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Creamy, 5-minute steakhouse-style horseradish sauce with a subtle richness from Worcestershire and a splash of vinegar for a hint of tartness. Perfect for prime rib and beef tenderloin, and just as good on salmon, deviled eggs, veggie platters, and sandwiches. Make it as mild or as hot as you like with my simple heat guide below.
Table of Contents
AT A GLANCE
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Yields: about 1 cup
- Flavor Profile: tangy, peppery, cool and creamy with steakhouse depth
- Heat Level: start with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish for mild sauce; add to taste
- Prep Ahead: Best flavor after 24 hours
- Storage Life: 5–14 days (shorter if you add fresh herbs)
- Serve with: prime rib, beef tenderloin, French dip, salmon, roasted veggies
I’m a big fan of condiments and spreads, and jams and peanut butter. My pantry is totally busting at the seams with all kinds of jars, bottles and containers filled with various sauces to put on all the things.
Unfortunately, my pantry is small so it’s a real problem this hoarding of flavorful toppings and so I try to make my own from scratch on an as needed basis. This Creamy Horseradish Sauce recipe is a regular occurrence in my kitchen for the pure reason that it’s simple and amazing!
For holidays where beef is present like that beef tenderloin or standing prime rib roast for Christmas dinner, this easy Horseradish Sauce is a MUST HAVE. It takes about a minute to stir up the creamy sauce and it’s slightly sweet, tangy, peppery bite is the perfect condiment for buttery beef.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Balanced flavors from vinegar keeps the sauce bright but not heavy.
- Worcestershire adds savory “steakhouse” richness in seconds
- Scalable heat: Easy to make mild, medium, or hot
- Make-ahead friendly: Flavor is even better on day 2
- Versatile: Equally great on meats, seafood, veggies, and sandwiches.
Ingredients You Will Need
Just a few simple ingredients stand in your way of the best Horseradish Sauce recipe ever. Some recipes call for champagne vinegar or even lemon juice which works well but I love to use Apple Cider Vinegar because of it’s subtle sweet note.
- Sour cream – Tangy full-fat sour cream makes this sauce ultra creamy. If you prefer, you can substitute with plain greek yogurt.
- Horseradish – Prepared horseradish in a jar is readily available at most grocery stores and is what I use to make this sauce. If you can get real horseradish grated from fresh horseradish root, you will have one of the best horseradish sauce versions ever.
- Mustard – I love the mild, smooth flavor of dijon mustard because it balances the sharpness of the horseradish beautifully. You can substitute with yellow mustard, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vinegar – Apple Cider Vinegar is my go-to acid for this sauce. It adds a hint of sweetness. If you have red wine vinegar, white vinegar or champagne vinegar, they’re great substitutes.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adding deep, rich flavor, Worcestershire sauce is a must in this sauce recipe.
- Chives – Used as a garnish and a hint of onion flavor, chives are optional but shouldn’t be skipped.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How To Make Horseradish Sauce
Your Creamy Horseradish Sauce is only as great as the ingredients you put in it.
- Gather all the ingredients and just whisk them together in a small bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It’s super easy to make from scratch!
I like to make my horseradish cream sauce about 24 hours in advance so the flavors can amplify over time. If you forget to make it in advance, no worries, it will still be packed with flavor and taste perfectly amazing.
You can tame the heat intensity of the spicy sauce by adjusting the amount of horseradish you add to the recipe.
HEAT LEVEL GUIDE
- Mild Sauce: 1–2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- Medium Sauce: 2–3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- Hot Sauce: 3–4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Pro tip: Drain prepared horseradish of excess liquid for a hotter, punchier sauce. For milder sauce, add a splash more cream or sour cream.
Kellie’s Favorite Horseradish Sauce Variations
FRESH-ROOT VARIATION
Prefer to grate fresh horseradish? Peel and finely grate fresh horseradish root (wear gloves, if sensitive). Stir 1-2 tablespoons straight into the base and add 1-2 teaspoons vinegar immediately to lock in the heat. Adjust to taste. Note: fresh root can be noticeably hotter than jarred so be warned.
