Cajun Remoulade Sauce Recipe (Spicy & Easy)

This Cajun remoulade sauce is creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and packed with just the right amount of heat from horseradish, Louisiana hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning. And the best part? It takes about 5 minutes to throw together.

I originally made this sauce to go with all kinds of Cajun and Southern-inspired dishes, but it quickly became one of those sauces I wanted to put on basically everything.

Fried catfish? Absolutely. Crab cakes? Obviously. Hush puppies? Yes, please. French fries, fried vegetables, sandwiches...you get the idea.

And I'm not even kidding when I say I was licking the sauce off the spoon while photographing it. It's THAT good.

If you're a fan of bold Southern flavors, this easy Cajun dipping sauce deserves a permanent spot in your fridge.

What is Cajun Remoulade Sauce?

Cajun remoulade sauce is a creamy Louisiana-style sauce traditionally made with a mayonnaise base and flavored with bold seasonings. This version combines mayonnaise and sour cream with Dijon mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, Louisiana hot sauce, garlic powder, and a little honey for balance.

The result is a creamy, tangy, spicy-sweet Louisiana remoulade sauce that's especially good with seafood, fried foods, sandwiches, and Southern appetizers.

Remoulade itself originated in France, while the American version became closely associated with Louisiana and Cajun and Creole cooking.

it is absolutely incredible with these Maryland Crab Cakes, Cajun roasted quail and fried alligator bites, as well as these air fryer artichokes too.

Jump to:

• What is Cajun Remoulade Sauce?
• Why You're Going to Love This Cajun Remoulade
• Ingredients
• Key Ingredients for the Best Flavor
• How to Get the Best Texture and Flavor
• A Few Things That Can Ruin a Great Remoulade
• Variations
• What to Serve With Cajun Remoulade Sauce
• Expert Tips
• Storage, Make-Ahead & Meal Prep
• Closing Thoughts on This Cajun Remoulade Sauce
• Most Cajun Inspired Recipes
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You're Going to Love This Cajun Remoulade

There are a few reasons this spicy remoulade sauce disappears ridiculously fast:

• It's incredibly easy. Mix everything together and you're done.
• The flavor is balanced. Horseradish and hot sauce bring the heat while sour cream and honey keep everything from getting too aggressive.
• It's creamy and tangy. The mayonnaise and sour cream give the sauce a rich texture with a nice little tang.
• It works with so many foods. Think seafood, fried chicken, vegetables, sandwiches, fries, and pretty much anything crispy.
• It can be made ahead. Letting it hang out in the refrigerator gives the flavors time to come together.

If you like sauces with a little attitude, this one definitely has it.

Ingredients

Here is the exact ingredient list from the recipe card. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable version of the ingredients and instructions.

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh horseradish
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Key Ingredients for the Best Flavor

• Mayonnaise and Sour Cream - The mayonnaise gives this homemade remoulade sauce its rich, creamy base, while sour cream adds a little tang to keep the sauce from feeling too heavy.
• Fresh Horseradish - This is where some of that signature bite comes from. The horseradish gives the sauce a sharp, spicy kick that works especially well with seafood and fried foods.
• Louisiana Hot Sauce - A couple teaspoons add another layer of heat without taking over the whole sauce.
• Honey -Don't skip the honey. That little bit of sweetness helps balance the horseradish, hot sauce, mustard, and Cajun seasoning.
• Cajun Seasoning - Cajun seasoning brings the savory spice that makes this sauce feel right at home alongside Louisiana-style dishes.

Step By Step Instructions

This is seriously one of the easiest recipes. Just place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix....yes....it's that easy.

Once you've mixed it, I recommend covering it and storing it in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors come together.

However, if you're in a hurry, it can be served right away as well.

How to Get the Best Texture and Flavor

The sauce is creamy and smooth straight after mixing, but giving it a little time in the refrigerator makes a difference.

The flavors have a chance to mingle, and the horseradish, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce settle into that creamy base.

If your sauce feels too thick, the original recipe recommends adding a couple tablespoons of water or milk until you reach the consistency you want.

For a really good seafood dipping sauce, I prefer keeping it thick enough to cling to whatever you're dipping into it.

