Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream Sauce
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Take your corned beef and cabbage to a whole new level by swapping the traditional boiling method for oven roasting—it’s a total game changer!
A beloved St. Patrick’s Day tradition, corned beef and cabbage is a cherished Irish-American dish, typically featuring corned beef—a brisket cured with salt and spices—and assorted vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. While traditionally these components are boiled together in a big pot, I’ve found that slow-roasting the meat and vegetables separately yields a far more delicious outcome. My personal twist? Adding a horseradish-spiked butter sauce to the vegetables before roasting—it makes all the difference!
No corned beef and cabbage meal would be complete without a creamy horseradish cream sauce. Its cool, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor beautifully complements the rich, salty taste of the beef. To round off this traditional Irish-American meal, serve the corned beef and cabbage with my cheddar soda bread.
Table of Contents
“My goodness this corned beef and cabbage with horseradish cream sauce is definitely taking it up a notch! I will never boil corned beef again!”
What You’ll Need To Make Corned Beef & Cabbage
For the Corned Beef and Vegetables
- Corned Beef with Seasoning Packet: Named for the large “corns” or grains of salt used for curing, corned beef has a distinctive salty and savory flavor. Opt for a flat-cut brisket for even cooking and slicing. To ensure juiciness, do not trim the fat before cooking; it’s best to remove it after. Most corned beef packages come with a seasoning packet—essential for adding flavor with spices like peppercorns, bay leaves, and mustard seeds. If missing, refer to FAQs for a homemade substitute.
- Butter: The base of the roasting mixture, butter adds richness while assisting in the browning and caramelization of the vegetables in the oven.
- Prepared Horseradish: Combined with butter, this condiment adds a sharp, tangy flavor to the roasted vegetables. This spicy condiment is made from grated horseradish root mixed with vinegar and salt, and can typically be found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.
- Carrots, Small Gold Potatoes, and Green Cabbage: Roasted together in the butter and horseradish mixture, these vegetables contribute variety of textures and flavors. The carrots introduce sweetness and color; the potatoes, a creamy texture; and the cabbage, a crunchy and slightly bitter balance.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Sour Cream: Forms the creamy base of the sauce, offering a rich texture and a slight tanginess.
- Prepared Horseradish: Provides the sauce’s signature spicy, pungent flavor. Start with a recommended amount and adjust according to taste for more of a kick.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds depth and a mild heat, enhancing the complexity of the sauce while meshing well with the horseradish.
- White Wine Vinegar: Introduces a bright acidity, balancing the creaminess of the sour cream and the spiciness of the horseradish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by rinsing the meat under cold running water. This will rid the meat of some of the saltiness. Place the corned beef fat side up in a large roasting pan.
Pour about 1/8 inch water around the corned beef. Sprinkle the contents of the seasoning packet into the water around the meat. Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and roast on the middle rack for 3 hours.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the melted butter, horseradish, salt, and pepper.
Mix well.
Place the carrots, potatoes and cabbage side by side on a rimmed baking sheet (do not line the pan with foil; the potatoes will stick). Drizzle the horseradish-butter mixture over the veggies.
Toss with a spatula to coat all of the vegetables evenly, keeping the vegetables separate. Turn the potatoes so that they are cut side down (they’ll get much crispier that way).
After the corned beef has roasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes, place the pan of vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven. Roast the vegetables and continue cooking the corned beef for 1 hour and 30 minutes more, until both the meat and vegetables are tender. Check on the veggies occasionally to be sure they are browning evenly.
Remove the meat from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, until cool enough to handle.
Cut off the layer of fat on top of the corned beef and discard. Slice the meat against, or perpendicular to, the grain into 1/4-inch slices.
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, and season to taste.
Arrange the meat and roasted vegetables on a platter and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with the horseradish cream sauce on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can create your own seasoning mix for the corned beef. Combine equal parts of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and allspice berries to make about one teaspoon in total. I would also include a bay leaf for added flavor. Feel free to adjust the mix based on the spices you have available.
The corned beef can be roasted up to 3 days ahead of time and reheated. However, for best results, roast the vegetables just before serving to maintain their crispiness. The horseradish cream sauce can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Take your corned beef and cabbage to a whole new level by swapping the traditional boiling method for oven roasting—it’s a total game changer!
Ingredients
For the Corned Beef and Vegetables
- 1 (4-lb) flat-cut corned beef with seasoning packet (do not trim the fat)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 medium carrots, cut into 2-in chunks
- 1¼ lb small gold potatoes (about 2.5" in diameter), halved
- 1 very small green cabbage, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick slices (see note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 325°F. Set one oven rack in the middle position and another in the bottom position.
- Rinse the corned beef several times under running cold water. (No need to dry it.)
