Homemade Rémoulade Sauce
Next time you’re serving a fried catfish or shrimp, whip up this easy remoulade sauce recipe. Creamy with a kick, it’s a signature condiment of the South.
I felt it would be a sin to post a recipe for fried catfish and not include a recipe for one of the South’s more popular seafood sauces – rémoulade sauce. It’s creamy with a slight kick and perfect on just about everything.
What is rémoulade sauce?
Rémoulade (pronounced rem-you-lod) is a popular mayonnaise-based condiment that originated in France. Add a few centuries and one jump across the big pond known as the Atlantic Ocean, the Cajuns and Creoles of Louisiana have since put their own spin on it.
Both the French and Louisiana-style recipes start with a mayonnaise base. French rémoulade is white in color and more closely resembles tartar sauce. Some Louisiana-style recipes add ketchup, hot sauce, and/or paprika, giving it a pink hue.
What do you eat with rémoulade sauce?
Rémoulade sauce is most commonly served with seafood dishes, such as crab cakes, shrimp and catfish. But don’t limit yourself to fish. Rémoulade is great as a dipping sauce for just about anything from fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, fried okra and hush puppies. Slather that stuff on!
How to Make Rémoulade Sauce
There are some rémoulade recipes that include everything but the kitchen sink. I’m keeping it somewhat simple by limiting my ingredients to twelve – ha! Chances are, most of the ingredients are probably all items you keep on hand.
Start with a medium mixing bowl. Add one cup of mayonnaise and one tablespoon chopped onion. In all honestly, one tablespoon of chopped onion is probably like 1/8th of a whole onion. If you’re going to be dicing an onion for another recipe — for instance, hushpuppies – just reserve a tablespoon for later.
Sprinkle in a couple splashes of hot sauce, one tablespoon distilled white vinegar and two tablespoons of Dijon mustard (bonus points if you have Creole mustard on hand, but it’s not a requirement). Next stir in one tablespoon of prepared horseradish.
Just a little caveat I feel I should mention regarding the horseradish. Prepared horseradish and horseradish sauce are not exactly the same thing. Prepared horseradish is grated horseradish root mixed with salt and vinegar. It has a very strong and spicy flavor.
Horseradish sauce included prepared horseradish as an ingredient, along with added cream or mayo to make the flavor milder. However, when it comes to a recipe, the two are not interchangeable. If the recipe calls for prepared horseradish, that’s what you should use.
Next, add ¼ cup of a neutral flavored oil, such as vegetable oil, one teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon table salt, one tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, one tablespoon chopped celery and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Whisk everything together until it is smooth and creamy.
Rémoulade sauce can be beaten immediately. I like to let it chill in the fridge for several hours. I think it actually tastes better after it has had a chance to sit for 24 hours.
How Long Does Rémoulade Sauce Last?
Rémoulade sauce should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to two weeks.
Can you Freeze Rémoulade Sauce?
I don’t recommend it. Freezing mayo causes it to separate. When it thaws, instead of having a nice creamy sauce, you could end up with something watery and gross. Just toss it and make some more.
Rémoulade Sauce Pairs Well With:
More Southern Sauce Recipes:
Rémoulade Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
- 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely diced celery
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth.
- Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Sauce is best when allowed to sit for 24 hours before serving.
- Leftover sauce will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.
