Every burger off my grill gets this creamy keto horseradish sauce — 0.8g net carbs per serving. It's thick enough to cling to a hot patty, and the horseradish heat cuts right through the richness of the beef.
I started making this horseradish burger sauce because I got tired of every store-bought version having added sugar. Checked four brands at the grocery store one afternoon, and three of them had corn syrup or cane sugar in the ingredients. So I made my own, and I've been using this exact ratio ever since.
The base is simple: mayo, sour cream, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, garlic, and a splash of hot sauce. But the ratio matters more than the ingredient list. I tested this at 1 tablespoon of horseradish (too mild, you could barely taste it), bumped it to 2 tablespoons (my sweet spot for everyday burgers), and pushed it to 3 tablespoons when I wanted real heat that stands up to a thick patty. Start with 2 and adjust from there.
The reason I use both sour cream and mayo instead of just mayo is texture. Mayo alone makes a thinner sauce that slides off the burger the second you pick it up. Adding sour cream thickens the whole thing so it actually clings to the meat. I've tried the Greek yogurt swap that some recipes suggest, and it works in a pinch, but the tang is different and it doesn't coat the same way.
One thing I didn't do at first that makes a real difference: chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving. Straight out of the bowl, the garlic is sharp and the horseradish hits harder than you'd expect. After 30 minutes in the fridge, everything mellows and blends together. If you're making this for a cookout, mix it up an hour before you fire up the grill.
I mostly use this on burgers (it's incredible on a grilled burger where you'd normally reach for chimichurri), but it works on steak too. I've spooned it over ribeye and even used it as a dipping sauce for beef tenderloin at Christmas. The horseradish and beef pairing is classic for a reason.
If you're building a keto burger sauce rotation, this sits right alongside my Chick-Fil-A sauce, tangy BBQ sauce, and bacon jam. Each one hits a completely different flavor profile, so I rotate depending on what I'm grilling. For a low carb condiment spread, I also keep keto ranch, sugar free ketchup, and avocado mayo in the fridge at all times.
The whole batch comes together in about 3 minutes and keeps in the fridge for a full week. I usually double it if I know I'm grilling twice that week.
I love this creamy horseradish sauce smothered over grilled bunless burgers.
Combine all the recipe ingredients into a small bowl.
2
Whisk it
Whisk together until combined.
3
Apply it
Spread burger sauce on top of grilled burger patty.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
102
Fat
10.3g
Protein
0.3g
Total carbs
1.2g
Net carbs
0.8g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I chill this sauce before serving?
I always chill mine for at least 30 minutes. Straight out of the bowl, the raw garlic is sharp and the horseradish hits harder than you'd expect. After 30 minutes in the fridge, the flavors mellow and blend together. If I'm making it for a cookout, I mix it up about an hour before grilling so it's ready when the burgers come off.
Can I freeze keto horseradish sauce?
I've frozen it and it's fine in a pinch, but the texture changes. The sour cream and mayo separate slightly when they thaw, so you get a grainy consistency instead of that smooth, creamy texture. My recommendation: just make a fresh batch. It takes about 3 minutes and the ingredients keep for weeks in the fridge on their own.
How many carbs are in this horseradish sauce per serving?
I calculated roughly 1g net carb per 2-tablespoon serving when I use my usual ratio. The carbs come mainly from the prepared horseradish and a trace from the mustard. That said, I always check the label on my prepared horseradish because some brands sneak in sugar. I use Gold's, which has no added sugar.
Can I use fresh horseradish root instead of prepared?
I've done it, and it works, but fair warning: fresh horseradish root is significantly more pungent than the jarred stuff. Prepared horseradish is preserved in vinegar, which tames the heat. If you grate fresh root, start with about half the amount I call for and taste as you go. I actually prefer the low carb jarred version here because the vinegar adds a subtle tang that balances the sauce.
What's the difference between using Dijon vs stone ground mustard?
I've made this with both side by side. Dijon gives you a smoother sauce with a sharper, more uniform mustard flavor that blends into the background. Stone ground mustard adds visible seeds and a more textured bite, which I actually prefer on thicker burger patties. Both work, so I use whichever I have open. If you're spooning this over steak, I'd lean Dijon for a cleaner finish.
How spicy is this sauce: will kids eat it?