STEAKHOUSE STYLE
For a spicier, more “steakhouse” profile, add a tiny pinch of cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. Mix, taste, and adjust the salt to taste.
DAIRY-FREE OPTION
Swap in your favorite unsweetened dairy-free sour cream or thick plain dairy-free yogurt. Flavor will be slightly tangier, add an extra pinch of salt to balance.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips for Horseradish Sauce
- Refrigerate horseradish sauce in an airtight container.
- Without fresh herbs: 10–14 days.
- With fresh herbs (like chives or parsley): 5–7 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze horseradish sauce but the texture can loosen and pungency weakens once thawed. If you freeze, thaw overnight in the fridge and whisk vigorously, then re-season with a little extra horseradish and kosher salt.
What to Serve with Horseradish Sauce
- Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches
- Filet Mignon Steaks are even better with a dollop or two
- This Roast Beef Tenderloin belongs with a dish of Horseradish Sauce
- The most amazing French Dip Sandwich just gets better with a bit drizzled on top
- Spoon some over these Grilled Garlic Potatoes.
- Stir some into these Mashed Potatoes and swoon.
There really are no limits to how much you can add this easy Horseradish Sauce to. It’s incredibly versatile and may just replace that ranch dressing or ketchup you have in your refrigerator.
Creamy Horseradish Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the sour cream, horseradish, dijon, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and chives.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
• Start with 2 tablespoons horseradish; add to taste (see Heat Guide).
• Vinegar brightens and stabilizes heat; Worcestershire adds steakhouse depth.
• Fresh-root option and dairy-free swap included above.
• Storage times: 10–14 days (no herbs) or 5–7 days (with herbs). Tested annually with our holiday beef tenderloin; updated 2025 after retesting storage & freezing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Sauce Recipes
- Simple Roasted Garlic Aioli
- Easy Blue Cheese Sauce
- Super simple Teriyaki Sauce
- Blender Hollandaise is simply spectacular
- Tartar Sauce
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Absolutely! I had to use 2 tasting spoons because the first was just too good… had to multiply the recipe by 5 for I had many people to feed. Didn’t have chives on hand so I substituted with dry dill, about 2Tbsp. Very good recipe. I was originally hesitant because it uses so many ingredients but they add a lot of different notes. Thanks!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for your kind comment!
This is the best! Use it it after the main meal for french dip sandwichs easy to make and so good!
Great idea! Thank you so much!
Fabulous. I make it with 1/2 plain yogurt and 1/2 sour cream.
Of course, yours’ tastes better.
Your’s sounds great, too!
I uses 0 fat Greek yogurt to cut the calandra it still came out fantastic!
Great idea! Thank you for your comment!
Excellent flavor, enhances overall presentation as well and easy to make. It is my go to now as it is also versatile.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for your comment!
This is the most exquisite horseradish sauce for your beef, pork, chicken, lamb or just to spoon up!
Thank you so much. Enjoy!
Very good how long will it last in the fridge & can it be frozen?
Thankyou
I haven’t tried to freeze it but it will last in the fridge for about 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Very good/ ty
Thank you!
Perfection! Just what I was looking for.
I’m so happy you like it! Thanks for your comment!
Can someone just send me this recipe? I can’t read it for too many pop up ads!!???
It’s at the bottom……above the area where you posted this comment.
Is there a substitute you could use for the champagne vinegar?
Hi Sandy! Yes, you can really use any vinegar you have on hand. I like the light flavor of the champagne vinegar but apple cider or a white balsamic works well, too. You can use white distilled but I would just use a little less since the flavor it much stronger.
If vinegar flavor ends up being too strong for you, add thyme to it. Thyme tames down bitter/sour/tart flavors SO wellm
Great tip! Thank you!