You spent time making crab cakes. Golden on the outside. Perfectly crispy. Packed with real crab.
And then you dip them in… store-bought tartar sauce from a jar.
I’m not judging. I’ve been there. But once you make your own sauce for crab cakes, going back to the jar feels like a crime.
This sauce takes about 5 minutes. It’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and it makes your crab cakes taste like you ordered them at a waterfront restaurant in Maryland. 🦀
And honestly? You’ll probably start putting it on everything else too.
What You’ll Need
For the Remoulade-Style Crab Cake Sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat, not the light stuff)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Crystal works great)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (for extra coastal flavor)
- 1 teaspoon pickle relish (adds a nice sweetness)
- A squeeze of sriracha (for more heat)
Tools You’ll Need
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Microplane or fine grater (for lemon zest)
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight jar or container for storing
No special equipment needed. This is genuinely a 5-minute sauce.
Pro Tips
These are the things I wish someone had told me the first time I made this.
- Make it at least 30 minutes ahead. The flavors need a little time to come together. Fresh out of the bowl, it tastes fine. After 30 minutes in the fridge, it tastes like a completely different (better) sauce.
- Use full-fat mayo. Low-fat mayo has more water in it, which makes the sauce thin and slightly off in flavor. The real stuff gives you that thick, restaurant-quality texture.
- Drain your horseradish. Prepared horseradish sits in liquid. If you add it without squeezing out the excess moisture, your sauce will be runnier than it should be. Just press it gently against a spoon before adding.
- Taste as you go. This recipe is a starting point, not a law. More lemon if you like tang. More hot sauce if you want heat. More capers if you’re a caper person (I respect that).
- Zest before you juice. It sounds obvious until you’ve already juiced your lemon and are standing there trying to zest a collapsed citrus shell. Ask me how I know.
Instructions
Making this sauce is genuinely one of the easiest things you’ll do in the kitchen today.
- Chop and prep your ingredients. Mince the garlic, finely chop the capers and parsley, and zest your lemon before cutting it in half to juice.
- Add everything to a bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, horseradish, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, capers, parsley, garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne in your mixing bowl.
- Whisk until smooth. Mix everything together until fully combined. Taste and adjust — more lemon for brightness, more hot sauce for heat, more salt if it needs it.
- Refrigerate before serving. Cover the bowl or transfer to a jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This is non-negotiable if you want the flavor to fully develop.
- Serve alongside your crab cakes. You can spoon it on top, serve it on the side for dipping, or both. No wrong answers.
Substitutions and Variations
No Dijon? Regular yellow mustard works in a pinch, but the flavor is milder. Add a tiny bit more horseradish to compensate.
No capers? Finely chopped dill pickles or a small spoonful of relish give you that same briny, punchy flavor.
Need it dairy-free? Good news — this recipe is already dairy-free as written. Just confirm your mayo brand.
Want it lighter? You can do a 50/50 split of mayo and Greek yogurt. The sauce will be slightly tangier and a little less rich, but still really good.
Want a smoky version? Swap regular paprika for chipotle powder and add a small spoonful of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles. It’s a completely different vibe and equally delicious.
No fresh lemon? Bottled lemon juice works, but fresh is noticeably better here. The zest especially — that’s where a lot of the brightness comes from.
Make-Ahead Tips
This sauce is actually better made ahead, which makes it perfect for entertaining.
- Up to 3 days in advance: Make the full sauce and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge. The flavors keep developing and honestly peak around day 2.
- Day of: Just give it a good stir before serving. It may have thickened slightly in the fridge — that’s normal and fine.
Nutritional Info (Per 2-Tablespoon Serving)
| Calories | ~100 kcal |
| Total Fat | 10g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5g |
| Carbohydrates | 1g |
| Protein | 0.3g |
| Sodium | ~200mg |
Note: Nutritional values are approximate and will vary based on the mayo brand and exact quantities used.
Diet-friendly options:
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check your Worcestershire sauce label (some brands contain gluten).
- Keto/low-carb: Already fits perfectly with full-fat mayo.
- Egg-free: Use an egg-free mayo like Hellmann’s Vegan.
What to Serve With This Sauce
It’s called a crab cake sauce, but don’t stop there.
This remoulade is excellent with:
- Shrimp (fried, grilled, or steamed)
- Fish tacos (use it instead of sour cream)
- Fried oysters
- Crab rangoon
- Grilled salmon
- As a spread on a po’boy or seafood sandwich
- With roasted artichokes (seriously, try it)
Leftovers and Storage
Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator.
- Fridge: Keeps well for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended. Mayo-based sauces separate when frozen and thawed and the texture gets unpleasant.
- To serve later: Stir well before using. If it’s thickened too much, a tiny splash of lemon juice loosens it right back up.
FAQ
Can I make this sauce without horseradish? You can, but it loses some of its signature kick. If you don’t like horseradish, try adding a little extra Dijon and a small splash more hot sauce to fill that gap.
Is this the same as tartar sauce? Not quite. Tartar sauce is typically just mayo, pickles, and lemon. This is closer to a New Orleans-style remoulade, which is bolder, spicier, and more layered in flavor. It’s the upgrade version.
Can I use light mayo? Technically yes, but the texture will be thinner and the flavor slightly off. Full-fat mayo gives you that thick, creamy consistency that makes this sauce work.
How spicy is it? Mild to medium as written. The cayenne and hot sauce add warmth without being overwhelming. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with half the cayenne and no hot sauce, then taste and add more.
Can I double the recipe? Absolutely. It scales perfectly. Make a big batch, keep it in the fridge, and use it all week.
My sauce turned out too thin. What happened? Most likely the horseradish wasn’t drained well enough, or you added a bit too much lemon juice. To fix it, just stir in a spoonful of extra mayo.
Wrapping Up
You now have a crab cake sauce that’s so good, people will ask you for the recipe.
And you’ll feel weirdly proud handing it over because it took you five minutes and a bowl.
That’s the thing about a great sauce. It quietly makes everything around it better without asking for any credit.
Give it a try alongside your next batch of crab cakes, and leave a comment below. Did you tweak it? Make it spicier? Add something unexpected? I want to know what you did with it. 👇
