Tangy Remoulade Sauce
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A tangy, creamy sauce that merges mayo, Dijon mustard, and a dash of horseradish for bite. Adjusted quantities to keep brightness under control. Swapped lemon juice for rice vinegar to brighten while mellowing acidity. Chopped capers replace old-school pickles adding bursts of briny bite. Chill to let flavors mingle, aromas deepen, and textures thicken. Watch color shift to pale creamy pink. Stir often. Offers punch without overpowering. Great on seafood, sandwiches, or as a dip splash. Recipes like this have evolved for balance and body. Homemade beats jar hands down when executed with control and care.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
15 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Creole
#American
#Sauce
#Seafood
#Dips
#Condiments
#Horseradish
#Capers
#Spicy
Thrown together mayo base with a punch from Dijon. Switched lemon for vinegar lately—keeps brightness without face-puckering sharpness. Once tossed in capers, horseradish nicks, and paprika, the smell gets you right—the mix of smoky, spicy and briny sparks appetite instant. Tried using pickles before. Too messy. Capers? Cleaner, smaller bursts, easier to balance. Garlic’s tricky—too much raw and it dominates, too little then noop. Chill time critical. I remember ignoring the chill and getting a flat sauce. No way. Hour or more to marry those layers. Tried adding anchovy paste once. Meh. Worcestershire does the job with less fuss. Always taste, adjust, swirl in extra mayo or vinegar when needed. It’s not science—more like knowing when your sauce smells right or when the color hits that perfect pale pink. Then you know it’s ready. Definitely not a quick grab from fridge condiment. Give it time.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced fine
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Mayonnaise is the creamy backbone here. Use full-fat for richest mouthfeel. Low-fat holds no punch. Dijon mustard preferred over yellow for complexity and bite—yellow turns flat. Rice vinegar substitutes lemon juice, gentle but tangy; if lemon is all you have, reduce quantity to avoid harshness. Capers bring brine without soggy pickle bits; smaller, punchier. Horseradish packs heat and bite—fresh grated or bottled works, intensity varies so measure carefully. Smoked paprika adds subtle warmth and color; sweet paprika or regular won’t quite hit the same smoky note. Parsley fresh, finely chopped to avoid stringy bites. Garlic minced fine—no chunks allowed, balances aroma without overwhelming. Worcestershire sauce a secret umami lift, skip and sauce feels thin. Season lightly; over-salting common if ignoring salty ingredients like capers and Worcestershire. Black pepper freshly cracked. You’ll want airtight container for fridge storage to prevent absorbing other odors. Can adjust spice after resting if flavors flatten.
Method
- Mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chopped capers and horseradish in a bowl. Don't dump it all at once—fold gently to avoid breaking mayo.
- Add rice vinegar next. Watch closely: this swings acidity, lighter than lemon but just enough zip. Stir.
- Garlic goes in last; minced very fine or crushed. Raw garlic can grab you by the collar if overdone.
- Spike in Worcestershire sauce—small but mighty. Blend.
- Sprinkle smoked paprika and cayenne over mixture. Paprika lends warmth, cayenne kick. Adjust heat carefully or mute with more mayo.
- Fresh parsley chopped fine; fold in near the end. Not just garnish. Herbaceous note cuts richness.
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper; salt usually unnecessary because capers and Worcestershire cover that track well.
- Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or airtight lid. Refrigerate minimum 1 hour—chill deeper my friend—flavors fuse better, sauce thickens, color blushes pale salmon pink.
- Check after resting. Stir gently. Taste test: if too sharp, swirl in small dollop extra mayo. Too bland? More horseradish or a splash extra vinegar carefully.
- Serve cold, scoop thick on fried shrimp, crab cakes, or roast turkey sandwiches. Keeps fresh checked daily up to 3 days.
Cooking tips
Start by mixing creamy base in a bowl that won’t dull flavors—glass or ceramic preferred. Fold ingredients in gently; overmixing breaks mayo and loses texture. Incorporate acids slowly—vinegar or lemon to avoid curdling or bitterness. Garlic timing matters: too early and pungency overpowers; adding late controls heat and aroma. Spice powders sprinkled last give better control over heat balance. Parsley added at the end retains freshness and texture. Covering the sauce before chilling prevents skin forming and stopping flavor melding. Chill at least one hour, preferably longer—don’t skim or rush to serve cold dish. Visual cues: sauce shifts from stark white to pale salmon/muted apricot tone because paprika and capers mix in. Texture thickens but stays creamy—not runny or stiff. Taste at chilling milestones. Adjust mayo if it’s too sharp or vinegar/horseradish if dull. Serve cold directly from fridge, no re-whipping necessary. Keeps well—if thickens too much after refrigeration, stir in teaspoon of cold water or a few drops of milk to loosen slightly. Common mistake: using too rough chopping for garlic or herbs that create unpleasant chunks. Use fine knife or microplane. Efficiency tip: prep all chopped elements before starting mixing to avoid overhandled sauce losing body. This sauce is forgiving if you trust your nose and eyes.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mix mayo and Dijon gently. Overmix breaks mayo. Fold capers and horseradish in slowly. Texture matters. Watch color shift from stark white to pale creamy pink; paprika and capers doing quiet work.
- 💡 Add rice vinegar last acid. Lemon too sharp, vinegar mellows bite. Stir but don’t whip. Garlic minced ultra fine or crushed; raw can bite harshly if chunky. Timing garlic is crucial; add last to keep aroma fresh, heat contained.
- 💡 Smoked paprika and cayenne sprinkled carefully. Adjust slowly; mayo can mute spice but overdo cayenne it’s trouble. Parsley chopped fine near end gives herb notes without stringiness. Salt usually unnecessary; Worcestershire and capers hold that.
- 💡 Chill covered minimum one hour. Patience pays. Sauce thickens, flavors meld, color blushes salmon pink. Stir gently after chilling. Too sharp? swirl in mayo dollop. Too dull? extra horseradish or splash vinegar works adding punch.
- 💡 Storage needs airtight container to avoid fridge odors. Keep up to three days but fresh cracked black pepper daily refreshes brightness. If sauce thickens too much, stir teaspoon cold water or drops milk to loosen without losing body.
Common questions
Why no lemon juice?
Switched to rice vinegar. Mellow acidity better balance. Lemon often too sharp, puckery. Vinegar brightens without burn, softer tang. If lemon only option, reduce amount or sauce gets harsh.
Horseradish alternatives?
Fresh grated best; bottled varies heat. Use sparingly, intensity jumps. Washed out flavor? Add small extra dose after chilling. No horseradish? Mustard-only less punch but still decent dip.
Sauce too thick after chilling?
Add teaspoon cold water or drops milk. Stir gently; keeps creamy texture. Overmixing breaks mayo, so fold carefully. Too runny? Chill longer, flavors deepen, sauce firms up on rest.
How to store leftovers?
Airtight container fridge only. Avoid odors mixing in. Use within three days max; freshness drops fast. No freezer—texture ruins. Stir before serving; flavor and texture vary with rest time.
