Cayenne Pepper Is The Key To Spice Up Copycat Red Lobster Tartar Sauce

Hosting a seafood dinner without tartar sauce is unheard of. This condiment has a huge impact on seafood, particularly fried dishes like fish and chips. Red Lobster, the supreme leader of chain seafood restaurants, has turned tartar sauce into an art form. Mashed recipe developer Kristen Carli created a copycat Red Lobster tartar sauce recipe that's just as good (if not better) than the original. The best part about Carli's version is that you can jazz it up with some heat if you want.

You'll benefit from making tartar sauce at home because it tastes great on more than just seafood. Use it as an accompaniment for pretty much anything. "I love this with fish and chips, but it is also great with any type of potatoes — tater tots, baked potatoes, french fries, potato chips, you name it!" Carli says. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week, and it will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to seven days.

Tartar sauce complements your seafood meal at Red Lobster, but when you make it at home, you can take it to the next level. A hit of cayenne pepper adds a layer of spice to an already delicious and complex combination of flavors.

To mimic Red Lobster's tartar sauce, you'll need to start with some prep work. Finely dice onion, carrot, and sweet relish. That's the hardest part of this recipe. "This one is very easy. I would recommend you take special care in mincing the onion and the carrots well so that there are no big chunks," Carli explains.

Then, combine those ingredients with mayonnaise. At this point, you are done. Or you can incorporate some spice into your tartar sauce. "If you want a bit of heat, I would add a dash of cayenne pepper," Carli says. Taste it as you go to reach a level of seasoning that you love.