Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce (Healthy High-Protein)
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This Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce is creamy, tangy, and easy to make with Greek yogurt, relish, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dill, and garlic. It’s a healthier, high-protein take on classic tartar sauce that’s perfect for seafood, fries, or chicken.
This Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce comes together in minutes using Greek yogurt, relish, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dill, and garlic for a creamy, tangy sauce that tastes fresh and flavorful. It’s a healthier, high-protein twist on classic tartar sauce that tastes great with seafood, fries, or chicken.
What I love about this version is how balanced it tastes. The Greek yogurt keeps it light and tangy, while just a little mayo gives it that classic creamy tartar sauce feel instead of tasting sharp or flat.
This is the tartar sauce I always keep in my fridge because it tastes like something you’d get at a good fish restaurant. It’s lighter on my digestion than mayo-heavy sauces, so I can enjoy it with seafood or chicken without feeling weighed down afterward.
Why This Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce Works
- Balanced base: Greek yogurt adds tang and protein, while a small amount of mayo keeps the sauce creamy and familiar instead of sharp or overly sour.
- Classic tartar flavor: Relish, Dijon, dill, and lemon give you that real tartar sauce taste without needing a long ingredient list.
- No watery texture: Keeping the mix-ins simple and well-balanced helps the sauce stay thick and scoopable, even after chilling.
- Lighter feel: Using mostly Greek yogurt creates a sauce that feels lighter than traditional versions while still tasting rich and satisfying.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make healthy greek yogurt tartar sauce:
- Plain Greek Yogurt: I recommend using full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest texture. If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can use plain yogurt, sour cream, blended cottage cheese, or dairy-free yogurt alternatives like coconut or almond yogurt.
- Mayonnaise: You can omit the mayo and replace it with more Greek yogurt, but a small amount helps the sauce taste more like classic tartar sauce.
- Sweet Relish: Finely chopped dill pickles or capers can replace relish. Pat them dry before mixing to keep the sauce thick.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Lime juice or white wine vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice. A little lemon zest adds brightness without making the sauce more acidic.
- Dijon Mustard: Yellow mustard, stone-ground mustard, mustard powder can be substituted for Dijon mustard. You can increase or omit the mustard to adjust the tangy taste.
- Dried Dill: Fresh dill weed, chopped finely, can replace dried dill. You can also use other herbs like parsley or cilantro.
- Garlic Powder: You can replace it with fresh minced garlic or omit it.
Easily Adapt This Recipe for Any Diet
This Greek yogurt tartar sauce is easy to adjust with a few simple swaps, depending on your needs. Keep in mind that changing the base ingredients may slightly affect thickness and flavor.
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written.
- Dairy-Free: Use a thick dairy-free yogurt and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. The texture will be a bit lighter, but still creamy and flavorful.
- Lower Fat: Use light mayo or reduce the amount slightly while keeping some in for balance and classic tartar sauce flavor.
- Egg-Free: Skip the mayo entirely and replace it with more Greek yogurt or a thick dairy-free yogurt for a smooth, tangy sauce.
💡 Pro Tip: If you make a swap, let the sauce chill before adjusting seasoning—both flavor and thickness improve as it rests.
How to Make My Lemon Tartar Sauce with Greek Yogurt Recipe
In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried dill, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
You can serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
My Expert Recipe Tips
- Dry your mix-ins: If you’re using relish, chopped pickles, or capers, pat them dry before mixing. This keeps the sauce thick and prevents it from getting watery as it sits.
- Let it rest: The sauce tastes good right away, but it gets even better after chilling for about 30 minutes. This gives the flavors time to meld and the texture to firm up.
- Adjust after chilling: Greek yogurt thickens slightly in the fridge, so wait to adjust salt or lemon juice until after it rests. A small tweak goes a long way.
- Thin carefully if needed: If the sauce feels too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or pickle juice at a time. Greek yogurt can loosen quickly, so a little is plenty.
Delicious Serving Suggestions:
- This Greek yogurt tartar sauce works with just about anything crispy, savory, or seafood-based. These are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- With fries & sides: Great for dipping oven-baked homemade french fries, sweet potato fries, or roasted potatoes when you want something creamy and tangy.
- With fish: Perfect alongside my gluten-free breaded fish, fish sticks, or salmon patties for a classic pairing that never gets old.
- For chicken: Use it as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, or air-fryer chicken for an easy dinner win.
- On sandwiches: Spread it on ground chicken burgers instead of mayo for extra flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are more everyday staple sauces made with simple ingredients to try next.
- Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing (High-Protein)
- Greek Yogurt Honey Mustard Sauce (High-Protein)
- Homemade Ketchup with Honey (No Cook)
- Healthy Honey BBQ Sauce (Sweet & Tangy)
- Easy Homemade Mayo in an Immersion Blender
Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce (Healthy High-Protein)
Gluten-FreeIngredients
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried dill, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.You can serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
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Notes
Nutrition
Important Disclaimer
This recipe is created by a home cook and not a medical professional. Our ingredient philosophy is reviewed by RDNs, but this specific post is not personalized medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for dietary concerns.
Thank you for this. I am on a GERD friendly diet which means low fat and no “irritants” like garlic. I used this recipe as a guide to make a single serving using Fage nonfat yogurt, organic Dijon, Hellman’s low fat mayo, freeze dried dill, and a teaspoon of organic lemon juice. My proportions were different (“heavy” on the dill because I did not have relish). I did let it sit for about 30 minutes. It was perfect! Next time, I will add a tiny pinch of ground asafetida (hing) to substitute for the garlic/onion. Thank you again; this is a keeper! I will not miss traditional tartar sauce.
Thank you so much for sharing this and your modifications! I’m so glad you were able to make it work for you 🙂
Made with fresh dill and otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Delicious!
Yumm…thank you so much for sharing, Jessica!
I made this recipe for use with my salmon cakes and it was delicious!
Oh, yumm! Thank you for the review, Kim!
What I changed: I used dill relish (instead of sweet or fresh), fresh minced sweet onion, olive oil mayo, and did not add salt (doesn’t need it) and it was delicious. We even used the leftover sauce to dip veggies, and it was great!
Hi Meg, thank you so much for sharing your review! I appreciate it and I love all your substitutions 🙂 Sounds delish!!
It was so simple to make and wayyy better than the store bought stuff
Thank you, Aimee!! I have to agree 🙂
Made this to spread on a mahi mahi fish sandwich…it is superb! I’ve never made it with greek yogurt. Love that it’s healthier! This will be a staple in our fridge.
Hi Kim! I agree; it tastes sooo good on fish sandwiches!! Thank you for the feedback 🙂