Are you looking for a remoulade sauce recipe that's creamy, tangy, and has just the right amount of spice? Well good news: this one's a keeper.
Made with zesty lemon, just the right amount of sinus-clearing horseradish, smoky paprika, and a touch of hot sauce, it's the kind of punchy, Southern-style condiment that makes fried foods sing--especially crispy onion rings, shrimp po' boys, and my favorite: fried green tomatoes.
What I may love most of all about this great sauce though is how quickly this easy comes together and with ingredients you probably already have on your pantry shelves and in your fridge. It's that bold, go-to sauce you'll want to slather on sandwiches, spoon over crab cakes, or serve alongside anything crispy and dip-able. It really does wear a lot of hats.
Growing up, one of the restaurants I always went to with my grandparents was Outback Steakhouse. And yes, we always ordered the iconic Bloomin' onion off the Outback menu. I mean, you kind of have to right? It's just so good. Guess what sauce they serve with it? You got it--remoulade.
My version is a little different than the Outback Steakhouse recipe. Creamy, tangy, and with just enough bite, it mimics that signature dip you'd find alongside Outback's crispy fried masterpiece with a little more brightness from lemon and parsley. So naturally, this sauce is pretty epic when served with my oven baked onion rings.
But that's not all: I often use this remoulade as an alternative to the burger sauce on my ultimate cheeseburger. Is it good on French fries? You bet! And if you've never had them before, my crispy tostones are like giant French fries. Hint hint.
For all you seafood lovers, use it to doctor up grilled seasoned shrimp skewers or as a sauce for fish tacos. Pro tip: Wondering what to have for dinner tonight and don't feel like cooking?
Cook a box of your favorite breaded frozen fish, flake into corn tortillas, add some shredded lettuce, and dollop on some of this remoulade. Voila! Easy fish tacos that are almost homemade.
Where is remoulade from?
Here's a little history lesson for you: Remoulade has its roots in classic French cuisine, where it began as a mayonnaise-based sauce flavored with mustard, capers, herbs, and sometimes anchovies. Like many delicious sauces from afar, remoulade made its way to the US during the 18th century, when French colonists settled in Louisiana.
After France gave up control of the Louisiana territory to Spain, many of the settlers resettled in the region and brought their culinary traditions with them. Over time, those French foundations blended with African, Spanish, and Caribbean influences, giving rise to the bold, flavorful remoulade recipes we now associate with Southern cooking.
Today, remoulade is a staple in especially Creole and Cajun kitchens, where it's served with everything from po' boys and crab cakes to fried green tomatoes and shrimp. Trust me: this is a sauce you're going to want to have on hand. Ready to make it? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this homemade remoulade sauce:
- mayonnaise
- ketchup
- Dijon mustard
- fresh parsley
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- prepared horseradish
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- hot sauce
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, let's make that remoulade!
- First, zest the lemon to equal 1 teaspoon and squeeze the juice to equal 1 tablespoon. Chop the parsley.
- Then, stir together all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hint: Chop the parsley finely so that it mixes into the sauce more evenly.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some suggestions:
- Mayonnaise - If you've been here before, you know I'm a Duke's mayonnaise girl. Duke's doesn't have any sugar in it, so if you use another type of mayo you may need to adjust the overall seasoning of the sauce. You can also substitute yogurt or sour cream for a tangier sauce.
- Dijon mustard - Instead of Dijon mustard, use yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard. You could even use a tablespoon stone ground mustard for a little extra texture too.
- Parsley - In a pinch, dried parsley will work. Or, use another fresh herb like dill or tarragon. Chopped green onion is also nice.
- Smoked paprika - I love the smokiness of smoked paprika but use regular sweet paprika if that's what you have on hand.
- Lemon juice - Swap a little white vinegar for the lemon juice if you'd like.
Variations
Check out these additional ways to change up this remoulade dipping sauce recipe:
- Spicy - To make this sauce spicier, add more hot sauce or a dash of cayenne pepper. You can also increase the amount of horseradish.
- Dill pickle remoulade - Add some chopped dill pickle or dill relish and pickle juice for a sauce more similar to tartar sauce.
- Egg remoulade - Some traditional Louisiana-style remoulades include hard-boiled egg. Finely chop up a cooked egg and add as much or as little as you'd like.
- Cajun remoulade - Add a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning to bring a smoky, peppery heat that's perfect for your favorite seafood dishes.
