Horseradish sauce is a spicy, tangy, and classic accompaniment to a platter of roast beef sandwiches, tenderloin steaks, and prime rib.
This sauce is often found on the condiment boards of seafood restaurants. But what if you cannot find or buy a bottle of horseradish sauce?
Several other sauces come in handy as Horseradish sauce substitutes, and these alternatives will not leave your taste buds wanting something more.
Today we will be looking at some of the best substitutes for horseradish sauce, such as homemade horseradish sauce, brown mustard/Chinese hot mustard, black radishes, wasabi paste, and cocktail sauce.
What Is Horseradish Sauce?
Horseradish sauce is a condiment made from the root of the horseradish plant mixed with vinegar, sugar, and salt commonly used in beef dishes.
It has a strong, spicy, and tangy flavor. Although it is typically served with beef, horseradish sauce can be used in many different ways.
It’s terrific when added to meat sandwiches or used as a spread on hamburgers.
The origins of horseradish sauce date as far back as Ancient Egypt.
It’s been said that Cleopatra used it for its medicinal purposes. Today, it’s primarily used as a condiment or a cooking ingredient.
You can find horseradish sauce at any supermarket or specialty health food store. Be sure to check the label on your bottle to make sure the ingredients fit into your diet.
Among other things, horseradish sauce is rich in antioxidants and more.
Best Horseradish Sauce Substitutes
1. Homemade Horseradish Sauce
If you’re looking to take your horseradish sauce game to the next level, you’ve come to the right place.
This homemade horseradish sauce recipe is easy as can be, and it’ll make all the difference in your meats and stews.
And if you’re not a super big fan of horseradish yet, don’t worry — this recipe is so good that it might just change your mind.
Homemade Horseradish Sauce ingredient:
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup prepared white horseradish (feel free to add more if you want it spicier!)
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper
Instruction: Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix till well combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
2. Brown Mustard/Chinese Hot Mustard
Chinese hot mustard is a spicy condiment made from powdered mustard seeds and water.
It’s often served with seafood, particularly crab and fish and shrimp, lobster, and clams.
The main difference between the two sauces is that Chinese Hot Mustard contains mustard powder, and horseradish sauce contains a combination of horseradish powder, mayonnaise, and vinegar.
If you are using it to accompany your sandwich, you can use either one as a replacement for the other.
However, Chinese hot mustard is a better replacement if you use it for cooking because its flavor is more intense and well-suited for dishes like beef tenderloin or steamed fish.
3. Black Radishes
Black Radishes is a fantastic replacement for horseradish.
The first thing to remember is that there are a lot of similarities between these two ingredients.
They’re both root vegetables, they both have a spicy taste and aroma, and they both grow best in cold climates
But when it comes to the debate between Black Radishes vs Horseradish Sauce, we will have to side with the black radish.
Black radishes have a much higher vitamin and mineral content than horseradish, making them an excellent option for adding nutrients to your diet.
4. Wasabi Paste
Wasabi Paste is made from the grated root of the Wasabia japonica plant.
It’s typically used as a condiment for sushi or sashimi in Japanese cuisine — and only has about half the heat of real horseradish.
And real wasabi can be hard to find in stores outside of Asia!
What most people buy off the shelf is actually just standard horseradish mixed with green food coloring and some other spices to try to mimic the taste of real wasabi.
So if you don’t have horseradish sauce, but wasabi paste is just at the corner, you can use it.
It is an excellent addition to soups, sushi dishes such as sushi rolls and nigiri, and other meals.
Wasabi paste is made from the rhizomes of the wasabi plant and has a similar taste to horseradish.
5. Cocktail Sauce
Cocktail sauce is a tomato-based sauce often used to dress shrimp, crab cakes, and other shellfish dishes.
It gets its name because it was once commonly served at parties as a dipping sauce for seafood appetizers.
It’s typically made from ketchup or chili sauce blended with lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce or Tabasco, salt, and pepper to taste.
You can use it in place of horseradish sauce to liven up your seafood meal. But it’s thinner and spicy-hot with a slight sweetness.
6. Ground Brown Mustard Powder + A Teaspoon Of Water
Ground brown mustard powder and horseradish sauce have a strong, sharp flavor that adds depth to dishes, but they are very different ingredients.
Horseradish is a root vegetable similar to a radish. It has a robust peppery flavor often paired with beef or other meats: dressings and sauce.
Ground brown mustard powder is made from the seeds of the mustard plant, which are ground into a powder and mixed with water to make the condiment we all know and love.
The flavor is slightly more intense than regular yellow mustard but still milder than horseradish sauce.
However, Ground brown mustard powder is more versatile than horseradish sauce because it can be used in cold and hot recipes.
How Long Does Opened Horseradish Last?
The only problem with horseradish is that it will not last forever. Once you open up your bottle of horseradish, it will stay fresh for about one week.
After that, the flavor will deteriorate, and the health benefits will diminish too!
If you want to use horseradish regularly but do not want to waste money buying more bottles every time they expire, then here are some tips on how to preserve your opened bottle of horseradish:
1) Keep it in the refrigerator at all times
2) Store it upside down to keep mold from forming on top of your jar lid
3) Use within two weeks of opening!
If you will use your newly opened jar within two weeks, there is no need for refrigeration since you won’t have time for spoilage or deterioration anyway!
Related Questions
Can You Freeze Ground Horseradish?
You definitely can! Although, some people suggest that you not freeze ground horseradish because it reduces its pungency slightly.
What Meat Goes With Horseradish?
We’re not here to argue with you, but roast beef is the undisputed king of meats that pair well with horseradish. There are several other contenders, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t give them their due: braised short ribs, pot roast, steak, even brisket (if you’re feeling adventurous).
Are Ginger And Horseradish Related?
Although they are both spicy root vegetables but are not related, they do, however, share a common ancestor: the mustard family.
Can You Get Food Poisoning From Horseradish?
Yes, you can get food poisoning from horseradish! Despite what many people think, horseradish is not just a root vegetable but also a spice. Like any other food product that comes into contact with bacteria, whether during production or preparation, horseradish can cause food-borne illness.
If you eat lousy horseradish, you can expect to experience the symptoms of food poisoning in just 12 hours. These symptoms include nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever.
Conclusion
When we set aside our biases and put this sauce to the test, we discovered something surprising: these horseradish sauce substitutes are pretty reliable.
We say surprise because it came out tasting similar to horseradish and versatile. And as a bonus, some are even healthier.
So if you’re looking for a way to spice up your next sandwich or salad, remember either of these horseradish sauce substitutes.
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