These Horseradish Mashed Potatoes are the most delicious combination of creamy and tangy. It pairs perfectly with steak or as a side dish for the holidays!
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Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes have to be one of the best side dishes for dinner in general and adding in horseradish really only makes them better. It’s the perfect pairing for steak or just as a side dish if you’re someone who loves the spice horseradish brings.
The combination of sour cream and horseradish pairs together to bring a great tang to the potatoes. It helps cut through the richness of the butter and milk, making this one potato recipe that’s hard to stop at just one serving. And it only takes a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have.
It takes the need for a horseradish sauce away even cutting back on the work you need to do to recreate a steak dinner at home! Pair it with this Cast Iron Filet Mignon to really make an awesome meal.
If you’re building out the full steakhouse spread, these are just as at home next to a Sous Vide Filet Mignon and a spoonful of rich, savory Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms piled on top.
Want something green on the plate? Crispy, garlicky Air Fryer Broccoli is ready in about 10 minutes. For a holiday table, these sweet and buttery Honey Braised Carrots or golden Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots balance out that tangy horseradish kick perfectly.
Note from the Author
2026 Update: When I first shared this recipe back in 2022, it was a simple version with just the basics. I’ve since updated it with more tips so you’ll have everything you need to make the creamiest, most flavorful potatoes at home.
Step by Step Instructions
Check out the recipe card below for more in-depth instructions for these mashed potatoes with horseradish:
- Boil: Put your cut potatoes into a large pot with salt, if desired, and cover with cold water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes, then drain them. Starting in cold water helps the outsides and centers cook at the same pace, so you don’t end up with mushy edges and a hard middle.
- Dry: Use the same pot and add the potatoes back into it. Lower the heat and start slowly mashing the potatoes to get rid of some of the steam they’re holding on to. That’ll help make sure the texture is creamy instead of soupy!
- Mash: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter. Keep hand mashing until the butter melts.
- Finish: Add the room temperature milk and sour cream, then stir in 3 tablespoons of prepared horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Stir until it reaches your desired texture, then taste and add more horseradish if you want a bigger kick. Garnish with freshly chopped chives.
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Serve as a side for this Slow Cooker Rump Roast and you’ll have the perfect meal!
Recipe Testing Notes and Tips
As a recipe developer with a degree in food science, I create approachable recipes you can trust. Here are a few takeaways:
- Russets are the gold standard: Russet potatoes absorb all the flavors you add to them and still stay creamy, light, and fluffy. Yukon Gold potatoes are a good alternative if you have those on hand.
- Skip the waxy potatoes: Waxier potatoes like red skin potatoes might not end up as creamy as you hope since they’re less starchy. I heartily believe that Red Skin Mashed Potatoes have their place, though!
- Prepared vs. creamy horseradish: Prepared horseradish gives you the best kick, but if you already have creamy horseradish sauce on hand, that’ll work too. You may want to use more since it’s diluted a bit.
- Unsalted butter gives you control: I prefer starting with unsalted butter so you can build up the salt yourself through the cooking water and as you go, but salted butter works great as well.
- The food science bit: Horseradish gets its heat from compounds that are released when the root is grated, and those compounds fade with heat. That’s why the horseradish goes in off the heat at the very end. Add it while the pot is still on the burner and some of that sinus-clearing kick disappears.
Ingredient Substitution
Russet potatoes are usually the best kind of potatoes that absorb all the flavors that you add to them while still staying creamy, light and fluffy, but Yukon Gold potatoes are a good alternative if you have those on hand.
Waxier potatoes like red skin potatoes might not end up as creamy as you hope since they are less starchy. I heartily believe that Red Skin Mashed Potatoes have their place though!
Prepared horseradish will give you the best kick, but if you already have creamy horseradish sauce on hand, that’ll work too! You may want to increase the amount since it’s diluted a bit.
I prefer using unsalted butter as a starting point to be able to build up the salt content on your own through the water and adding salt throughout, but salted butter will work great as well.
Tip
After draining, put the potatoes back in the pot over low heat and stir them with a fork or spatula until most of the steam is gone.
That extra water is what makes mashed potatoes soupy and bland, and dry potatoes soak up the butter, sour cream, and horseradish much better. It only takes a minute or two, and it makes each bite richer and fluffier.
Variations
- Roasted garlic: Mash in a head of roasted garlic for a sweet, mellow flavor that goes really well with the horseradish.
- Loaded: Fold in crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and sliced green onions for a steakhouse-style side.
- Chive and herb: Stir in fresh chives and a little dill or parsley for a fresh, herby finish.
Recipe FAQs
Mashed potatoes are an easy win when it comes to prepping sides ahead of time, especially for Thanksgiving. It’s a dish that holds up well to reheating after it’s already made.
You can make the entire dish and just reheat in a pot when it’s time to eat. You may want to add a little more milk or sour cream if it’s thickened up a bit.
I think there’s two camps of mashed potato lovers: The hand mashed fans and the ultra creamy fans.
For the hand mashed fans, you can just use a spatula or potato masher to keep some of the chunks of potatoes.
For the ultra creamy fans, you can also just use a potato masher and a lot of dedication, or whip out your hand mixer to blend the potatoes until all of the potato chunks are gone.
Warm them in a small saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk or heavy cream, stirring often. You can also microwave them in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between. Taste before serving, since the horseradish mellows as it sits and you may want to add a little more.
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
These Horseradish Mashed Potatoes are the most delicious combination of creamy and tangy. It pairs perfectly with steak or as a side dish for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ pounds (about 4 large) russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Freshly chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Put the peeled and cut potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to medium-high until potatoes are fork tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Use a colander to drain the potatoes and put potatoes back into the pot.
- Put the pot back on low heat and use a fork or spatula to stir the potatoes around until most of the steam is gone.
- Remove from heat. Add butter and continue to hand mash until butter is melted. Add in milk and sour cream and mix in until well combined. Add in prepared horseradish, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Use a potato masher if the potatoes aren't fully mashed. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Notes
- Yukon Gold potatoes are a great option if you don't want to use Russet potatoes.
- Creamy horseradish sauce is a good alternative for prepared horseradish. You may want to increase the amount to equal the same amount of spice!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 314mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
Nutrition provided is only an estimate.