A Few Things That Can Ruin a Great Remoulade

Luckily, there's not much that can go wrong here.

• Making it too spicy - The combination of horseradish, Louisiana hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning already gives this sauce some heat. If you want a milder Cajun sauce recipe, reduce the hot sauce and/or horseradish.
• Serving it immediately - You can absolutely eat it immediately, but giving it about an hour in the refrigerator allows the flavors to come together.
• Making it too thick - If you prefer a thinner dipping sauce, add a couple tablespoons of water or milk until you get the consistency you like.

Variations

The basic recipe is delicious as written, but there are a few ways to change things up.

• Add more Louisiana hot sauce or horseradish for an extra-spicy spicy remoulade sauce.
• For more tang, add finely minced pickles or a teaspoon of vinegar.
• Add ¼ cup pureed roasted red pepper for a sweet and smoky twist.
• Substitute fresh garlic for the garlic powder if you prefer a slightly chunkier sauce.
• For an extra-homemade version, you can make your own mayonnaise.

What to Serve With Cajun Remoulade Sauce

This sauce was made for crispy, savory foods.

Seafood

One of my favorite ways to use this Cajun remoulade sauce is with seafood. It's fantastic with crab cakes, fried catfish, shrimp, and other crispy seafood dishes.

Try it with Old Bay Crab Cakes for an especially good combination. The creamy, spicy sauce is a natural match for the sweet crab meat.

It's also delicious alongside Air Fryer Crab Cakes when you want that crispy crab-cake experience without frying.

Southern Appetizers

For a classic Southern spread, serve this Louisiana remoulade sauce with crispy appetizers.

I especially love it with Jalapeno Hush Puppies. The fluffy, crispy hush puppies and creamy spicy sauce are a seriously good match.

It's also fantastic with fried vegetables. Try it with Air Fryer Artichokes for an easy appetizer with plenty of texture.

Cajun and Fried Foods

This Cajun dipping sauce is also great with:

• Fried catfish
• Po'boys
• Crawfish eggrolls
• Cajun chicken wings
• Fried alligator bites
• French fries
• Hush puppies
• Fried vegetables
• Sandwiches
• Raw vegetables

Basically, if it's crispy and needs a sauce, I'm reaching for the remoulade.

Expert Tips

1. Let the sauce sit, covered, in the fridge for about an hour before serving it so the flavors have time to come together.
2. If the sauce is too thick, add a couple tablespoons of water or milk to thin it out until the desired consistency is reached.
3. Reduce the amount of Louisiana hot sauce and/or the horseradish for a less spicy sauce. Note, however, the flavor will not be as good.
4. If you want to make this taste even more homemade, you can certainly make the mayonnaise from scratch as well (homemade mayonnaise is just in a different league than the stuff at the store).

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage, Make-Ahead & Meal Prep

• Storage - Store the prepared homemade remoulade sauce covered in the refrigerator. The original recipe recommends using it within about 5–7 days.
• Make Ahead - This is actually a great make-ahead sauce. Mix it together, cover it, and let it chill in the refrigerator so the flavors have time to develop.
• Meal Prep - Because it takes only a few minutes to mix together, this easy dipping sauce is handy to have ready for meals throughout the week. Keep it refrigerated and use it with seafood, fried foods, sandwiches, vegetables, and appetizers.
• Reheating - No reheating is necessary. Serve the sauce chilled or allow it to sit out briefly before serving.

Closing Thoughts on This Cajun Remoulade Sauce

This Cajun remoulade sauce is one of those recipes that makes you wonder why you don't keep a bowl of it in the fridge at all times.

It's creamy, tangy, spicy, a little sweet, and loaded with Cajun flavor. And because it comes together so quickly, there's really no reason not to make it.

Serve it with crab cakes, fried seafood, hush puppies, Cajun wings, vegetables, or your favorite sandwich. Or, you know, eat it straight off the spoon while taking pictures.

I won't judge.

If you make this recipe, I'd love to know what you served it with. Leave a comment and let me know!

Most Cajun Inspired Recipes

• New Orleans Red Gravy
• Dirty Rice
• Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Crawfish Pie
• New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

This recipe was originally published in February 2018. It has been updated for photos and content. 

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