5-Minute creamy horseradish sauce Joy

If you’re like me, you want every bite of your gorgeous prime rib or perfectly seared steak to be absolutely unforgettable. Why settle for that thin, sad sauce in a jar when you can make something restaurant-worthy in less time than it takes to set the table? That’s why I’m sharing what I call The Best 5-Minute Creamy Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib and Steak. Seriously, it’s that fast! For me, finding pure joy in cooking often comes from elevating a simple element, like this sauce. It proves that phenomenal flavor doesn’t need complicated techniques, just the right ingredients mixed together with a little love. This recipe is proof that easy and incredible can absolutely coexist. Get ready to ditch store-bought forever!

Why You Need This Creamy Horseradish Sauce Recipe (The Best Sauce for Prime Rib)

Honestly, if you are roasting a beautiful prime rib or just grilling up some good steaks, you can’t serve limp, bland dipping options. This is where our quick recipe steps in! You get that intense, zesty punch you expect from a high-end steakhouse horseradish sauce, but it takes literally five minutes to mix together. I’m talking faster than unpacking groceries!

Why waste money on jarred stuff when this homemade horseradish sauce is so much brighter? The flavor is superior because you control the zing. Trust me, once you try this as the best sauce for prime rib, you’ll never go back. It’s just simple, bold flavor hitting the table instantly. If you plan on tackling that big roast, you absolutely have to check out my foolproof guide to cooking prime rib here!

Ingredients for Your Easy Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Okay, look at this list. It’s borderline short! That’s what I love about this recipe; it relies on just a few pantry staples to deliver massive flavor. This is a classic sour cream horseradish recipe at its heart, making it light yet rich. You’ll need the sour cream as the creamy base, the prepared horseradish for that satisfying heat, a little Dijon for depth, and just a splash of white wine vinegar to keep things super tangy. I always have these on hand!

Here’s the basic list so you can check your fridge:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup prepared white horseradish, drained
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredient Notes and Substitution Tips

This is where we make things special. While the recipe calls for prepared horseradish, if you happen to have actual fresh horseradish root sitting around—wow, you’re in for a treat! If you use the fresh root, you only need about a tablespoon, grated fine, but add it slowly because that fresh stuff packs a real wallop compared to the jarred kind.

Also, if you’re chasing that thicker, richer texture you sometimes get at fancy restaurants or in certain celebrity chef recipes, here’s my secret: swap out half of the sour cream for real mayonnaise. It gives the sauce a decadent feel, very similar to how Ina Garten likes to build her own condiments for big holiday meals. Don’t skip draining the prepared horseradish, though! Too much liquid, and your sauce will be runny instead of perfectly creamy.

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How to Make Creamy Horseradish Sauce in 5 Minutes

I promised you fast, and I’m delivering! Making this incredible creamy horseradish sauce is truly one of the easiest things you’ll do all week. Forget turning on the stove; this is just mixing magic. You’ll want a nice sturdy bowl (nothing fancy, just a plain mixing bowl works perfectly) and a whisk or a stiff spoon.

First up, toss in that full cup of sour cream, the drained horseradish, the Dijon mustard, and the white wine vinegar. Just dump them all in there. Stir everything together until you get a uniform color—no white streaks from the sour cream should be showing anywhere. Then, sprinkle in your salt and pepper and give it one final, happy stir.

SAVE

That’s it for the “making” part! But here’s my golden rule for all dipping sauces: You *have* to chill it. We’re aiming for flavor marrying, not just mixing. Cover that bowl and pop it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This waiting game is essential for that bold flavor profile to really shine through.

The Crucial Flavor Blending Step

Don’t be tempted to skip that chilling time! I know, I know, when you’re ready for prime rib, waiting feels impossible. But the vinegar and the horseradish need a little chill time to really settle into the creamy base. This is what transforms it from just mixed ingredients into the rich, creamy tangy sauce you deserve. Trust me, the difference between serving it right away and waiting 15 minutes is huge flavor payoff for zero extra effort!

Tips for the Ultimate Steakhouse Horseradish Sauce

Now that you’ve mixed this quick treasure, let’s talk about making it taste exactly like the stuff they charge you extra for at a proper steakhouse. The secret to a top-tier steakhouse horseradish sauce isn’t just the ingredients; it’s how you tailor it to your palate. When you taste it after chilling, be honest with yourself!

If your mouth isn’t tingling quite enough for your liking, don’t just stir in more prepared horseradish willy-nilly. Add it half a teaspoon at a time. Remember, that prepared stuff is potent! Similarly, if it tastes a little heavy or flat, a tiny splash—I mean just a drizzle—of extra white wine vinegar brightens everything up immediately. It’s this micro-adjusting that takes any simple steak sauce and makes it gourmet.

For a fantastic steak preparation to go along with this, you should definitely swing by my recipe for Steak Pizzaiola—it’s fantastic!

Variations for Your Homemade Horseradish Sauce

While this is already perfect as a straightforward creamy horseradish sauce, I love encouraging folks to stamp their own joy onto a recipe! Since this is such a flexible base, you can tweak it easily for different uses or just because you feel like experimenting. If you’re looking for something a little different from the standard tang, try swapping out that white wine vinegar for fresh lemon juice. It gives the sauce a brighter, fruitier acidity which works wonderfully as a zesty condiment idea, especially if you’re serving it alongside salmon instead of beef.

