6 Homemade Sauces for Seafood
Lemon butter, tartar, cocktail, dill yogurt, Cajun remoulade and mango salsa for salmon, shrimp, fish tacos and crab cakes.
Simple fish and shrimp need a good sauce more than any fancy technique. These six cover everything from a Friday fish fry to a weeknight salmon fillet.
Fish should reach 145°F, or flake easily with a fork; shrimp is done when pink and opaque.
Lemon butter sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 pinch salt
Melt the butter over low heat, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in the lemon juice, parsley and salt.
Good with: Salmon, white fish, shrimp, scallops
Tartar sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickles or relish
- 1 teaspoon capers, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chopped dill
Stir together and chill for 20 minutes.
Good with: Fish and chips, fish sandwiches, crab cakes
Cocktail sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes hot sauce
Mix, adding horseradish to taste.
Good with: Chilled shrimp, oysters
Dill yogurt sauce
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 pinch salt
Stir together.
Good with: Salmon, fish cakes, grilled shrimp
Cajun remoulade
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Creole or grainy mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped pickles
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Stir together and rest for 30 minutes.
Good with: Crab cakes, fried shrimp, po’boys
Mango salsa
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeño, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
Stir together and rest for 10 minutes.
Good with: Fish tacos, grilled salmon, shrimp
Storage
Keep homemade sauces in covered jars in the refrigerator. Mayonnaise-, yogurt- and dairy-based sauces are best within 4 to 5 days; oil-and-vinegar sauces keep about a week. If a sauce smells off or looks moldy, throw it out. Mango salsa is best within 2 days.
Fish and shellfish are major food allergens; keep serving utensils separate when some guests need to avoid them.
