Give Fried Fish Sandwiches Better Flavor With A One-Ingredient Tartar Sauce Upgrade

Whether it's beer battered or breaded, the humble, crispy fried fish sandwich is absolutely delicious. The contrast between tender fish and breading is irresistible. Top off with tartar sauce and pair with a lovely fennel slaw and you have yourself a seriously tasty sando. However, there's a way to make this sandwich even better, and all you need to do is pep up that creamy smear of tartar sauce (which wasn't actually invented by the Tartars) with one small scoop of horseradish.

For the uninitiated, horseradish is a root vegetable with a sharp, mustardy taste. You most often find it in a jar in its prepared, scoopable form. Horseradish is an intense, flavorful addition to many dishes, including zesty as all get-out burgers, and it's often paired with seafood. Adding horseradish to mayo-based, pickle-infused tartar sauce boosts its intensity, plus it can help balance out the richness of your fried fish.

Preparation is easy enough: add a small amount of horseradish to tartar sauce, mix, and spread on your sandwich. The amount you add varies based on batch size and taste preference. If you're making 1 cup of tartar sauce, add about 1 tablespoon. If you're adding horseradish to a single serving, start with ½ tablespoon. For those with a low spice tolerance, start with 1 teaspoon and taste test before adding more.

Horseradish does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to flavor enhancement. The punch of spice that comes from the root veggie is particularly appealing to some diners, so if you want to add even more horseradish flavor beyond simply adding more horseradish, the easiest way is using horseradish mayo as the base for your tartar sauce.

You can also add a smidge of horseradish mustard. While not always found in tartar sauce, mustard has been known to make an appearance in the dip. Horseradish mustard can give your tartar sauce even more of a kick, plus it's a great alternative for anyone who doesn't have prepared horseradish on hand.

If you want even more horsey flavor, think beyond the spread and add a slice of horseradish cheese to your sandwich. This furthers the impact of the pungent root. Each addition can be used together, or in place of, the added dollop of the white-and-spicy stuff. Just be honest with yourself about your ability to enjoy spicy foods, or else this sandwich might make you cry.