The Sauce You Should Be Using For Fish And Chips (No, Not Tartar)

Some food combinations are so obviously made for each other that we can't imagine ever separating them. Sure, you could customize a PB&J by throwing some savory bacon marmalade or bananas into the mix, but the core elements tend to stay the same. When it comes to fried seafood, however, tartar sauce is often touted as the go-to condiment, whether it's smeared on a sandwich or simply used as a dipping sauce for beer-battered fish and chips. But we're here to say there's another option — one that pairs just as beautifully with the crunchy coating and delicate flesh of the fillet: romesco sauce.

Think of it as a delicious union between two European friends. While fish and chips are often associated with British cuisine, romesco — a bright, rustic sauce made with a base of blended roasted red peppers (typically ñora), tomatoes, vinegar, and garlic, and then thickened up with toasted nuts and bread for heft and a rich finish — is a classic Spanish preparation that is often paired with (you guessed it) fish. Ordinarily, romesco accompanies grilled or pan-seared fillets like cod or halibut — its bold, slightly tangy profile provides welcome lift for those mild, delicately flavored proteins — but since the same varieties are often used for fish and chips, the flavor translation just works.

How you serve the meal is up to you. You can use the romesco as a dipping sauce, smear it on a plate as a bed for your fish, or even drizzle a small amount on your fillet — much like the Brits might douse it with malt vinegar — before digging in.

One reason romesco sauce works so well with crispy fish is because it's pretty adaptable — whether you want it to have loads of texture or blend it up to be thick and silky, it has enough body to cling to the fillet's craggy batter and enough bite from the vinegar and garlic to balance the richness. If you try it, love it (we thought you might!), and find yourself craving more alternative pairings for fish and chips, we have good news — there are plenty of options.

If you want to stick to the Spanish or Mediterranean theme, look no further than a lemon aioli. You get all the pungency from the garlic but a lift from the citrus, and the creamy base is reminiscent of tartar sauce, just with a twist.

Maybe your favorite part about the romesco was how the roasted tomatoes and peppers added depth and complexity. In that case, we suggest giving Peruvian yellow sauce (known as crema de aji amarillo) a try. The dipping sauce is creamy from mayo (and can include Greek yogurt or sour cream for tang), spicy and smoky from a paste made from aji amarillo peppers, and introduces some tropical fruity flavors to the mix for a truly vibrant bite. The sauce is a match made in heaven for fish tacos, so you know it will work wonders on any other fried seafood dish, too.