Easy Cajun remoulade sauce - This creole remoulade is so easy to make and versatile. It's a make ahead staple in our refrigerator for everything from po' boys, seafood dishes, and French fries!
I learned how to make this creamy Cajun tartar sauce during the time I spent in the kitchens of New Orleans. This perfect condiment is easy to make with simple ingredients, found in most grocery stores. We love the creaminess and the tad bit piquant flavor of this sauce when dipping our fried green tomatoes in it. So next time you are looking to add a spicy kick to your favorite meal, whip up a batch of this Louisiana remoulade sauce!
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What You're Going to Need!
- Mayonnaise - Use your favorite here, but make sure that it is creamy, and flavorful. The Duke's brand we use is the only light variety that we feel makes this cut.
- Worcestershire Sauce - Lea & Perrins invented the stuff, so this is all that we use. Make sure to shake the bottle before pouring.
- Whole Grain Mustard - We use a whole grain Dijon mustard here, but many would insist that "creole" mustard is vital. This is a coarse grain mustard, very similar to "spicy brown".
- Lemon - Freshly squeezed lemon is a big part of what gives this sauce it's zesty and tangy character. We like the lemon oil kick that the zest provides also.
- Celery - The crunch and light bitterness that this vegetable provides is part of what makes this sauce unique.
- Pickles - French cornichons are the ideal candidate here. They have a high level of vinegar bite, and are not sweet at all.
- Parsley - This provides a nice, even level of vegetal brightness.
- Horseradish (not shown) - The combination of the biting and brief heat of grated horseradish with the creamy texture of this sauce makes a nice contrast.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Spoon To stir up the ingredients, can use a spatula or whip instead.
- 1 Measuring Spoon Set
- 1 liquid measuring cup 1 cup size
- 1 Garlic press optional, the garlic can also be minced with a knife.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp. Horseradish prepared
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove Garlic large
- 1 tbsp. Whole grain mustard
- 1⅓ tbsp. Cornichon brunoise cut, or your favorite dill pickles
- 2 tbsp. Celery brunoise cut
- 1 tbsp. Parsley minced
- 2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice freshly squeezed prefered
- ¼ tsp. Lemon zest optional
- ¼ tsp. Louisiana style hot sauce we prefer Crystal brand (you could use Tabasco sauce)
- ½ tsp. Paprika preferably smoked
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients well, dip or spread and enjoy!
Nutrition
Directions
- Slice the celery into super small bits. The French culinary term for this is "brunoise".
2. Cut the pickles into "brunoise" also and mince the parsley.
3. Mix all of the ingredients together fully.
4. Serve it up in any variety of ways. Here it is with fried green tomatoes.
What is Remoulade?
Remoulade exists in two very different, but somewhat linked, versions. In French cuisine, remoulade is a lightly pickled relish made from whole grain mustard and shredded celery root. The creole remoulade sauce we are going to make here is a creamy and tangy sauce with a spicy kick. The commonality between the two really only lies in that they both contain celery and whole grain mustard.
That whole grain mustard is essential to this perfect condiment. You can use almost any kind of course grain or even whole grain mustard, but in Louisiana, only creole mustard will do. There are several types, but Zatarains makes the benchmark creole mustard, you can get it here.
In Louisiana, where creole remoulade sauce is the most popular, you'll see it utilized in two main ways. Shrimp remoulade is the creole answer to shrimp cocktail; wherein poached jumbo shrimp are seasoned with the creamy sauce. It's also somewhat common to find remoulade slathered on French bread for assembly as a po-boy sandwich.
Chef tip
Creole Remoulade is one of those sauces that really is best made ahead of time. Like many recipes, the flavors meld and become one better after a day or two in the fridge!
Variations
There are a few different ways to make this versatile condiment, and they are all equally delish!
- Spicy - Add some cayenne pepper to this recipe to make it spicier. You can also use a spicier hot sauce.
- Red - It is quite common to make a red version of this sauce with a red hue by adding a little tomato paste, or even ketchup!
- Sweet - Many prefer to balance out the tangy kick of this condiment with a little sugar, or by using sweet pickles.
Storage & Helpful Hints
The ability for this sauce to keep in the refrigerator long term makes this a make-ahead staple. It will keep when tightly sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Make sure to cut the pickles and celery very small. You'll want to crunch into them with every bite, and if they are too large, that won't be possible. If the knife work is too precise or intimidating for you, a food processer will work, just use the pulse button, so as not to puree them.
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While the two sauces have a lot in common, this really is only coincidence. Tartar is based on the dressing for classic raw beef dish, steak tartare, while the origin of remoulade is in a celery root relish, (see "what is remoulade", above).
Great question! We like to use it as a dipping sauce for really any fried foods, snacks, (potato chips, French fries, chicken fingers, hush puppies, seafood cakes, and onion rings, etc.) or raw vegetables. It makes a nice mayonnaise base for creamy salads, like tuna, potato, or egg salad. I'm confident that those uses only basically scratch the surface for this classic Louisiana condiment!
Jason Miller says
Great with French fries