How to Make Seafood Sauce

Co-authored by Chef Jeff Woodward and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 20, 2024 References

Since most seafood is mild in flavor, it's great along with sauce. If you like bold flavors, dip seafood in a ketchup and horseradish-based cocktail sauce. For a creamier taste, mix a mayonnaise and ketchup sauce. Tartar sauce is also creamy, but it includes chopped capers and gherkins, which give the sauce a little crunch. You can also make a rich butter sauce that's flavored with sautéed garlic and parsley.

Ingredients

Classic Cocktail Sauce

1/2 cup (115 g) of ketchup
2 tablespoons (30 g) of horseradish, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of hot sauce

Makes 1/2 cup (120 g) of sauce

Creamy Marie Rose Sauce

1/2 cup (116 g) of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (17 g) of ketchup
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice, optional
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, optional
¹⁄₄ teaspoon (1.2 ml) of hot sauce, like Tabasco, optional
1 pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

Makes 1/2 cup (120 g) of sauce

Tartar Sauce

1 cup (230 g) of mayonnaise
3 tablespoons (26 g) of capers, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons (28 g) of gherkins, drained and chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 squeeze of lemon juice
3 tablespoons (11 g) of chopped fresh parsley
Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Makes about 1 cup (230 g) of sauce

Garlic Butter Sauce

1/4 cup (56 g) of butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons (0.8 g) of dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon (0.7 g) of salt

Makes 1/4 cup (56 g) of sauce

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Classic Cocktail Sauce

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Get out a small bowl and put 1/2 cup (115 g) of ketchup into it along with 2 tablespoons (30 g) of horseradish, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice, ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, and ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of hot sauce.^{[1]
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Tip: For the most intense flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled.
2
Whisk the sauce and taste it. Use a whisk or fork to combine the sauce ingredients until they're completely smooth. Then dip a clean spoon into the bowl and taste the sauce. Adjust the flavorings according to your taste.^{[2]
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- For example, if you want a saltier flavor, mix in a few more drops of Worcestershire sauce. To make it spicier, stir in more horseradish or hot sauce.
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3
Serve the cocktail sauce with shrimp. Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl and set it out along with boiled and cooled shrimp. Classic cocktail sauce is also great with oysters, clams, and steamed crab legs.^{[3]
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- Cover and refrigerate the cocktail sauce for up to 1 week. Discard any sauce that you've already dipped into with shrimp or seafood.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Creamy Marie Rose Sauce

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1
Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, and salt. Spoon 1/2 cup (116 g) of mayonnaise into a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon (17 g) of ketchup. Mix in 1 pinch of salt and then taste the mixture. Add more salt if you like.^{[4]
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- At this point, you can use the Marie Rose sauce, which will be mild and creamy.
2
Whisk in the optional juice, sauces, and cayenne pepper. If you want the sauce to have a little more flavor and spice, stir in your choice of optional ingredients. You can whisk in 1 or more of these ingredients:^{[5]
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- 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice
- ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
- ¹⁄₄ teaspoon (1.2 ml) of hot sauce, like Tabasco
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
3
Serve the Marie Rose sauce with shrimp or seafood. Unlike most American shrimp cocktails that simply serve cold shrimp with bold cocktail sauce, British-style shrimp cocktail mixes Marie Rose sauce with cold shrimp. Serve the creamy shrimp on top of gem lettuce.^{[6]
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- Cover and refrigerate leftover Marie Rose sauce for up to 5 days.
Did You Know? You can serve Marie Rose sauce with a variety of seafood dishes, such as fried fish and sautéed fillets. It's also a good dipping sauce for French fries and burgers.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Tartar Sauce

