Horseradish is a pungent root that is a common condiment on its own. It is also used to make the horseradish sauce that is often served with roast beef. However, horseradish, while commanding a relatively strong liking by many, does not quite rank as a kitchen or pantry staple ingredient. It seems that there has been more households that are interested in this ingredient over the years. Horseradish is normally used for salads, cocktail sauce, potato salad, sandwiches, dressings, and margaritas to name a few. Not only does it provide a cleansing and refreshing taste, horseradish is strong and pungent, and it also stimulates your appetite with its spicy and addictive taste. Due to the increase in demand for horseradish in can become quite hard to find it in your regular supermarkets. It is not uncommon to run out of horseradish in your home but there are some alternatives you can use in place of horseradish. Some of the alternative ingredients that you can use in place of horseradish are described below.
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Mustard
One of the best alternatives for horseradish includes mustard. Mustard is an excellent substitute for horseradish especially if you are looking for an ingredient that is close to horseradish whether in terms of taste or colour. If you have mustard seeds you can use them in place of horseradish by coarsely grounding them to bring out their flavour. Also, mustard makes a great substitute to horseradish because it has a similar pungency as its counterpart. In addition, mustard also packs in the heat with its peppery flavour profile, In fact, it belongs to the same family as horseradish and wasabi and gets its heat from the same compound. Keep in mind that for a successful recipe you must use a type of mustard that is similar to what your dish calls for. The meals that require horseradish sauce should use a creamy dijon mustard instead. That way you can mirror the consistency of the meal you want to recreate.
Mustard is also a relative of the cabbage and the radish and these two have a similar flavour as well, though to different degrees. Mustard’s flavour comes from the seeds of the plant, not from the root like horseradish or the rhizome like wasabi. It is also important to note that not all mustards are equally hot, the brown variety is one of the spicier examples and as such it is the best substitute for horseradish. Its colour is a yellowish brown that is not too far off from the colour of prepared horseradish, which makes it an excellent substitute both visually and in terms of its flavour.
Wasabi Root
Another excellent alternative for horseradish is wasabi root. Horseradish is also often used as a substitute for wasabi, which is also known as a Japanese horseradish. The two ingredients come from similar plants. The wasabi root that you find in most grocery stores consists mainly of horseradish with some green food colouring added, so it makes a great stand-in if the colour is not an issue. On the downside, other than the fact that it is green, wasabi is somewhat milder than horseradish. This means that you may need to use a little more than your recipe requires for a horseradish alternative plus it may be a little more expensive to purchase than horseradish. To use wasabi root in place of horseradish use a 1 to 5 ratio for the amount of wasabi that your recipe requires for horseradish when using it as a horseradish substitute.
Wasabi root can make an great horseradish substitute although it may be expensive. On the upside, wasabi root can be great for those that do not like hot food since it is milder. You can use wasabi root in almost any dish that requires horseradish because, both wasabi root and horseradish come from the same Brassicaceae family, which also helps to explain their similarities. Because wasabi bears such close similarities to horseradish it is commonly used to create a fake green wasabi paste served in lower-end restaurants and sushi places. Overall, it is one of the closest substitutes to horseradish, although the two have similar tastes, wasabi root has a slight and mild sweetness to it, alongside some floral notes in addition to it being milder than horseradish.
Wasabi Paste
Also on our list of substitutes for horseradish is the wasabi paste. In the event that your search for Japanese wasabi root leads nowhere, there is always an option to make use of wasabi paste since it is much easier to find compared to wasabi root. As much as it may not be the real thing, but wasabi paste makes for a great substitute for horseradish. Keep in mind that wasabi paste is concentrated, so you should use small amounts and work your way up from there when adding it to your meals. You can use wasabi paste in any meal that requires horseradish because it is just as similar and effective as wasabi root.
Fresh Ginger
Another decent alternative on our list of best alternatives for horseradish is fresh ginger. If you do not want to sacrifice the texture of your dish, consider using ginger. It is a more accessible and also a sustainable option you can rely on. Its fibres are similar to those of horseradish, making it a suitable substitute. While it has some heat, its flavour profile is a cross between earthy, lemony, and peppery. As such, it is not nearly as numbing or shocking as horseradish. So, when using ginger as a substitute, you may need to use more than the recipe may call for.
Horseradish Sauce
Horseradish sauce can also be a good alternative for horseradish. If you prefer to cook from scratch, then this option can make a good substitute that may work for you. The horseradish sauce that comes in a bottle from the grocery store can be a great affordable option for you. However, do not expect to generate the same flavour from a packaged product although it can be just as effective.