Arby’s Horsey Sauce Copycat Recipe

This Arby’s horsey sauce copycat comes together in about 5 minutes with ingredients you almost certainly have on hand. If you love that creamy, tangy, horseradish-forward sauce from the drive-through, this version gets you there without leaving the house.

It’s great on roast beef sandwiches, obviously, but once you have a jar of it in the fridge you’ll find yourself reaching for it on burgers, wraps, and cold cuts too.

Why I Love This Recipe

The balance here is what keeps me making it. There’s enough horseradish to feel like something, but the mayo rounds off the sharp edge so it doesn’t knock you back.

It takes one bowl and a spoon. No blender, no special equipment, and the whole thing is ready faster than a drive-through line.

Recipe Ingredients

• 3 tbsp prepared horseradish – The bottled kind, not horseradish cream. Drain off any excess liquid before measuring.
• ½ cup mayonnaise – Full-fat gives the best body. Duke’s or Hellmann’s both work well.
• 1 tsp white sugar – Balances the heat and tang without making it sweet.
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar – Adds a clean acidic note that lifts the whole sauce.
• ¼ tsp garlic powder – Background depth, not a forward garlic flavor.
• ¼ tsp onion powder – Works alongside the garlic powder; don’t skip both.
• ¼ tsp salt – Start here, taste, then adjust.
• ¼ tsp black pepper – Freshly ground if you have it.

Variations / Substitutions

• Extra horseradish – Bump it up to 4 tbsp for a sharper, more nose-clearing heat.
• Apple cider vinegar – Swap for white wine vinegar if that’s what’s in your pantry; the flavor is slightly fruitier but still works.
• Greek yogurt – Replace up to half the mayonnaise with full-fat Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter version.
• No sugar – Leave it out entirely for a more savory, aggressive sauce; the sweetness is subtle but you will notice its absence.
• Vegan mayo – Works as a straight swap and the result is nearly identical.

If you enjoy making copycat condiments at home, Arby’s Bronco Berry Sauce Copycat Recipe is worth trying next.

How To Make Horsey Sauce

Step 1: Whisk the Sauce Base

Add the ½ cup mayonnaise to a small bowl, then spoon in the 3 tbsp prepared horseradish. Whisk them together for about 30 seconds until the mixture looks uniform and a little pale.

Check that the horseradish is well distributed. You should not see any white streaks of plain mayo left in the bowl.

Step 2: Season and Taste

Add the 1 tsp white sugar, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir everything together for about 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce looks cohesive.

Taste it now. The horseradish heat will be forward at this point, but give it a few minutes and the flavors will settle. If it tastes flat, add a small pinch more salt. If you want more bite, stir in a little extra horseradish in ¼ tsp increments.

Step 3: Spoon Into a Jar and Serve

Transfer the finished sauce to a small jar or serving bowl. Give it one last stir, then spoon it onto your sandwich or set it out as a dipping sauce.

Recipe Tips

• Use prepared horseradish, not horseradish cream. Horseradish cream already contains mayo and sugar, so the ratios will be off. The plain bottled kind is what you want.
• Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving if you have time. The flavors tighten up and the heat mellows slightly, bringing the sauce closer to what you get from a restaurant packet.
• Store it in a sealed jar with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. Horseradish oxidizes and can turn the sauce slightly grey on top if exposed to air. The color change is harmless, but pressing out the air keeps it looking fresh.
• This scales up easily. Double or triple the batch and it keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge.

Scale it to your batch size:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Keep in a sealed jar or airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Press a small piece of plastic wrap onto the surface before sealing to limit air exposure.
• Serve Cold – This sauce is meant to be served cold or at room temperature straight from the fridge. No reheating needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this sauce ahead of time?

Yes. It actually tastes better after sitting for at least an hour, so making it the day before is a good idea.

Why does my sauce taste too sharp right after mixing?

Horseradish is most intense the moment it’s disturbed. Give the sauce 15 to 20 minutes to rest and the bite softens noticeably.

Can I freeze horsey sauce?

No. Mayo-based sauces break when frozen and the texture turns grainy and watery once thawed.

How close is this to the real Arby’s version?

Pretty close. The original uses a processed mayo base with a few stabilizers you won’t find at home, so the texture is slightly lighter, but the flavor profile, creamy, tangy, and horseradish-forward, is very similar.

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Horsey Sauce Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Method

 

1. Add the ½ cup mayonnaise and 3 tbsp prepared horseradish to a small bowl. Whisk together for about 30 seconds until uniform.
2. Add the 1 tsp white sugar, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir for about 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust salt or horseradish.
3. Transfer to a jar or serving bowl and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

The sauce tastes sharper right after mixing than it will after resting, so if you have 15 minutes to spare before serving, let it sit at room temperature. Use plain prepared horseradish, not horseradish cream, or the texture and sweetness levels will be off. All quantities are easy to double or triple for a larger batch.