Here is a horseradish cream sauce that is the perfect condiment for a special occasion or Christmas dinner. Serve this easy dip/sauce alongside a bowl of Au Jus for the ultimate pairing, whether you’re serving a prime rib roast or a savory steak meal. Your table will love these two sauces’ blend of full-bodied, spicy creaminess and rich, savory juiciness.
Horseradish Sauce Ingredients
All you need is seven pantry-ready ingredients to make a first-rate horseradish dipping sauce. Below, you can find what you’ll need, along with substitutions and optional add-ins, to make this easy recipe:
- Prepared horseradish: Often referred to as “prepared horseradish” or “horseradish grated in vinegar,” you can likely find this root vegetable at your local grocery store in a jarred form. In essence, prepared horseradish comes together with grated horseradish root stored in vinegar, which helps release the raw horseradish’s natural juices. If you prefer not to use store-bought varieties and are growing fresh horseradish root at home, you can also prepare horseradish from scratch. However, please note that horseradish sauce with homemade horseradish will have a stronger flavor, so I suggest adapting your recipe accordingly.
- Sour cream: One of my favorite ingredients in this horseradish sauce, tangy sour cream helps balance the root’s spicy, bold notes with a milky, rich taste. In particular, I recommend using full-fat sour cream to achieve the creamiest flavor.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise makes an excellent addition for those who prefer a tangy horseradish dip recipe, lending an extra layer of creamy, mildly sweet flavor. However, it is optional, so you can make this horseradish sauce without mayonnaise if you want.
- Apple cider vinegar: With a bright, zippy edge and a subtle sweetness, apple cider vinegar is a great way to balance the full-bodied richness of this creamy horseradish dressing. However, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar would also work.
- Dijon mustard: Though optional, the addition of Dijon mustard offers a delectably spicy, complex taste to the original dip recipe.
- Seasonings: A simple mix of salt and pepper is all you need to bring out the natural tastiness of this DIY horseradish sauce.
- Chives: Fresh chives offer mild onion undertones and a pop of color to this recipe, adding a brilliant lightness to its creamier base. Due to their similar flavors, you can also use scallions if you don’t have chives on hand.
Substitutions and Optional Add-Ins
- Greek yogurt: If you prefer to make a horseradish sauce recipe without sour cream, you can use ½ cup Greek yogurt instead. This substitution will result in a lower-fat horseradish yogurt sauce with a similarly tangy flavor.
- Creme fraiche: For a luxurious take on this iconic condiment, try making creme fraiche horseradish sauce. Substitute the sour cream for a half-cup of creme fraiche, and your sauce will come out with a richer, creamier, and more full-bodied taste—one of the best ways to balance the more pungent flavor of the horseradish.
- Heavy cream: Adding whipping cream to horseradish sauce is a classic Danish variation, giving this recipe a lighter, less tangy profile—especially tasty on roast beef sandwiches. To make a horseradish whipping cream recipe, substitute your sour cream with an equal amount of whipping cream.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice is an excellent substitute for anyone who doesn’t want to use vinegar as their primary acidic ingredient.
- Worcestershire sauce: Making horseradish sauce with Worcestershire is an easy way to add savory, complex depth to your dip, exquisitely balancing the sour cream’s rich tanginess and the horseradish’s potency. You can add ½ teaspoon of this ingredient to your recipe if preferred.
- Sweetener: If you are a fan of Arby’s horse sauce (which is sweeter) and want to mimic it, you can add two teaspoons of granulated sugar or honey to this recipe. You can add more if you want, but I recommend giving it a quick taste before doing so.
How to Make Homemade Horseradish Sauce?
Despite its sophisticated taste, making this creamed horseradish recipe couldn’t be easier. This sumptuous dipping sauce comes together in just two steps and less than five minutes.
- Mix the ingredients: Add the prepared horseradish, sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add the chives: If using, gently stir the chopped chives into the mixture. Serve.
How to Store and Freeze?
This horseradish dipping sauce recipe is a great make-ahead recipe as it stores well. My only recommendation is to store it in a super airtight container, as proper storage will ensure it lasts as long as possible.
- Storage: Transfer your prepared horseradish sauce to an airtight container or a mason jar to store. It will then stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week. I also recommend stirring the mixture before serving to ensure none of the ingredients settle or separate.
- Freeze: You can freeze this horseradish dressing for up to three months when stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Furthermore, you can also simplify your future portioning by freezing the sauce in ice cube trays. Once hardened, you can pop out the horseradish cubes and transfer them to airtight freezer bags. Each cube will then be good for one serving.
What is Horseradish Sauce Good On?
Creamy, spicy, and delectably complex, this versatile dip recipe will be the star of the show no matter what you serve it with. Below, you’ll find just a few mouthwatering recipe ideas, including how to use horseradish sauce for steak, veggies, sandwiches, and more!