At 1 tablespoon of horseradish, my kids eat it with zero complaints. That amount gives you flavor without any real kick. At 2 tablespoons (my usual), there's a noticeable warmth that builds but doesn't linger. At 3 tablespoons, it's got real heat. I make a mild batch for the kids and a spicier one for myself when we grill.
Is this sauce dairy-free friendly?
The sour cream is the only dairy ingredient, so you can swap it out. I've tested it with coconut cream and it works, though the flavor is slightly different. Cashew cream is another option I've used. Just skip coconut yogurt because it's too tangy and thin for this particular sauce.
Does this work on steak and prime rib?
I've used it on ribeye, NY strip, and beef tenderloin. It's a natural pairing because horseradish and beef are classic together. For steak, I bump the horseradish to 3 tablespoons so the sauce holds its own against a fattier cut. For prime rib at holidays, I thin it slightly with a teaspoon of the beef drippings, which sounds odd but makes the sauce taste like it belongs on that specific roast.
That’s how it starts, Angela. I haven’t touched a bottle since. Go with 2 tablespoons of horseradish for burgers, the milder amount gets lost against the beef.
Didn’t think I’d get that real horseradish bite back on keto. Months of plain burgers. Found this, made it once, done. The dijon cuts it in a way bottled versions never do.
Thanks Melissa! The dijon is the part people skip, and it’s what keeps this from tasting like mayo with heat stirred into it. I’ve made it with stone ground mustard too, but the dijon slides into the background and lets the horseradish stay sharp. Months of plain burgers sounds rough. Glad that run’s over!
I set this out at a cookout and someone’s husband spent five minutes looking for the label on a bowl I’d mixed from scratch. Prepared horseradish and sour cream together taste like you actually put in effort, not like a five-minute mix. It actually clings to the patty instead of pooling. Barely got any myself.
Connor, someone’s husband hunting for a label for five minutes is the best compliment this one has gotten. The cling is intentional, I kept testing the mayo ratio until it held on the patty instead of running off. Barely getting any is just the tax for bringing the good sauce.
0.8 net carbs for a sauce this thick is what finally pushed me to try making a condiment from scratch. Used exactly what the recipe called for, no modifications. The dijon and garlic pull more weight than I expected. Does the horseradish heat build if you refrigerate it overnight, or does it stay about the same?
Made this right before throwing burgers on the grill last week. My brother grabbed the leftover sauce an hour later and said it tasted more balanced, less sharp. Does horseradish actually mellow into the mayo and sour cream if it sits, or was he just tasting it differently?
Your brother’s not wrong. The vinegar in prepared horseradish settles into the mayo and sour cream as it sits, and the sharp edge comes off. I start to notice it around 30 minutes out.
I’ve made this eight or nine times since last summer, and I finally nailed the version I’ll just keep making. Two full tablespoons of horseradish, no negotiating. The recipe gives a range and I’ve worked through the whole range, and the low end just tastes like mayo with ambitions. Stone ground mustard instead of dijon was the right call: the texture gets thicker and the little seeds add something the sauce was missing. What I can’t get over is how it actually clings to the patty instead of running. Most condiments slide to the bottom of the bun in about 30 seconds flat. This one holds on through the whole burger, which sounds like a small thing until you’ve eaten enough keto burgers that really needed it. My one note at 4 stars: the four-serving yield disappears faster than you think. I double it now before the patties even hit the grill.
Went through a couple other versions before this one and kept getting a sauce that was all heat and no depth. The dijon pulls it together in a way those didn’t. Grilling this weekend and it’s the only sauce I’m putting out.
Horseradish on a burger was not something I was sold on. I’ve used it with prime rib for years but putting it on ground beef just felt off. Made this anyway because the ingredient list was short and I had everything on hand. The dijon is what got me. It rounds out the horseradish into something that actually belongs on a burger, stops it from fighting the meat. Spread it on a thick patty right off the grill and it held on perfectly – didn’t pool or slide. I went back for more before I was halfway through. This is going on every burger I make once grilling season kicks back in.
Yeah the dijon is what makes it work on beef. Horseradish solo would just fight everything on the patty. Prime rib can take that punch, a burger can’t.
My wife refuses horseradish and she scraped the sauce off both her burgers. Something about the dijon and sour cream taming it. Would cut the hot sauce by half next time, but it’s already in the rotation.