- Place the corned beef fat side up in a large roasting pan (you'll trim the fat after the meat is cooked). Pour about ⅛ inch water around the meat. Sprinkle the contents of the seasoning packet into the water around the corned beef. Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and roast on the middle rack for 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, horseradish, salt and pepper.
- Place the carrots, potatoes and cabbage side by side on a rimmed baking sheet (do not line the pan with foil; the potatoes will stick). Drizzle the horseradish-butter mixture over the veggies and toss with a spatula to coat all of the vegetables evenly, keeping the vegetables separate. Turn the potatoes so that they are cut side down (they'll get crispier that way).
- After the corned beef has roasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes, place the pan of vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven. Roast the vegetables and continue cooking the corned beef for 1 hour and 30 minutes more, until both the meat and vegetables are tender. Check on the veggies occasionally to be sure they are browning evenly. (The cabbage will brown first, so give it a toss when the bottom pieces look golden. The potatoes and carrots may need to be turned, but only if they are nicely browned on the bottom before the cook time is up.)
- Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Cut off the layer of fat on top of the corned beef and discard. Slice the meat against (or perpendicular to) the grain into ¼-inch slices. Arrange the meat on a platter with the roasted vegetables and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with the horseradish cream sauce.
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more horseradish to taste, if desired.
- Note: You won't use the whole head of cabbage; just use enough to cover ⅓ of the sheet pan.
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the horseradish cream sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 577
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 2813 mg
- Cholesterol: 138 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I have searched…where am I missing the amounts of Anything but the 1/8 inch of water and just the Picture of 1/2 stick butter???
Hi Michele, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Five stars! We won’t wait until next March to make this again, and in fact the sheet pan of veggies with the horseradish and butter will probably accompany some other meat dishes. Baked your Irish soda bread muffins to accompany this meal, and discovered I was out of caraway seeds. I used a slightly smaller amount of anise seed. Even then, we loved the muffins and I will buy caraway seeds! Jenn, I have no idea what I used to cook before discovering your recipes five or six years ago. Wish I’d had your recipes when my kids were growing up… but they would never have left home.
Ha!!
Used this recipe for my St Patrick’s Day meal. The cabbage is absolutely delicious, and the horseradish cream sauce was the perfect accompaniment. The horseradish butter gave the potatoes a wonderful flavor. I wish I had made more of everything. Next year I’ll buy a larger piece of meat and more of veggies, so we can enjoy leftovers on a couple days. As usual, great recipe, Jenn.
This was the Irish dinner I was craving this year to a T! Turned out absolutely perfect, thank you so so much!
Not Irish and never really cared for boiled corned beef and cabbage but made your “roasted” version tonight. It was delicious. You had me at horseradish!! That sauce was to die for. You make me look like a really good cook. Thank you, Jenn. By the way. Do you have a recipe for a jicima salad to serve with your enchiladas and other Mexican recipes?
Hi Lori, so glad you enjoyed the corned beef! As of now, I don’t have a recipe for jicama salad; I’ll have to add that to my list of recipes to potentially develop! I do have a number of Mexican-inspired sides that you may want to consider serving alongside the enchiladas. You can scroll through all my Tex-Mex recipes here to see the sides. Hope you find options that work for you!
I have never liked corned beef, but this was amazing! I will never make corned beef any other way. Thank you!!!!!
Made this for this years St. Patricks Day! It was delicious, however, having cooked corned beef for a long time, I expected there to be a fair amount of fat while the brisket was roasting. Half way thru the cooking process, we drained off at least an inch of fat from the baking dish. Other than that, the recipe was perfect and everyone loved it.
I wouldn’t and didn’t change a thing. What a delicious recipe! I made it today as a late St Patrick’s Day feast. The horseradish sour cream sauce put it right over the top. I’ve never liked the boiled version of this recipe. Yours is definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing.
I made this for St Patrick’s Day this year. It is by far the BEST corned beef recipe I have ever made. I followed the recipe to a T! the vegetables were delish and the corned beef was to die for. Moist tender and fall apart heaven. I will only be making corned beef using this recipe from now on!
I won’t be making corned beef any other way again! Even my DH, who in the past has always turned his nose up at corned beef, gave it the ultimate compliment when he told me it was one of the best d— sandwiches I’ve ever made (second one in as many days). And after 32 years of marriage, I’m not going to turn down a compliment like that – thanks Jenn!
Made it, and me and my husband loved it. So tasty. Thank you so much.
This was a great way to cook corned beef. And I loved how the vegetables cooked in the oven too. Very convenient. My whole family enjoyed this meal for St Patrick’s Day. Thank you!
Okay so my beef doesnt have a seasoning packet what am I using?
