Everyone Will Rave About Your Mashed Potatoes If You Mix In This Tangy Condiment From Your Fridge

Even nonchalant home cooks can't help but be moved by a little praise now and then. Mashed potatoes can be a surprisingly tricky way to get it. Even an otherwise perfect batch can still read as basic. Pile in too many upgrades, and you risk overwhelming the potatoes. So subtle enhancements are the spuds' sweet spot. A dollop of horseradish or two adds zing without overdoing it.

Prepared horseradish is a pale, powerful condiment that'll widen your eyes with a single inhale and bring a kick to everything it meets. For some botanical context, it's derived from the mustard-adjacent horseradish root. Prepared horseradish typically combines grated horseradish root with a little salt and a tangy splash of vinegar, retaining a subtly choppy texture. The resulting preparation sometimes is further mixed with things like cream or mayo to make it into a smoother kind of sauce. Either is readily available at most supermarkets and grocery stores. 

Being that potatoes are famously plain on their own, both the prepared and creamy varieties can pack a punch. The less diluted prepared variety will obviously be stronger than the creamy kind. You can also control horseradish's intensity by varying the amount you add to your mash or pairing it with other flavorful add-ins.

You can add horseradish to the mashed potato recipe you already use if it doesn't include anything that would clash, such as wasabi powder or raw garlic. That means you will still include any requisite butter and milk (or suitable alternatives). You don't even need to recalibrate your whole batch to adjust for the dairy in the creamy variety since it has so little. You can also add some roasted garlic to really make those mashed potatoes sing and mellow out the sharp horseradish flavor.

If you're working with a fairly neutral base, about a tablespoon of horseradish per pound of potatoes will begin to imbue the root veggies with a subtle amount of its signature heat. If you're working with the typically less-potent creamy horseradish sauce, you'll need a bit more, perhaps a heaping tablespoon per pound, but in either case, you'll want to taste before adding too much. Be gentle when incorporating your horseradish to prevent overmixing, known to ruin mashed potatoes. You'll want to taste for salt and pepper levels at the same time. A finishing sprinkle of fresh chives or dill would be lovely here too.