Another simple addition that just pops? Finely minced fresh chives or even a pinch of dried dill stirred in right at the end. It adds color and a beautiful, fresh herbaceous note without complicating the mixing process at all. These small changes really let you have fun with your homemade horseradish sauce!

Copycat Focus: Ina Garten Horseradish Sauce

I know so many of you look for that signature flavor profile from Ina Garten, and it’s easy to nail here! If you want that rich, slightly different texture that sometimes pops up in her recipes, the secret she often uses is mixing her dairy bases. To get that wonderful, classic feel, just whisk out half of your sour cream—so maybe 1/2 cup—and replace it with good quality real mayonnaise.

That small addition makes the final product feel instantly more decadent and incredibly smooth. It doesn’t change the heat, but it bumps up the richness factor significantly. That’s your easiest path to an Ina Garten horseradish sauce copycat that still only takes minutes to pull together!

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Serving Suggestions for This Creamy Tangy Sauce

Okay, now that you have perfected this amazing, bold, and zesty topper, where should you put it? Besides being absolutely mandatory for prime rib and excellent with a simple pan-seared steak, this creamy tangy sauce is wildly versatile. Don’t let it sit in the fridge only for holiday roasts!

It makes the most incredible topping for leftover roast beef piled high on rye bread—that’s a fantastic use for any extras, check out my ideas for the best sauce for roast beef here. It’s also fantastic drizzled over roasted potatoes or broccoli instead of plain ranch. Think of it as a vibrant upgrade for anything that needs a spicy kick.

If you’re hosting a game day and need a quick dipping sauce, serve this alongside some crisp celery sticks or even fried onions. It’s savory, it’s bright, and it really makes simple vegetables feel special. Feel free to share your favorite uses with me over on my Facebook page!

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Storage and Reheating Instructions for Homemade Horseradish Sauce

One of the best things about making this homemade horseradish sauce is that it tastes even better the next day! Everything has time to mingle and deepen in flavor. You just need an airtight container; I usually use a small glass jar because it seals really well.

It keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to a week without losing its punch. Since this sauce contains no cooked elements, we never reheat it—that would just melt the creamy base! If it seems a little stiff after a few days, just give it a good whisk right in the jar. A quick stir brings that lovely texture right back to life before you serve it with dinner!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Horseradish Sauce

I pulled together some of the most common things people ask me when they’re worried about making this sauce for the first time. Don’t sweat the small stuff—this recipe is super forgiving!

Can I make this ahead of time?

Oh, absolutely! In fact, I encourage you to make it ahead of time. This is truly the magic of a great homemade horseradish sauce. Making it even three or four hours before serving gives the flavors time to meld beautifully. It’s much brighter and deeper tasting after resting in the fridge for a bit. Just keep it sealed tight!

How can I make this creamy horseradish sauce spicier?

This is my favorite question! If you want more heat than our standard mix provides, you have a couple of ways to go. The easiest is just adding more prepared white horseradish—start with a teaspoon and taste it before adding more. If you’re feeling really adventurous, use fresh horseradish root. That delivers a serious, sharp zing that you can’t beat for a true tangy beef topping.

Is this sauce the best sauce for prime rib or can I use it for other things?

While this recipe is absolutely the best sauce for prime rib, don’t limit yourself! I use this quick dipping sauce for everything. It is amazing on leftover roast beef sandwiches, mixed into mashed potatoes for a kick, or even as a bold spread on turkey burgers. It really lives up to its name as a versatile, creamy tangy sauce!

Can I substitute the sour cream if I don’t have any?

You can, but you might change the flavor profile quite a bit since sour cream brings its own delicious tang. If you must substitute, plain Greek yogurt is the closest in tanginess, though it will be thicker. If you want that richer texture we talked about, go for the mayonnaise substitution instead!

Estimated Nutritional Data for This Quick Dipping Sauce

I always try to be upfront about what goes into our food here at Pure Cooking Joy, even if it’s just a quick condiment! Since this recipe is so simple, the nutrition is pretty straightforward. Remember, these figures are estimates based on the standard recipe proportions, and they will vary depending on the specific brand of sour cream or Dijon you use in your kitchen.

For a standard two-tablespoon serving size, here’s what you can generally expect:

• Calories: About 85
• Total Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 3g
• Protein: 1g

It’s a great way to add big flavor without adding too many extra calories, which is always a win in my book!

The Best 5-Minute Creamy Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib and Steak

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Make this quick, easy, and flavorful homemade horseradish sauce. It delivers the bold, tangy flavor you expect from a steakhouse condiment, perfect for prime rib or your favorite steak.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Total Time: 20 min
• Yield: About 1 cup 1x
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Mixing
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup prepared white horseradish, drained
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar.
2. Stir the ingredients together until they are fully mixed and smooth.
3. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Stir again to combine.
4. Taste the sauce. If you want more heat, add another teaspoon of horseradish. If you want more tang, add a splash more vinegar.
5. Cover the bowl and chill the creamy horseradish sauce in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to blend.

Notes

• For a sauce similar to Ina Garten’s style, you can substitute half of the sour cream with mayonnaise for a richer texture.
• If you are using fresh horseradish root instead of prepared, grate about 1 tablespoon of root and add it slowly, tasting as you go, as fresh root is much stronger.
• This homemade horseradish sauce is the best sauce for prime rib and roast beef.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 85
• Sugar: 2
• Sodium: 110
• Fat: 8
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Unsaturated Fat: 3
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 3
• Fiber: 0
• Protein: 1
• Cholesterol: 25