Creamy Horseradish Sauce
This simple horseradish sauce comes together with only two ingredients and adds a creamy texture and punchy flavor to everything from seafood to steaks and more. It mixes up in minutes and can easily be doctored up to go with all of your favorite dishes.
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What is Horseradish Sauce?
Horseradish sauce is a simple mixture of prepared grated horseradish and a creamy ingredient like sour cream, mayonnaise, whipped cream, or crème fraîche, which softens its sharp heat.
This recipe has been a staple in my repertoire since my catering days and I've been making a version of it for as long as I can remember. I love serving it with steak or roast beef and it's my favorite sauce to serve with scallops wrapped in bacon or these grilled scallops and prosciutto.
It's great as is, just with horseradish and sour cream mixed together with a little salt and pepper, but you can easily adjust it to suit your taste.
Make it tangier with a little bit of lemon juice or wine vinegar, or if you want it to taste richer and smoother, you can add some heavy cream. Add a few dashes of hot sauce if you want it a little spicy or some garlic and/or onion powder for an extra boost of flavor.
Want more dipping sauce recipes? Try this zippy Creole Remoulade Sauce, this bright Lemon Caper Tartar Sauce or this classic Cocktail Sauce.
Why You'll Love This Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Made with only 2 simple ingredients, but can be amped up with different add-ins and seasonings.
- Pairs with lots of dishes from beef to seafood, veggies and more.
- Easily made in advance and comes together in minutes.
- Mayonnaise free!
Horseradish Sauce Ingredients
Sour cream - Use full fat sour cream for the best texture. It provides a smooth creamy base that balances the pungent horseradish flavor.
Horseradish - Use prepared horseradish in a jar, which has been mixed with vinegar and seasonings, not fresh horseradish. I prefer the brand Kelchners, found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, usually near the seafood. Make sure your horseradish is fresh since it loses its potency over time. The amount of horseradish can be adjusted depending on how strong yours tastes and how spicy you like it. Fresh horseradish root is a root vegetable that varies in intensity so always taste and adjust as needed!
Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, which is less salty than other brands. You may need to adjust to taste.
Pepper - You can use white or black pepper in this recipe, but white pepper will give a more pure white appearance if that's what you're after.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Small whisk
How to Make Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Mix the sour cream and horseradish together in a bowl until smooth.
- To make it richer, add a small splash of heavy cream until it reaches a smooth, spoonable consistency.
Pro Tip: Adjust the amount of horseradish to suit your taste. The amount of spiciness will depend on your brand of horseradish and how fresh it is. Always taste first and then make adjustments.
- Add a dash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice if you want more tang and add a small amount of hot sauce if you want an extra kick.
- Season with black pepper or white pepper, then add salt until it tastes balanced.
Pro Tip: Use white pepper if you want the sauce to be pure white without any black specks.
Tips for Success
- You can make your sauce thicker or thinner depending on how you plan to serve it. Thin it out with heavy cream, lemon juice, vinegar or hot sauce to reach your desired consistency and flavor profile.
- Prepared horseradish varies in strength, so start with less, taste and adjust.
- Use white pepper instead of black pepper if you want your sauce to remain pure white with no specks.
- A simple sauce like this depends on good ingredients so choose high quality prepared horseradish and sour cream.
Variations
- Add hot sauce for a spicy kick.
- Use garlic or onion powder for a subtle savory boost.
- Whisk in a little Dijon mustard for a sharper flavor.
- Swap out half of the sour cream for mayonnaise for a creamier sauce (even better if it's homemade mayo!).
- If you don't have wine vinegar, you can always use apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar for extra tang.
- Add some lemon zest for a bright citrus flavor.
- Add fresh herbs like parsley, dill or chives.
Serving Suggestions for Horseradish Sauce Recipe
This creamy horseradish sauce recipe is the perfect condiment for rich meats or seafood.
Serve it with a classic pan seared Filet Mignon cooked in a cast iron skillet or a simple grilled chicken breast. Or make a Roasted Whole Beef Tenderloin or pork tenderloin if serving a crowd.
It's also a great dipping sauce for these buttery Grilled Scallops With Prosciutto, authentic Maryland Crab Cakes or a chilled Roasted Shrimp Cocktail.
How to Store Horseradish Cream Sauce
Store the horseradish cream sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The amount of horseradish flavor may mellow over time, so give it a good stir before serving, then taste to adjust seasoning before serving next time.
This homemade horseradish sauce recipe is not ideal for freezing since the creamy ingredients can separate.
Creamy Horseradish Sauce FAQs
Horseradish has a sharp heat, but the sour cream tempers it. Start with a small amount and increase until it tastes right for you, especially if it's your first time making it. You can adjust all of the ingredient amounts to suit your taste.
Yes. Fresh horseradish root works well, but it is often stronger than prepared horseradish so add gradually. This creamy sauce only has a handful of ingredients so choose high quality horseradish and sour cream.
A dash of Dijon mustard or vinegar adds complexity without overpowering the sauce.
It probably needs more mixing. A gentle whisk or small stir with a spoon usually brings it together, or you can buzz it up in a food processor to get it smoother. However, this sauce is supposed to have some fiber from the grated horseradish, this is normal.
This easy recipe makes the best horseradish sauce for anything from prime rib, steak, roast beef sandwiches, and most pork dishes or grilled seafood. It's a good sauce for anything rich where you want contrast. It also makes the perfect accompaniment to any simple hot dog or sandwich spread.
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Creamy Horseradish Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- ¼ cup prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Optional
- heavy cream as needed
- white wine vinegar or lemon juice to taste
- hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Mix the sour cream and horseradish together in a bowl until smooth.
- Add a small splash of heavy cream to thin the sauce until it reaches a smooth, spoonable consistency.
- Add a dash of vinegar or lemon juice if you want more tang and add a small amount of hot sauce if you want an extra kick.
- Season with white pepper to keep the color light, or black pepper then add salt until it tastes balanced.
Notes
- You can make your sauce thicker or thinner depending on how you plan to serve it. Thin it out with heavy cream, lemon juice, vinegar or hot sauce to reach your desired consistency and flavor profile.
- Prepared horseradish varies in strength, so start with less, taste and adjust.
- Use white pepper instead of black pepper if you want your sauce to remain pure white with no specks.
- A simple sauce like this depends on good ingredients so choose high quality prepared horseradish and sour cream.
Made this recipe on Christmas Day to have with rib roast. I started with just the sour cream and horseradish, but felt it wash too thick. Added a dollop of mayonnaise, and a splash of lemon juice. Salt and pepper finished it. Still wasn’t sure about the consistency. The dinner guests made up my mind, none leftover. Even the kids liked it.
Another winner from Coley, thank you.
Thanks Ken! Glad to hear it was enjoyed by all. 🙂