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1
Chop the capers, gherkins, shallot, and parsley. Drain a few spoonfuls of capers and gherkins. Then chop enough to measure 3 tablespoons (26 g) of capers and 3 tablespoons (28 g) of gherkins. You'll also need to finely chop 1 small shallot and 3 tablespoons (11 g) of fresh parsley.^{[7]
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- You can use savory, dill gherkins or slightly sweetened gherkins.
2
Combine the chopped ingredients with mayonnaise and lemon juice. Transfer all of the chopped ingredients to a small bowl and add 1 cup (230 g) of mayonnaise. Squeeze 1 squirt of lemon juice into the bowl and stir the sauce until it's combined.^{[8]
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- Taste the tartar sauce and add salt or pepper according to your taste.
Optional Ingredients:
3 tablespoons (18 g) of chopped green onions
1 teaspoon (5 g) of Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon (0.3 g) of dried tarragon
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
3
Chill the tartar sauce for 1 hour before serving it. Cover the tartar sauce and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour so the flavors intensify. Then serve the tartar sauce with fried fish, clam strips, fried oysters, and baked seafood fillets.^{[9]
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- Refrigerate the tartar sauce for up to 2 weeks.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Garlic Butter Sauce

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1
Melt the butter over medium heat. Put 1/4 cup (56 g) of butter into a small saucepan and turn the burner to medium. Heat the butter until it's completely melted.^{[10]
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- You can use unsalted or salted butter. Keep in mind that using unsalted butter will allow you to control how much salt to add to the sauce.
Sauté the garlic in the butter for 30 seconds. Mince 1 clove of garlic and stir it into the melted butter in the saucepan. Stir and cook the garlic over medium heat until it becomes translucent and fragrant.^{[11]
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Tip: Keep an eye on the garlic and avoid overcooking it since minced garlic burns quickly.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons (0.8 g) of dried parsley and 1/8 teaspoon (0.7 g) of salt to the butter sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt according to your taste.^{[12]
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4
Dip seafood into the butter sauce. Turn off the burner and transfer the garlic butter to small, warm ramekins. Then dip crab or lobster into the sauce. If you'd like to use the sauce as a base for seafood pasta, coat cooked fettuccine with the sauce and stir in cooked seafood.^{[13]
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- Since the butter will solidify as it's stored, use the garlic butter sauce while it's still warm.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I season a seafood boil?

Chef Jeff Woodward
Private Chef
Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College.

Chef Jeff Woodward

Private Chef

Expert Answer

To make a sauce for a seafood boil, start by combining water and beer in a pot. Beer adds extra flavor to the sauce. Adjust the spiciness according to your preference by adding cayenne pepper, ancho chili, salt, white pepper, and other spices like oregano. Balance the heat with sugar to create a well-rounded flavor profile. Alternatively, to prepare a seafood boil sauce without beer or alcohol, start by using water as the base in a pot. Adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding cayenne pepper, ancho chili, salt, white pepper, and other preferred spices, such as oregano. Balance the flavors with sugar to offset the heat, and add plenty of water to intensify the sauce's flavor. For a tangy twist, incorporate halved lemons and limes into the water.

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Question

What sauces go with seafood?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

It's tough to beat a classic cocktail sauce with seafood like shrimp, oysters, clams, and crab. It's also super simple to make. Get out a small bowl and put 1/2 cup (115 g) of ketchup into it along with 2 tablespoons (30 g) of horseradish, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice, 1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, and 1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of hot sauce. Use a fork or a whisk to stir and mix the ingredients together until they form a smooth, consistent paste. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings until it's just right. Enjoy!

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Question

What's a good sauce to put on seafood?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

It's tough to beat a tasty garlic butter sauce on pretty much anything, but especially on seafood. Put a small saucepan on your stove and set it to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup (56 g) of butter into the pan and let it melt completely. Mince 1 clove of garlic and stir it into the melted butter in the saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Then, add 1 1/2 teaspoons (0.8 g) of dried parsley and 1/8 teaspoon (0.7 g) of salt to the butter sauce. Taste test the sauce to see if it needs more salt. And that's it! You can dip your crab, lobster, or any other cooked seafood into the delicious, buttery sauce. You could also coat cooked fettuccine with the sauce and stir in cooked seafood to make a quick and easy pasta dish.

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Tips

Use any seafood sauces that contain horseradish sauce within a few days because the horseradish will lose its potency the longer it's stored.

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