This Tartar Sauce Alternative Adds Bold Flavor To Fish Sandwiches

Fish sandwiches always benefit from a bit of creamy sauce, which provides contrasting textures to a crispy fried fillet or rehydrates a slightly overcooked protein. But while tartar sauce may be the most classic option, all you need is yogurt and spices for a quick sauce with tons of flavor that fulfills many of the same roles. In particular, combining yogurt with dill creates a tangy, herbaceous sauce that pairs perfectly with fish.

Much like a great tartar sauce, a good yogurt-based sauce has plenty of creaminess and room for additional seasonings. However, yogurt has one major advantage that tartar sauce doesn't: fermentation. A high-quality yogurt should be absolutely packed with subtle flavors from the Lactobacillus bacteria that make minute chemical changes to milk, giving it acidity that pairs perfectly with its protein-laden heartiness. You can even include your tartar sauce favorites, like capers and lemon juice, alongside the dill for something close to the original but just different enough to deliver a unique flavor.

The biggest difference you'll notice is that Greek yogurt tends to be less runny than mayonnaise. However, you can get the same smooth, spreadable texture by adding a touch more oil or liquid and giving your mixture a vigorous whisking. Take inspiration from other creative ways to use Greek yogurt in the kitchen, like adding a bit of cheese, or even incorporating some directly onto your fish before cooking, to find easy ways to upgrade your sandwich.

While Greek yogurt is an exceptionally versatile ingredient and looks quite similar to mayo, you'll need to treat it a bit more gently. Whereas mayonnaise is mostly oil and can tolerate moderate heat, your dairy product's texture and nuanced flavor profile are sensitive to heat and may curdle when exposed to too much acid, so try to lean more toward room-temperature seasonings.

The most important "don't" of cooking with Greek yogurt is to never use a flavored variety you'd eat for breakfast or as a snack. Your passion fruit Chobani may be delicious, but it's also loaded with sugar and other solids that interfere with a sauce's texture. Instead, try to find a plain, full-fat variety for the best flavor and heartiness. This gives you a nice base to work with and broadens your range of additional flavors to add, from dill relish to herbs to spicy peppers.

While it doesn't have the added sugar of most flavored breakfast options, skyr can also be a solid option. It tends to be less tangy than Greek yogurt, with a thick, almost mascarpone-like texture and slightly cheesy flavor. Or, if you want something a touch runnier but don't want to add too much juice or oil, try kefir. Not only can it contain probiotics, but it often has a far more liquid, drinkable consistency.