These mashed carrots and turnips make a great side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner! Or as a low carb alternative to mashed potatoes any time of the year!
Mashed carrots and turnips make a great, healthy side dish for any meal. But we tend to make this recipe for turkey dinner. So usually at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
But we definitely enjoy it with other meals too. We had it with these Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs last week and it was delicious.
This side dish is so easy to make, tastes great, is a great low carb alternative to mashed potatoes, and even freezes well.
If you’ve never tried this side dish, you need to try it this year! It’s delicious!
Can you freeze mashed carrots and turnips?
Yes, you can freeze this side dish. It freezes very well.
Let them cool completely and then freeze them in an airtight container or a ziplock bag (laid flat to freeze), for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the fridge, or on low heat in the microwave.
Reheat the mashed carrots and turnips on low heat in the microwave.
Why are my mashed turnips watery?
Mashed carrots and turnips are always watery because the vegetables have a lot of water in them. This is fine, you can simply stir the liquid in again when it separates out.
If you prefer them to be a bit thicker, you can put them in a fine mesh strainer to drain for a bit after cooking and mashing them. Don’t press on the mashed vegetables, just let them sit for a few minutes, or stir them around a little bit in the strainer and this will get rid of some of the excess liquid.
You can then put them back into a bowl, and whip them with the butter and brown sugar. This will make for a thicker consistency than if you whip them immediately.
How long will cooked carrots and turnips last in the fridge?
This carrot and turnip mash will last in the fridge for 4-5 days when kept in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
How to make Mashed Carrots and Turnips:
- You can cook the carrots and turnips in the Instant Pot, or on the stovetop, for this recipe.
- If you can’t find any turnips, rutabagas are a good substitute.
- Leftovers can be frozen, or reheated on low heat in the microwave.
Here are some more great side dishes for you:
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
- Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Carrots and Turnips
These mashed carrots and turnips make a great side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner! The perfect low carb alternative to mashed potatoes!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Carrots, Peeled and sliced, about 4 1/2 cups
- 1 pound Turnips (Or rutabagas) peeled and cubed, about 3 cups
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Ground Black Pepper, To taste
Instructions
For the Instant Pot:
- Place the carrots and turnips in the insert of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water.
- Put the lid on and turn it to the locking position. Make sure the vent is in the sealing position. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and then will start counting down the cook time.
- When the pressure cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
- Drain the vegetables thoroughly. If you want the final mixture to be a bit thicker, mash them a little bit and then let them sit in a fine mesh strainer for about 5 minutes to drain some of the excess liquid.
- Move the vegetables back to the insert of the Instant Pot, or into a large bowl, and add the brown sugar, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Mash the vegetables with a potato masher, and then whip them with an electric mixer until they're nice and fluffy.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.
For the Stovetop:
- Place the carrots and turnips in a large stockpot and cover them with water.
- Bring the water to a boil and boil for 40-45 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.
- Drain the vegetables thoroughly. If you want the final mixture to be a bit thicker, mash them a little bit and then let them sit in a fine mesh strainer for about 5 minutes to drain some of the excess liquid.
- Move the vegetables back to the pot, or into a large bowl, and add the brown sugar, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Mash the vegetables with a potato masher, and then whip them with an electric mixer until they're nice and fluffy.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 6gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.
I’ve also shared this mashed carrots and turnips recipe over on Food Fanatic.
Jenni
Thursday 23rd of November 2023
Even my picky eater kids ate these thinking they were sweet potatoes as I said nothing 😉
Sharon Forte
Tuesday 26th of November 2019
I make this every year and my husband who would never try turnip, does like this. Love this recipe.
GingerB
Friday 23rd of November 2018
OMG THANK YOU!!! My mother in law has been making this every year for Thanksgiving since I met her 30yrs ago but she just puts little of this and that.. I've tried to make it but could never replicate it cuz I wasn't sure exactly how much of each to put in. This came out exactly like I wanted. I am Thrilled to now have this recipe so I can make it for my kids on Thanksgiving! Thank You Thank You Thank You!
Stacey
Monday 26th of November 2018
Thank you for this comment - just made my day! I'm so glad you liked it!
Danielle
Thursday 26th of October 2017
Has anyone tried to freeze this
ROSE
Tuesday 4th of October 2022
@Danielle, yes,it freezes very well. my family loves this dish and we eat it with all sorts of dishes. It's a nice quick veg to pull out of the freezer.
Kathy
Monday 6th of May 2019
These have been a staple in our family for over 50 years!
I make a big batch every time, let them cool down, and freeze serving size portions and I actually microwave them and add a little more butter and they are perfect! Just like I made them fresh! I use freezer bags in the quart size, put about a cup and a half in the bag, lay the bag flat to get any air out as the carrots/turnip mash works it’s way to the ziplock. I date them and freeze them stacked flat.