Hi Megan, You can make your own flavor packet by combining mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and allspice berries – you’ll need about a teaspoon total. I’d also add a bay leaf. Use any combination depending on what you have in your spice cabinet. Hope that helps!
I will be making this tonight & have a question – can I use the top of the roasting pan instead of foil or does the foil provide a better seal resulting is a more moist roasted corned beef. Thanks for the clarification.
Hi Heather, The top should be fine. Enjoy!
I am Irish through and through! All four of my grandparents emigrated from Ireland to America over a hundred years ago. Suffice it to say I grew up having corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes every March 17th. The ingredients were all tossed into a huge pan of water and boiled until any/all nutrients and flavor were sucked out. Never did like it but felt compelled to make it every year on St. Patrick’s Day. I introduced my husband to boiled corned beef, etc. but he never liked it either . . . until I made this recipe exactly as written yesterday! Husband declared it ‘the best’! Thank you Jenn! Thinking I’ll find an Irish ‘saint’ to celebrate at least once a month (perhaps more) just so I can make this again and again and again!!
I tried this the other night and it was perfect. I used way too much cabbage though so the sauce on the veggies was a bit light but it still turned out pretty great! Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely be trying out the others.
For years I boiled corned beef dinner, this is the easiest and tastiest recipe. Thanks Jenn
Hi Jenn, this is the second year that I used your wonderful corned beef & cabbage recipe, and the second year that I had great results. The only thing that made it better this time, was that it was shared with friends. Looking forward to making hash with the small amount of leftover meat & potatoes. Thanks for this keeper!!! ☘☘☘ Mary
Making this now—just a question…I just realized it has been in the oven 2 hours before I realized I forgot to cover it, so I’m wondering if I’ve ruined this 4 lb hunk of beef.
Hi Rebecca, I’m probably too late to reply. Did it turn out okay?
Hi Jenn,
I have made NE boiled dinners for years, but decided to try your baked recipe yesterday and it was fab! The meat was tender, and the veggies cooked perfectly at 325 degrees. The only change I made was using olive oil on the veggies, not butter, and omitted the horseradish. I will definitely do this again. Thanks, Jan
Is there a reason not to brown the brisket before cooking, as you suggest in other recipes?
Hi Alex, It’s just not necessary/typical with corned beef.
Jen made the corned beef and vegetables exactly as the recipe stated. Loved it all. The only problem I had was they I didn’t have enough room in my oven for everything I had to make. Do you think I could make the corned beef in a slow cooker and if so how long would it take. Also should I do it on high, medium or low?
Hi Joann, so glad you liked the meal! Yes, you could make the corned beef in a slow cooker but you definitely won’t get the same result as if you roasted it. Regarding timing and heat level, I don’t have a lot of wisdom to share because I don’t have experience with a slow cooker, but these tips may help you convert the recipe. Hope you find them useful!
I made this recipe and it was really delicious. I have always boiled my corned beef but now I will use the oven method. Less muss, less fuss and tasty, moist, tender corned beef. The vegetables were excellent and the horseradish cream sauce was a winner and could be used with so many other dishes.
This was absolutely delicious. I made it exactly as written (except used russets bc that’s what I had). Best corned beef and vegetables ever. I quit making corned beef and vegetables several years ago bc I was taught to boil everything and serve with mustard. It always came out bland and boring with everything boiled, yuck. Having the vegetables roasted and drizzled with the horsey butter sauce….so tasty. And then the horseradish cream served with it really elevated the taste. Thank you for this version for St Patrick’s Day. It’s a keeper for my family.
Absolutely delicious! Best corned beef I’ve ever made. I used Guinness beer and water for the liquid in the dutch oven. The butter and horseradish seasoned the veggies perfectly and complemented the meat so well. Love how flavorful and crisp the veggies turned out.
Goodbye boring, dull and tasteless boiled veggies….Thank you once again
My first year with this recipe, this is an easy but amazing meal. I got two different types of corned beef (one cheap and one flat cut – more expensive) and roasted both. Everything turned out so delicious and tender, I mixed beer and water together in the roasting pan and used red potatoes. This dinner was also so inexpensive (under $25 for everything) and could feed at least 8. Horseradish is a must. Everyone raved over it, thank you!
My husband made this today for St. Patty’s Day and it was delicious! The corned beef was my favorite. I have to admit that the veggies were a tab bit dry, but it could be a preference thing. Taste was wonderful.
Best corned beef ever! I left off the cream sauce and subbed olive oil for the butter on the veggies. I also used Guiness instead of water in the meat. This is seriously some of the best corned beef and veggies I’ve ever had and it was all so easy to make.