- Meat: No one can resist a pairing as classic as spicy horseradish and hearty beef dishes. This easy recipe tastes out of this world alongside nearly any kind of beef, including standing rib roast, beef tenderloin, and roast beef. If you’re a steak lover, you can also use this recipe to compliment whatever cut you’re serving, whether you want to use this horseradish sauce for a filet of beef or tri-tip steak. Or, if you’re in the mood for a gourmet and homey dish, you can even use this horseradish sauce for beef fondue or a filling Pot Roast.
- Pork and lamb: Using horseradish sauce for lamb (like this Lamb Chops recipe) is a fan-favorite way to bring out the meat’s naturally succulent, grassy flavors. You can also use this bold cream sauce to bring out the juicy, sweet taste of Pork Tenderloin.
- Sandwich spread or burger sauce: If you want to animate your favorite sandwiches with an appetizingly spicy, smooth taste, try adding a dollop of this creamy horseradish spread! This delectable dip beautifully brings out the rich, buttery base of a prime rib sandwich and the savory fill of a roast beef sandwich. You can even make it a burger sauce to use in making my Bacon Avocado Burger for a fresh-yet-robust Californian menu.
- Seafood: Though less common, using horseradish sauce for fish recipes is a great way to add a deliciously bold zip to your seafood main. I especially like using this dip recipe with richer fish dishes, like Baked Sockeye Salmon or Grilled Sockeye Salmon.
- Roasted or grilled vegetables: Creamy, spicy, and bold, easy cream sauce is a fabulous dipping sauce for cooked veggies and a boldly flavored topping for a baked potato.
- Sushi: Similarly pungent and spicy—but not quite as harsh—this mild horseradish sauce makes an excellent substitution for wasabi in sushi dishes. This way, you can enjoy your sushi without overpowering its taste with wasabi’s stronger flavor.
- Bloody Mary: Many say that a dollop of this cream sauce easily enhances an otherwise ordinary bloody mary, giving it an extra burst of flavor.
Expert Tips
Elegant, flavorful, and oh-so-simple, this easy horseradish sauce is a cinch to make. If you want to take your condiment game to the next level, these expert tips will ensure your dip comes out perfectly delicious every time.
- Balance the flavors based on the dish you’re serving: The best part about making homemade horseradish sauce is how easy it is to customize based on your menu. When serving this recipe with meat, I like to add a little more horseradish to better balance the protein’s heavier, more robust base. However, I prefer a mild horseradish sauce when I serve it with more delicate or complex recipes—such as roasted veggies or sandwiches—so I add less horseradish accordingly.
- Taste for seasoning: With so many distinct elements, it’s vital that you taste your horseradish paste before serving, adding more seasoning as necessary. This step is especially important after storage, as the flavors may develop or change while resting.
- Let it rest: If you have the time, I recommend making this recipe ahead of time so it has time to rest before serving. This resting period will allow the ingredients to mix more deeply, resulting in a more full-bodied, complex flavor profile.
- Stir before serving: Because this horseradish crema has many ingredients of varied composition and density, you must stir the sauce before serving. This last-minute mixing will ensure none of the ingredients separate while resting, giving the dip an even flavor.
FAQs
Want to know more about this creamy horseradish sauce recipe? In this handy FAQ, you’ll find everything you need to make a condiment worthy of a gourmet restaurant.
This creamed horseradish sauce has a bold yet complex taste, striking a delicious balance among tangy, spicy, creamy, and pungent flavors.
People often prefer to serve prime rib with horseradish sauce due to the two recipes’ complementary flavor profiles. First off, a prime rib recipe tends to have a rich, buttery, and deep taste. Conversely, horseradish sauce offers sharp, spicy, and pungent notes, which delectably enliven the meat’s fattier base.
When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, sour cream horseradish sauce can last for up to a week.
Absolutely! You can freeze your homemade creamed horseradish in an airtight container for up to three months. You can even freeze it in ice cube trays and transfer the cubes into a freezer bag to ensure super-easy portioning the next time you need this creamy sauce.
If you try this homemade horseradish sauce recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Horseradish Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, aka jarred horseradish
- ½ cup sour cream, full-fat
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, full fat
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoons chives or scallions, chopped – optional
Instructions
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the prepared horseradish, sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- Gently stir in the chopped chives, if desired. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary. Serve.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes 3/4 cup horseradish sauce, which is ideal for 6-7 servings. The calorie information below is per serving.
- Prepared Horseradish: Also known as jarred horseradish, you can buy prepared horseradish from your grocery store. You can make this recipe using grated fresh horseradish, but if you go in that direction, I would recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of it (and increasing it from there), as the fresh variety has a more potent flavor.
- Make Ahead: You can make this recipe a few days ahead and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. Just be sure to give it a good stir before serving.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container (or a mason jar) and store it in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: Place it in resealable freezer-safe bags or ice cube trays (in smaller portions) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge a few hours before you are ready to serve it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
