How to Make Horseradish Vodka

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 02/5/23
Peeled and sliced horseradish
Westend61/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Steeping Time: 72 hrs
Total: 72 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 750 ml
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
137 Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 137
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 4mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Horseradish vodka carries a nice dose of that distinctive tingly hot horseradish flavor. The simple steeping technique used here allows you to decide how strong you want the horseradish flavor to be, so taste as it steeps and decide if you want just a hint or eye-watering power.

Use the resulting horseradish vodka in bloody marys or other cocktails that could stand a kick in the pants, or sip it as an ice-cold shot with a snack of high-quality pickles (Pickled Green Beans and Spicy Pickled Garlic are two particularly fine choices). It is also an excellent way to "preserve" fresh horseradish—or at least its robust, addictive flavor from one season to the next.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. There are 2 ways to start: either pour the vodka into a clean, large glass container or empty an inch or two from the bottle it's already in. Note that if you infuse the vodka in its original bottle, you will need to decant it into another bottle when the infusion is complete.

  2. Peel the horseradish and cut it into 6 slices about 1/2-inch thick each. Add the horseradish slices to the vodka.

  3. Seal the bottle or container and let the vodka steep for at least three days and up to one month. Taste it every once and a while; when the strength of the horseradish flavor is as much as you like, either remove the horseradish slices or strain the vodka into a clean container.

  4. You can start using the vodka as soon as you like, but the flavor will mellow and soften with time. Depending on how much you like that "kick" of horseradish, this is either a pleasant or disappointing fact. Store the vodka in the liquor cabinet or the freezer, depending on how you plan to serve it.