Remoulade Sauce

A zesty French-meets-Southern classic, this Remoulade Sauce is perfect for elevating your fried favorites!

Living in steamy New Orleans last year, I got used to dipping anything and everything in remoulade sauce. Buffalo wings, peel-and-eat shrimp, po’ boys, French fries, crab cakes, fried chicken, beer-battered shrimp—everything started to taste a little bit better when it was dunked in remoulade. 

Remoulade originated in France, with its name likely stemming from the regional French words remolat or ramolas, which mean horseradish—a common ingredient in early versions. While horseradish has faded from most modern recipes, the sauce has taken on countless forms as it journeyed from France to Scandinavia, the Deep South, Eastern Europe, and beyond.

Rich with a mayonnaise base and tangy from mustard and lemon juice, remoulade is creamy and savory, often spiced with paprika and Worcestershire. Similar to aioli, it shares a family resemblance to tartar sauce, but without the sweet and briny notes.

Is Remoulade Sauce Healthy?

Mayonnaise is high in calories and fat, which unfortunately overshadows the small healthy bonuses provided by the lemon juice and paprika. If you would like to tone down the fat in this recipe, try swapping out the mayo for Greek yogurt. This will give the sauce another tangy twist, and add in all of Greek yogurt’s probiotics. Some people prefer to use half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt for a diet compromise.

Will The Real Remoulade Please Stand Up?

This recipe makes Louisiana remoulade, easily recognized by its pinkish hue thanks to ketchup and paprika. Mississippi’s comeback sauce shares some similarities in flavor, while Scandinavian remoulade features turmeric or curry powder, giving it a sunny yellow color; it pairs perfectly with fried fish. Over in France, rémoulade stays white and herb-forward, with no ketchup or paprika in sight—just the elegance of mayo, vinegar, and fresh herbs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Chill

Refrigerate to blend flavors.

Devour!

Serving Suggestions

What can’t you eat remoulade with? Remoulade sauce tends to pair well with fried foods, so that’s the majority of recommendations here. If that’s not your jam, a veggie plate and some grilled chicken will be perfect to serve with your remoulade.

If you do like a good fried feast, go for the gold and try remoulade with all the fantastic seafood. Calamari, Salmon Burgers, Fish Cakes, Panko Shrimp, and Coconut Shrimp will be huge crowd-pleasers. For a double dose of Deep South deliciousness, try the Fried Catfish. 

Tasty appetizers that are just screaming for a remoulade bath include French-Fried Onions, Chicken Wings, and French Fries.