Remoulade Sauce Recipe (Classic + Cajun)

Name: Remoulade Sauce Recipe (Classic + Cajun)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons drained capers; 2 tablespoons chopped pickles (or cornichons); 1 green onion, finely chopped; 3/4 cup mayonnaise (or vegan mayonnaise); 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional); 1 pinch salt; Black pepper, to taste; For the Cajun style: Replace tarragon with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

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This remoulade sauce recipe is creamy, flavor-packed and comes together in 10 minutes. Serve it with crab cakes, burgers, fries, and more.

Here’s a creamy sauce that I think every home cook needs in their cooking repertoire: a great remoulade sauce recipe! This zingy mayo-based condiment is eaten all over the world, often with seafood but it works with fries, burgers, and more.

I first whipped up a batch to slather on salmon burgers and the way the rich mayo and briny capers melded with the seafood was incredible. It’s now one of my favorite go-to sauces for anything from chicken to grilled vegetables!

5 Star Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Made this for salmon and broccoli – quick and easy and lots of room for creativity and customization. I skipped the green onions and while it would have been delicious. This would also be very good for dipping artichokes!” -Jumpypup

What Is Remoulade Sauce?

Remoulade is a cold mayonnaise-based sauce that originated in France in the 17th century. Today it’s popular in many countries in Europe, and also in US Cajun and Creole cuisine. Remoulade sauce is often served with seafood like fried fish and crab cakes, but is also common as a sandwich condiment or French fry dip. There are two main types of remoulade:

French-style remoulade is white in color, featuring mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, capers, pickles or cornichons, tarragon, vinegar, and sometimes horseradish
Cajun-style remoulade is light pink or orange in color, and includes Creole mustard and other seasonings like Cajun seasonings, hot sauce, and/or ketchup

Ingredients You’ll Need

The base recipe here is a French style remoulade, which you can easily adapt to make a Cajun style remoulade (see below). The classic remoulade is very versatile: it’s ideal on Salmon Burgers or veggie-based sandwiches like Chickpea Burgers. You only need a little bit to make a sandwich sing! Here’s what to note about the ingredients:

Capers: Capers bring the signature briny flavor; see below if you haven’t worked with them before.
Pickles: You can also substitute cornichons (mini pickles!), which is more traditionally French.
Green onion: Use both the white and green parts to bring in a savory flavor.
Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard: It’s helpful to use a quality brand of mayo: it really does affect the flavor. Dijon adds a tangy depth.
White wine vinegar: If you have it, you can substitute tarragon vinegar for even more elevated flavor
Dried tarragon: It’s optional, but tarragon brings a nuance to the flavor that I love (I put it in my Spaghetti Sauce too!).

Cajun Remoulade Sauce Variation

Want to make the Cajun spin on this classic French sauce? We’re not experts in Cajun or Creole-style cuisine, but we’ve researched the tradition of remoulade sauce in Louisiana-style cooking. Most Cajun remoulade recipes use similar ingredients to the classic, with the following additions:

Creole mustard: Many Cajun remoulade recipes use Creole mustard instead of the classic Dijon. It’s spicier than Dijon, with a coarser texture.
Cajun seasoning: Use a homemade blend or your favorite purchased blend.
Hot sauce: Amp the heat with hot sauce! A hot sauce like Tabasco would work well here. You can also add it to taste depending on the heat of your Cajun seasoning.

Why Capers Are A Key Ingredient

Capers are responsible for much of the zippy flavor in a remoulade sauce recipe! If you haven’t used them in recipes before, here are some notes on working with capers:

Capers are a berry of the caper bush that’s native to the Mediterranean. They’re round and dark green gray, about the size of a peppercorn. You’ll find them used often in French, Italian and Mediterranean recipes.
Capers taste tangy, briny and salty, and add a savory pop to any dish. They’re served pickled in jars. You’ll need to drain capers before using, unless otherwise noted in the recipe. You’ll find them in jars near the olives at the grocery store and you can use them in more capers recipes like Salmon with Capers or Roasted Eggplant Pasta.

Ways to Serve Remoulade Sauce

Got your remoulade sauce? Let’s get drizzling and dipping! There are lots of ways to use it in recipes. Here are some of our favorites:

Condiment for burgers like Salmon Burgers, Chickpea Burgers, or Portobello Burger
Dipping sauce for shrimp like Sauteed Shrimp, Shrimp Skewers or Cajun Shrimp
Sauce for salmon like Quick Broiled Salmon, Blackened Salmon or Pan Seared Salmon
Sandwich spread for Rainbow Vegetable Sandwich
Sauce for fries like Seasoned Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Carrot Fries or Avocado Fries
Dip for vegetables like carrots, radishes, and blanched broccoli

How to Store Remoulade Sauce

Store homemade remoulade sauce for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. It will likely last a bit longer, but it’s best when it’s freshly made.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing remoulade sauce since the texture can separate after thawing.

Dietary Notes

This remoulade recipe is vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free. For vegan and plant-based, use vegan mayonnaise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is remoulade sauce made of?

My spin uses mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, capers, chopped pickles, green onion, vinegar, and tarragon. Cajun versions use Creole mustard instead of Dijon, and add hot sauce and Cajun seasoning.

What does remoulade sauce taste like?

Remoulade sauce tastes creamy, tangy and briny, and the tarragon adds subtle anise notes on the finish.

Is remoulade the same as thousand island dressing?

No. Thousand Island is built on mayo, ketchup, and sweet relish, so it tastes much sweeter. Remoulade is more creamy and tangy. See my Thousand Island Dressing recipe.

What is a good substitute for remoulade sauce?

Tartar sauce is the closest swap; see my Tartar Sauce recipe. You can also use Comeback sauce works too, and a garlic aioli or tarragon aioli have similar flavor notes (though not as tangy).

How do you pronounce remoulade?

Say it like “ray-muh-LAHD.”