Fantastic recipe! I have always traditionally boiled my corned beef and cabbage but wanted to try something different…this recipe has forever changed the way I cook corned beef and cabbage! Absolutely delicious! The creamy horseradish sauce recipe is a great starting point, I added an additional tablespoon of prepared horseradish and it was just about perfect for those who enjoy the heat. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is now a staple recipe in my recipe book.
Low and slow in the oven is my favorite way to prepare corned beef. I added a brown sugar and Dijon mustard glaze to the beef for the last 30 minutes. I loved the horseradish butter on the cabbage. It’s different and delicious. I used dill on the carrots and made mashed potatoes.
Hi Jenn – I made this for your St. Patrick’s dinner tonight – WOW. Wonderful flavors, and both the horseradish butter and horseradish cream sauce were fantastic! I added more horseradish to the cream sauce for our taste – it truly did take everything to the next level plus. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe – we will repeat the one! Lee Mc
This was absolutely the best corned beef and cabbage I’ve ever made. The recipe was super easy and the best part is there was no messy stove top to clean up afterwards. The corned beef was tender and the cabbage, potatoes and carrots were so tasty. Instead of making the horseradish mixture from scratch, I simply added already prepared horseradish sauce to the melted butter to drizzle on the vegetables. Highly recommend this recipe.
Oh my goodness! Saint Patrick’s Day dinner will never be the same again. I will never boil it again, roasting is definitely the way to go. The horseradish sauce and butter really made the recipe stand out. This recipe was so delicious!
Great recipe! The best version of corned beef and cabbage ever!!! I converted my husband , who has hated my annual corned beef and cabbage St. Patrick’s Day food tradition to an avid fan!!! He even asked if I would make it more often…and this is from an accomplished cook. Many thanks!
Love the recipe (especially the horseradish cream sauce) but, wow, the corned beef was so salty it was almost inedible, even though I rinsed it many times. Must’ve been the brand. Will definitely make again, but with a better corned beef. Thanks!
For years my husband would not eat corned beef until I made it from your recipe. Our whole family has made this recipe for the last couple years. I purchase a noncured corned beef and vegetables from Trader Joes. Excellent! Thank you.
Best Jigs dinner I have ever had!
I was concerned that my daughter would not like the horseradish flavor on the cabbage and veggies, but it was excellent. She even had an extra helping of veggies and ate all the cabbage on her plate. I was Pleasantly surprised. The sour cream horseradish sauce was a delicious addition to the meat as well as on the potatoes.
Loved the recipe and will make again.
Made this tonight, it was delish! Best tasting cornbeef and veggies! All your recipes are amazing.
What brand of corned beef do you typically use? Thanks.
I don’t use one specific brand. I just buy whatever my store happens to have when I’m there. 🙂
I didn’t do the horseradish sauce as I am the only one who would eat it! I did butter, s&p, and a secret spice blend! The corned beef was so juicy! I will never go back to the old way!
MY wife has made excellent. New England boiled dinners for 50 years and now she made this terrible “improvement”. The corned beef was okay but the cabbage and potatoes ruined the corned beef. Please don’t try to improve Thanksgiving.
oops. I left out beef. I was so excited to send a comment!
😂 Glad you enjoyed it!
That was the best corned I’ve ever eaten!
I bought two smaller pieces of corned beef (1.7 lbs each). Can I roast them for less time – approx 2 hours instead of 3?
Hi Sarah, I’ve used this method for corned beef ranging in size from 2 to 4 pounds with no issues – the cook time will likely be the same. Enjoy!
My beef is just over 2 lbs. Should I still cook for 3 hrs?
Yes — I’ve used this method for corned beef briskets ranging in size from 2 to 4 pounds with no issues. Enjoy!
How long should I bake my 4.67 lb corned beef?
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, I’d estimate that it will take close to 4 hours in the oven. Hope you enjoy!
My corned beef is 2.8 pounds. How long should I cook it based on that weight?
Hi Elena, You can just stick to the timing in the recipe. Enjoy!
Can you tell me how long to cook a 7.5 pound corned beef?
Hi Ann, I’d guesstimate that it will need 5 to 6 hours in the oven.
Hi Jenn,
I am making this right now and have a corned beef that is 2.92lbs. I was wondering if I should reduce the cooking time to 2 hrs instead of 3 and is it all right to line the pan for the vegetables with parchment paper. Thank you!
Maryellen
Hi Maryellen, No need to reduce the cooking time for that size corned beef and it’s fine to line the pan with parchment. Enjoy!
Can I use a point cut beef for this recipe?
Hi Letha, I prefer the flat cut as it’s leaner, but the point cut will still work. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
This is the best Corned Beef and Cabbage I have ever had in my life. I am excited about making this for my second year.
This was absolutely delicious! I will never make it any other way.
Thank you for being so creative with everyday meals.