Horseradish Sauce for Roast Beef

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/4/23
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Refrigeration time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Horseradish is a root vegetable used in many cuisines as a condiment. It's usually found in its prepared form, but it's also possible to buy raw horseradish and make the mixture from scratch. Although delicious, the root has a potent smell, and if the horseradish is not prepared properly, its odor will overtake your entire kitchen. Our simple but delicious recipe using store-bought prepared horseradish guarantees the true flavor of horseradish without the added work. Simply stir and serve.

This creamy preparation uses tangy sour cream to balance the potent pungency of the horseradish root. Dijon mustard adds some acidity and an extra kick of flavor, while fragrant chives add freshness and color.

Horseradish sauce is a wonderful accompaniment to steak, prime rib, beef tenderloin, and pork, and is a classic condiment on gefilte fish. Lighter than buttery, creamy sauces like béarnaise, horseradish has a bite that won't mask the flavor of your meats. Rather, it will help cleanse your palate so you can enjoy meat-heavy dishes with the contrast in flavors horseradish provides, which keeps your palate awake.

Horseradish sauce with snipped chives in a bowl

The Spruce Eats / Stephanie Goldfinger

"Whipping up this horseradish sauce is so quick and easy. The sour cream softens the spicy horseradish wonderfully and the mustard and chives add balance. It makes just over a cup (which is considerable), but it can work as a sandwich spread, burger condiment, or dip for veggies, too." —Colleen Graham

Horseradish sauce for Roast Beef Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives 

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for horseradish sauce recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Stephanie Goldfinger

  2. Add the sour cream, mustard, prepared horseradish, chives, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl. Stir well.

    Smooth sauce in a bowl with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Stephanie Goldfinger

  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors come together.

    Sauce in a bowl covered with cling wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Stephanie Goldfinger

  4. About 15 minutes before you want to serve it, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature so it isn't ice-cold. Stir before serving.

    Horseradish sauce sprinkled with snipped chives in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Stephanie Goldfinger

Can I Use Fresh Horseradish for the Recipe?

You can easily prepare this recipe using freshly grated horseradish root. Be mindful than freshly-grated horseradish is going to be much hotter than store-bought:

  • Peel the root and cut it into chunks small enough for your blender or food processor to handle, then process until it's finely chopped but not completely pureed. The vapor can burn your eyes and nose if you breathe it, so be careful when you remove the lid.
  • Our recipe calls for 1/4 cup of prepared horseradish; you might want to start with 2 tablespoons of the grated root, mix with the rest of the ingredients, and add more if needed.

If you grated more than you need, pour in a bit of vinegar into the grated horseradish and stir (this is what prepared horseradish is, grated root and vinegar). Keep it in a jar in the fridge for a few weeks. For any unused horseradish root, peel it, cut it into chunks, wrap the chunks individually, and freeze.

How to Use Horseradish Sauce

Horseradish sauce is usually served with meats, but it can also enhance the flavor of other preparations. Here are a few ideas to put your sauce to best use:

  • Baked potatoes and potato salad: Use a spoonful of our sauce on baked potatoes and sprinkle with chives. Alternatively, boil and cut potatoes into chunks, mix with horseradish sauce and add any crunchy vegetables of your liking—like celery, jicama, and grated carrots—for an awesome potato dish.
  • Deviled eggs: Once you've hard-boiled the eggs, mix the yolks with horseradish sauce and some mayo until you have a creamy mixture to pipe back in the eggs. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions.
  • Salad dressing: Mix a spoonful of horseradish into 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Add any fresh herbs of your liking and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Chicken, tuna, and egg salad: Add some mayo to tone down the flavor of the horseradish and mix the horseradish sauce with shredded chicken, tuna, or diced hard-boiled eggs for a tasty sandwich mixture.
  • Hummus: Add 1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce to your favorite hummus recipe.

How to Store Horseradish Sauce

Our horseradish sauce can keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. The more it sits, the more the flavors develop. Because of the smell, it's important to use an airtight container to store it. And for extra precaution, wrap it in plastic wrap or place it inside a bag to prevent any smells from transferring into other foods.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
62 Calories
6g Fat
2g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 62
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 130mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 59mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)