SaveThis remoulade sauce recipe makes a creamy, tangy, Creole-style sauce with a little kick. Mayonnaise is stirred together with grainy Creole or whole-grain mustard, prepared horseradish, paprika, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, capers, green onion and parsley. It takes about 10 minutes, plus a short chill so the flavors blend, and makes about 1 1/4 cups. Serve it with crab cakes, fried shrimp and fish, spoon it onto po’ boy-style sandwiches, or use it as a dip for fries. Below you’ll find how it differs from tartar sauce, how to adjust the heat, and how to store it.
What Is Remoulade Sauce?
Remoulade is a mayonnaise-based sauce. The French version is mild, flavored with herbs, capers and chopped pickles. The Creole-style version popular in Louisiana cooking is bolder: it’s built around coarse mustard, horseradish, hot sauce and cayenne, and it’s often tinted pinkish-orange with paprika. This recipe follows the Creole style.
Remoulade vs. tartar sauce vs. cocktail sauce
| Remoulade (Creole-style) | Tartar sauce | Cocktail sauce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Mayo, grainy mustard | Mayo, pickles | Ketchup, horseradish |
| Flavor | Tangy, spicy, mustardy | Tangy, briny | Sweet, sharp |
| Color | Pinkish-orange | Creamy white | Red |
| Best with | Crab cakes, fried shrimp | Fried fish | Shrimp cocktail |
For a briny pickle sauce for fish and chips, see our homemade tartar sauce. For chilled shrimp, try our cocktail sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mayonnaise (1 cup): the creamy base.
- Creole or whole-grain mustard (2 tablespoons): the signature tangy, grainy bite. Spicy brown or Dijon works if that’s what you have.
- Prepared horseradish (2 teaspoons): sharp heat that clears the sinuses a little.
- Ketchup (1 tablespoon): a touch of sweetness and color.
- Paprika (1 teaspoon): color and a mild, sweet pepper flavor. Smoked paprika adds smokiness.
- Hot sauce (1 teaspoon) and Cajun seasoning (1/2 teaspoon): the Louisiana-style kick. Cajun seasoning blends are usually salty, so this recipe skips extra salt.
- Fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and garlic (1 small clove, grated): brightness and bite.
- Capers (1 tablespoon, minced), green onion (1, finely chopped) and fresh parsley (1 tablespoon, chopped): briny and fresh notes, plus a little texture.
How to Make Remoulade Sauce
- Chop. Mince the capers and finely chop the green onion and parsley. Grate the garlic.
- Stir. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish, ketchup, paprika, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, capers, green onion and parsley until evenly combined.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the garlic and spices blend in.
- Taste. Stir and adjust with more hot sauce, lemon or a pinch of salt if needed.
Milder or Spicier
| You want | Change |
|---|---|
| Milder | Use 1 teaspoon horseradish and skip the hot sauce |
| Spicier | Add a pinch of cayenne or more hot sauce |
| Smokier | Use smoked paprika |
| More briny | Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickle or cornichons |
| Lighter | Use half mayo, half plain Greek yogurt |
Ways to Use Remoulade
Remoulade loves anything crispy and anything from the sea. Serve it with crab cakes, fried shrimp, fried oysters, catfish and fish sandwiches, spread it on po’ boy-style sandwiches and burgers, or use it as a dip for fries, fried green tomatoes and boiled shrimp. It also makes a quick dressing for a crunchy slaw.
Storing Remoulade Sauce
Because it’s mayo-based, keep remoulade cold. Refrigerate it in a covered container, don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), and keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below, as the CDC recommends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is remoulade made of?
This Creole-style version is mayonnaise, grainy mustard, horseradish, paprika, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, lemon, garlic, capers, green onion and parsley.
Is remoulade the same as tartar sauce?
No. Both are mayo-based, but tartar sauce leans on pickles, while Creole remoulade is spicier and mustardier.
Is remoulade spicy?
It has a gentle kick from horseradish, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. Adjust them to taste.
What can I use instead of Creole mustard?
Whole-grain, stone-ground, spicy brown or Dijon mustard.
What do you eat remoulade with?
Crab cakes, fried shrimp, fish, po’ boys, burgers and fries.
