Horseradish is a white-colored condiment made from the white root of the horseradish plant, which is a cousin of broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts, and is related to mustard and wasabi.
The leaves are edible, too.
The root is harvested to be used as an ingredient in cooking and the offset is replanted the next year.
The horseradish root may be consumed fresh, dried, in powder form or as an ingredient in condiments such as mustard or mayonnaise, which in turn adds bite to them.
Horseradish sauce can simply be grated with horseradish in vinegar, or it can be a creamy version.
Best Substitute for Horseradish
Let’s get straight to it. Here are 5 options you can use to replace horseradish.
Wasabi Paste
Wasabi is a spice historically developed by the cabbage family from a vine. As a spice, its root is used and has a very good taste. The root is crushed and used as a condiment in the paste. Its warmth is more like spicy mustard than chili pepper or horseradish, since it irritates the nose more than the tongue.
-how much to use
When using it in your cooking, use caution. Wasabi packs a punch, so check the amount to taste and, if needed, increase it.
Health warning: If you are allergic to horseradish, wasabi root or paste should be avoided.
Brown Mustard
A higher concentration of brown mustard seeds is found in brown mustard, giving it a darker brown color and a spicier taste. In Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisines, it’s also used. In the same family as arugula, horseradish and wasabi, it comes from a flowering plant, which is why brown mustard has an incredibly pungent smell.
-how much to use
Use equal amounts when you substitute brown mustard for horseradish.
Fresh Ginger
The gnarled bumpy root of the Zingiber official ginger plant, which belongs to the same family as turmeric and cardamom, is Ginger. It was domesticated in the Southeast Asian islands and came from the spice trade to the West. Though there are many ginger root varieties, light brown skin and yellow flesh are the most common. New, roasted, pickled, frozen, crystallized (or candied), and powdered / ground, ginger is available in six types. In both sweet and savory cooking applications, it is readily used.
-how much to use
In order to obtain more spice, you will need more ginger than horseradish; but if too much is used, the flavor of the dish could start to taste bad. Using conservative quantities of ginger and acknowledging that the spice will be lower than the original recipe is your best choice.
Black Radish
You may not be familiar with black radish. Really, at your last farmer’s market visit, you might have overlooked them.
They vary in that their skin is (obviously) black from typical spring radishes, which are pink or purple. They’re often larger in diameter, varying from 3 to 4 inches, than conventional ones. Their taste is also more strong, and their texture is a little tougher.
-how much to use
When substituting black radish for horseradish, use equivalent amounts.
Spicy Hot Mustard
If you can’t get ahold of some brown mustard, a spicy hot mustard could also be used as an alternative for horseradish.
Depending on the consistency of the horseradish being substituted, choose a form of spicy mustard. Go for a creamier mustard if the recipe calls for horseradish sauce. Using a stone-ground mustard if you’re substituting horseradish for ground. You may want to use ground spicy brown mustard seeds if you need freshly grated horseradish.
-how much to use
Same as brown mustard, go according to taste.
What Does Horseradish Taste Like
It just takes a tablespoon to bring tears to your eyes. Flavor-wise, grated horseradish is spicy. But the reaction is limited to a few seconds, unlike spicy peppers, so you will be back to normal in no time. This makes horseradish almost addictive because, for such a brief period of time, it is so intense.
In the world of spices, horseradish is special because it’s not spicy before you cut it. Its volatile compounds (called isothiocyanates) are released only when they are exposed to oxygen, producing the “fire” that you have come to know and enjoy for sinus-clearing. Vinegar prevents this reaction while also stabilizing the taste, so the addition of vinegar is needed for most preserved horseradish recipes.
What are the Benefits of Horseradish?
Before you go skipping horseradish, let’s take a look at some of the positive benefits of horseradish. Of course, if you’re allergic, don’t consume horseradish.
Helps Fight Cancer
Glucosinolates have been found to activate cancer-fighting enzymes in horseradish, and this can prove beneficial for cancer-fighting patients. What is more fascinating is that these glucosinolates actually protect plants against harmful conditions in the plant world. Currently, 10 times more glucosinolates than broccoli are present in horseradish.
Other preliminary studies indicate how horseradish in the case of colon cancer can cause cell death. All this further accentuates the likelihood of using glucosinolates as a possible treatment for cancer.
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Antioxidant Powerhouse
There are many phytocompounds in Horseradish root, forms of antioxidants that are extremely beneficial to human health. Some other antioxidants are antimutagenic in horseradish, which means that they can protect the body from mutagens that would otherwise cause serious harm.
There is research that also demonstrates how horseradish can minimize oxidative stress-induced DNA damage.
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Can help treat urinary tract infections
In certain cases, the antibiotic properties of horseradish can help treat urinary tract infections better than traditional therapy. In this aspect, another reason horseradish works well is sinigrin, the compound we initially spoke about. Sinigrin is an important diuretic and prevents water accumulation, which helps to cope with infections of the urinary tract.
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Enhances Digestion
Some enzymes in the root can improve digestion and support bowel movements. Horseradish root is also known as a cholagogue, i.e. it stimulates the production of bile in the gallbladder and thus helps digestion.
And digestion can also be enhanced by the little fiber in the root.
Some reports still suggest horseradish against digestive disorders, however. It is safest, therefore, to consult your doctor.
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Fights Inflammation
One Italian study notes that horseradish can help combat inflammation by reducing the release of reactive oxygen species. This is accomplished by reducing reactive oxygen species (8). The use of horseradish to help avoid inflammation has been suggested by many sections of Chinese medicine, whether in the case of injury or even for relief from arthritis pains.
We need further studies on this, however.
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horseradish substitute bloody mary
The Japanese root wasabi, which is in the same Brassicaceae family, is another alternative to substitute horseradish. However, you can use it just the same as you would horseradish if you can get your hands on some wasabi root.
horseradish substitute for prime rib
Even if fresh horseradish root is not in your grocery store, it almost always carries horseradish sauce. These differ quite a bit, but the basic idea is that you get a liquid bottle that is flavored with a very strong taste of horseradish. Instead of grinding your own horse radish, there is nothing wrong with using pre-made sauce! Be prepared to use a little more sauce to make up for the lack of kick, if the recipe calls for the fresh stuff. On the other hand, several recipes simply ask you to use sauce to begin with, meaning if you use “absolute” horseradish, you’ll end up with just too much kick.
horseradish substitute for passover
Substitute for bitter herbs: romaine lettuce
On the seder plate, the bitter herb is typically crude, chopped horseradish root. The bitter herb is used to reflect slavery’s bitterness.
In grocery stores, however, raw horseradish can be hard to find. Instead, many families use Romaine lettuce, which is often known as the leafy green that tastes the most bitter.
horseradish sauce without horseradish
Try this sauce when looking for a horseradish sauce without horseradish:
Bottom Line
If you need a substitute for horseradish, you should find several options at your local supermarket. They all work well with wasabi, brown mustard, fresh ginger, black radish and hot spicy mustard. Although these choices taste identical, some of them look very different. When determining which ingredient is the best for your recipe, keep this in mind.
Do you have a substitute ingredient for horseradish that gets used? In the comments below make some suggestions. Thanks!
