traditionally used for baking.
Instead of tartar sauce, use a garlicky vegan aioli with or without a bit of dill or chopped pickle. Another good sauce option that goes well with vegan calamari is a tomato-based cocktail sauce. Hummus, which is also slightly acidic with lemon juice, can make an excellent dip for vegan crab cakes.
Tips
- Make a recipe for cashew mayo and use it for various recipes throughout the week.
- If you don't have an excellent high-quality, high-speed blender, soak the cashews overnight or boil them for 10 minutes and drain them before making the cashew mayo recipe.
- Dill or sweet pickle relish substitutes chopped fresh dill or sweet pickles.
- Cover and place the sauce in the refrigerator to thicken.
- The sauce will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Stir before serving.
- Add flavors such as Sriracha, Old Bay Seasoning, or Cajun seasoning.
If you are looking for a zesty, creamy sauce, try vegan tartar sauce! With just a few ingredients, you will love this sauce recipe.
Great Vegan Dips and Sauces to Try!
If you love vegan tartar sauce, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashew mayo recipe
- ¼ cup diced sweet or dill pickles
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
Instructions
- Make ½ recipe of vegan cashew mayo
- Add fresh lemon juice and dijon mustard
- Then, add diced pickles, and stir together
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour
- The mixture will thicken in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make a recipe for cashew mayo and use it for a variety of recipes throughout the week.
- If you don't have a good high-quality, high-speed blender, soak the cashews overnight or boil them for 10 minutes and drain them prior to making the cashew mayo recipe.
- Dill or sweet pickle relish substitutes chopped fresh dill or sweet pickles in the vegan tartar sauce.
- Cover and place the vegan tartar sauce in the refrigerator to thicken.
- The sauce will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Stir before serving.
- Add additional flavors such as Sriracha, Old Bay Seasoning, or Cajun seasoning.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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