- Chipotle twist - Omit the hot sauce. Grab a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and add a little of the sauce from the can as well as some minced peppers. (Be careful--a little goes a long way.)
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this tangy sauce recipe:
- chef's knife
- microplane zester
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- small bowl
- whisk
Storage
To refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
I don't recommend freezing this remoulade. It doesn't freeze well due to its mayo base and will become watery when thawed.
Tasty Tip
Let the sauce hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. That will allow all the flavors to meld together.
Bonus tip: Store this remoulade in a glass jar and use it throughout the week as a sandwich spread, seafood sauce, or veggie dip. If you're using it as part of a meal prep routine, it's also excellent paired with precooked shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, or grilled chicken in lunch bowls or wraps.
Frequently asked questions
You can! In fact, this sauce is one of those that tastes even better after a little while in the fridge.
It's not necessarily spicy, but it does have a slight kick. If you're sensitive to heat, you can easily tame the spicy flavor by adjusting the amount of hot sauce and horseradish to your taste.
You can, but fresh parsley has a more vibrant color and punchier flavor. In a pinch dried parsley works but in this case, fresh is best.
It is! But I recommend double-checking your bottles of mustard and hot sauce to make sure there's no sneaky gluten hiding in the ingredients list.
Oh it's so great on tons of things--anything fried, for one (like French fries, onion rings, and fried green tomatoes). Chicken sandwiches, burgers, and grilled veggies are also excellent options.
No worries! Just add a bit more mayo and ketchup to tone things down.
Yes! Thin it out with a little milk or buttermilk to make a creamy, tangy dressing for wedge salads, grilled shrimp bowls, or roasted veggie platters.
Sounds like the Bloomin' onion is one of your family's Outback Steakhouse favorites too! This version is close to the Outback remoulade sauce, but mine has more lemon and parsley. If you want it sweeter, add a pinch of brown sugar. Cut back on the parsley too if you're aiming for a copycat recipe.
Slap Ya Mama and Tony Chachere's are my go-tos, but any blend with paprika, garlic, and cayenne will work. Just watch out for sodium content. Some blends are on the salty side and could overpower the sauce. Add a little at a time and taste as you go.
Totally! Just tone down the horseradish and hot sauce. My 10-year-old loves this sauce with chicken fingers, fried pickles, and sweet potato fries.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this creamy sauce:
🍽Get the recipe
Remoulade Sauce for Onion Rings, Po Boys, and More!
Equipment
- chef's knife
- microplane zester
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- small bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
- Zest the lemon to equal 1 teaspoon. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice to equal 1 tablespoon.
- Stir together the lemon zest, lemon juice, mayonnaise, ketchup, parsley, mustard, horseradish, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Prepared vs. fresh horseradish: This recipe calls for prepared horseradish (the kind found in a jar, typically mixed with vinegar). If you use freshly grated horseradish, reduce the amount slightly--it's much more potent and less tangy than the jarred version.
- This is the perfect make-ahead recipe since the flavors only improve over time in the fridge.
RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
FOOD SAFETY
Don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe:
- Cover and refrigerate any leftovers--don't let them hang out at room temperature for too long
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Carlos says
This remoulade sauce is tangy, creamy, and perfect for dunking onion rings, po’boys, or pretty much anything else you can think of!
Janet says
This is so delicious! I used it on my turkey burgers, and they were amazing.
Stef says
Loved the horseradish in this! So good!
Nicole says
It's the first time I make remoulade sauce and I have to say it's soooo delicious, I want to use it for everything! Such a tasty sauce!
Claudia says
Just whipped up this remoulade sauce—so creamy and tangy! Perfect with onion rings and even better on po' boys. 🧄🍔
AshleyFreeman says
Oh yeah! The best!
Elizabeth says
This remoulade sauce was the perfect dipping sauce for my homemade onion rings! My husband loved it as well. Great flavor and easy to make!
AshleyFreeman says
Love that! It's perfect for onion rings!
Jaleah says
This sauce is amazing! It is so flavorful and easy to make.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much Jaleah! Your note made my day!
Swathi says
Remoulade sauce is so versatile. I enjoyed this sauce with both onion rings and fries.
AshleyFreeman says
You're so right! It's a great dip for so many things!
Amy says
I made this to have with a focaccia bread and it tasted really nice. The zesty flavor of the ketchup and lemon paired really well with the olives of my focaccia.
AshleyFreeman says
Amy, I love this idea! I'm going to have to try that pairing myself!