Root Vegetable Mash

4.92 from 23 votes

Change it up a bit with this yummy root vegetable mash. Same creamy, fluffiness as mashed potatoes, but made with your favorite root veggies, including potatoes. Beautiful colors and extra nutrients.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Total Time28

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Servings (change as needed):

Author: Cheryl Avrich

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds root vegetables, Note 1
3 tablespoon butter (or 4 for extra richness)
1/4 cup milk or cream (plus extra if needed)
salt and black pepper to taste

Optional add-ins or garnish

2 green onions chopped adds great flavor
2 - 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs e.g. thyme, oregano, parsley, chives, dill

Instructions

CUT ROOT VEGETABLES into roughly the same size pieces - about 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5-3.8 cm). If using carrots, slice them thinner as they take longer to cook.
BOIL VEGETABLES: Place vegetables in a medium to large pot. Add enough cool water to cover veggies by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add 2-3 tsp salt. Bring to boil. Lower to medium heat and gently boil for 15-18 minutes or until soft and easily pierced with a fork. Drain in a colander and return vegetables to pot.
MASH: On medium heat, shake cooked vegetables to dry them out for 1 minute. Add optional spinach, parmesan and/or green onions (if using) as well as butter and milk/cream. Mash vegetables with a potato masher or fork to get the consistency you like. I like them chunky, but if your prefer a smooth texture, you can use an electric hand mixer. Do not use a food processor or immersion blender to mash veggies. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to large bowl and serve with herb garnish if you like.

Notes

Mixture of root vegetables - Use two or more – white potatoes (I like yellow or Yukon gold potatoes best), sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga (swede), celery root (celeriac). You can also use pumpkin or butternut squash which are not root vegetables, but good.
Portions: Figure about 1/2 – 3/4 cup (125-250g) root vegetable mash per person. You will need about 1 pound (0.45kg) root vegetables to make 2 cups mash or 3-4 servings.
Variations
- Lower calorie version: Reduce the butter and eliminate the cream or milk (or replace it with low fat Greek yogurt or broth)
- Dairy-free version: Substitute the butter with olive oil and the cream with broth.
Make Ahead:
- To keep the mashed vegetables warm:
  1. Make them an hour ahead and keep them in the pot on a warming ring, covered, on your stove (if you have one) for an hour.
  2. Or put the bowl of mash, covered, over a pot of simmering water.
- Leftover root vegetables mash will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days (3 if you stretch it). Warm in the microwave with a little extra milk, broth or cream or in the oven, covered, at 350F/175F for 20 minutes or until hot.
- Freezes well for several months.

Nutrition Values are estimates and include the optional spinach and green onions.