Can You Freeze Horseradish?

We all associate horseradish with the delicious creamy sauce that is often served alongside a Sunday roast dinner. In fact, horseradish is a root vegetable, similar to ginger and turmeric, and is a very versatile ingredient. But how do you store it properly?

How to Freeze Horseradish

When it comes to freezing horseradish, you have two options. You can either freeze it ready-grated or you can make a horseradish sauce and freeze it in portions. Here are both methods:

1. Grate the Horseradish
   Whilst you can freeze the whole horseradish root, it is best to grate it before freezing so that it is easier to use. Grate the root and separate into individual portions. 
2. Wrap in Foil
   Wrap the horseradish in tin foil, making sure it is tightly sealed. 
3. Place Into an Airtight Container
   Place the little packages of horseradish into a freezer safe airtight container or a freezer safe bag. 
4. Label, Date and Freeze
   Write the name of the food and date of freezing on a label, put onto the bag or container and then place into the freezer for up to 6 months. 

How to Freeze Horseradish Sauce

Given that most of us use horseradish to make the delicious horseradish sauce, you may also want to leave any leftovers and ensure you can have it again the next time it is needed at a meal. 

1. Make Sauce
   Follow your favourite horseradish sauce recipe as normal. Once you’ve made it, allow it to cool to room temperature. 
2. Portion
   Place individual portions into small Tupperware containers with a tight-fitting lid or into the slots of an ice cube tray.
3. Freeze
   Label and freeze for up to 8 months.

Remember, if using an ice cube tray, when the cubes have frozen you can pop them out and into a freezer bag to free up your ice cube tray for freezing other sauces such as pesto.

3 Tips for Freezing Horseradish

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing horseradish to have the best results:

Use Vinegar
When grating your horseradish root, as with many root vegetables, the grated pieces can oxidise and start to go brown if left out in the air for too long.

This would impact their ability to freeze well and freeze fresh. When grating, soak the pieces in vinegar to preserve them. Make sure to drain out any vinegar before freezing. 

Freeze Into Ice Cubes
Another great way of freezing individual portions of grated horseradish is to freeze them in ice cube trays. You can then also just slip these frozen cubes of horseradish into sauces or stews, similar to using stock cubes. 

Use Good-Quality Freezer Bags
The last thing you want is to open your frozen horseradish portions only to find freezer burn and frost buildup. Normal ziplock bags will work, but they will allow more air particles through to your food over time. Consider using silicone freezer bags to ensure zero freezer burn.

How Long Can You Freeze Horseradish?

You can freeze horseradish and horseradish sauce for up to 6 months.

It is worth keeping an eye on how your horseradish is kept as if your horseradish turns a dark colour or becomes mushy, it is most likely no longer good. If this happens, we recommend you throw out the horseradish.

You Can Freeze Horseradish for up to 6 Months

How Do You Defrost Horseradish?

There are no specific thawing or defrosting techniques needed for grated frozen horseradish. You can simply take the frozen packet of horseradish out and start to use it in your favourite horseradish recipe.

For whole horseradishes that have been frozen, you’re going to want to ensure that the horseradish is thoroughly thawed.

To achieve this, you can place the frozen horseradish into very cold water, the colder the better, and over the course of a few hours, the root vegetable will defrost. You may need to change the water a couple of times. 

To defrost horseradish sauce, simply remove the individual portion and leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Once it has thawed, you may want to give it a stir to reincorporate all the ingredients together again and you can then use it as if it were fresh.

Can You Refreeze Horseradish?

It is not recommended to refreeze horseradish.

Any vegetable with a high water content will not take to thawing and refreezing well due to the development of ice crystals which will degrade the cell walls of the vegetable and result in a mushy, undesirable texture. 

Does Horseradish Freeze Well?

When prepared well, horseradish can freeze really well. As long as you keep an eye on how the vegetable is kept in the freezer, then it will last and freeze well for a number of months.

As horseradish is not a frequently used ingredient (and a little goes a long way), this is a great way to prevent food waste and ensure you have fresh horseradish when you need

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing horseradish or horseradish in general, then these may help: