Horseradish mashed potatoes are so creamy and tangy, I think they have big steak house energy, which makes them such an upgrade from regular mashed potatoes! I love to serve them with steak on date night, but this recipe is also a welcome way to jazz up your holiday side dish game! Thanksgiving turkey is a terrific partner for these creamy, zippy mashed potatoes with a kick!
I first fell for creamy, horseradish everything when I developed our prime rib recipe, which is finished with creamy horseradish sauce. The unique spicy-heat of horseradish was SO good with rich cream. I could literally eat the horseradish cream sauce with a spoon, and I started spooning it over whatever potatoes I happened to be serving on the side. My favorite combo was creamy mashed potatoes with horseradish, and so I built this recipe out of that delicious marriage of flavors.
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Ingredients + Swaps
- Russet potatoes: I like russets best for soaking up all the rich cream, milk and butter. I think they make for fluffier mashed potatoes, too. However, if you just love Yukon Golds, you could use them instead. The results will just be slightly different in texture.
- Horseradish: In the recipe, I call for “prepared horseradish,” which just means jarred horseradish that you can usually find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
- Heavy cream and milk: Use whole milk and real cream here for the best results.
- Sour cream: I LOVE the tangy flavor sour cream adds, I think it’s the perfect pair for the heat of horseradish. However, for a less tangy result, try using crème fraîche instead.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter and season the mashed potatoes with salt to taste.
- Seasonings: Salt and garlic powder. I leave out pepper because the horseradish adds enough of a kick!
How To Make Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes. Salting the water is key for the best flavor!
- Warm the butter, cream, milk, and seasonings.
- Rice the potatoes directly into the warmed cream mixture.
- Stir in the horseradish, sour cream and chives.
Make Ahead Instructions
Mashed potatoes are always best served warm and fresh. However on holidays like Thanksgiving you’ve got to work ahead if you can. Mashed potatoes are a side dish that definitely can be made ahead and kept warm. The way I usually do it is prep and cook the mashed potatoes midday on Thanksgiving day, and keep them warm over a double-boiler until it’s time to eat dinner. I often cover the bowl with foil to trap the heat, too.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze leftover mashed potatoes for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, and then warm the mashed potatoes on the stovetop (adding a splash of milk if needed), in the oven (top with grated Parmesan for a crispy crust), or (if you must) in the microwave.
Tips For Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Cut the potatoes to be the same size, so they’re done cooking at the same time.
- Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes! If you’re making mashed potatoes, it is worth the small investment. The payoff is the fluffiest, smoothest texture. Other mashing methods really don’t compare.
Horseradish Mashed Potato Variations
- If you want to use fresh horseradish instead of jarred, it’s fine to do that. Peel the horseradish and grate it with a microplane. I would begin by adding a bit less fresh horseradish than the recipe calls for, and increasing to taste.
- Add cheese! Try grated Parmesan or a bit of shredded cheddar.
- Pull inspiration from roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and use roasted garlic in place of the garlic powder for a mashed potato recipe that’s got it all!
- Finish these with fried shallots, or even garlic butter oyster mushrooms to double down on the steak house vibe.
More Creamy Mashed Potato Recipes
Thanksgiving Side Dishes & More
For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Substack, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!
