Mashed turnips and potatoes is a great vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving or every day. Add more flavor to your potato mash with healthy turnips. They add and interesting spicy note along with comfortable garlic and butter flavors!
So why do you need to try this recipe? I always bake a lot of veggies every weekend for a week. However, we sometimes run out of vegetables at the end of the week. So to prepare more vegetables easily, I boil and mash them with milk and butter.
This recipe makes 2 generous portions of mashed turnips and potatoes. We all are used to sweet potato recipes like this easy 3 ingredients soup. 
But turnips deserve their place on our table, too! Next time you plan to mash potatoes, add healthy yellow turnips as well!
Different varieties of turnips
By the way, yellow turnips add such an appetizing orange color to your mash! There are 5 most popular types of turnips.
- I used Golden Ball turnips that are available in farmer’s market. These have bright orange sweet flesh. These are also called Orange Jelly.
- There are also Amber Globe Turnips – these are round veggies with yellow skin and sweet yellow flesh.
- However, you can also use the common Purple Top turnips – round veggies with white skin and flesh, purple top. These round veggies have milder taste.
- Two other types of turnips are White Globe and Baby Banch turnips. White Globe, as the name suggests, are completely white. The inside is sweet and mild. Baby Bunch turnips as you can imagine have a small size with white flesh.
- To be honest there are about 100 varieties of turnips around the world. For example Asian turnips or Market Express are best enjoyed raw in salad, because they are sweet. American variety – Scarlet Queen is deep red outside and crunchy white inside, perfect for salads, too.
- Also you may heard of Rutabaga (American) or Swedes (European) that is well known in UK and Europe. Rutabaga is a hybrid of cabbage and turnip. It also has a yellow flesh and is great for the mash!
Turnips are related to mustard, radishes and cabbage.
Interesting fact. Rutabaga or Swedes are called “Kalrot” in Sweden, which means cabbage root.
Benefits of turnips
Turnips are in season from October to March. So about benefits of turnips. There are plenty of them! Here is the list of health benefits that should assure you need to include mashed turnips in your everyday meals:
- Loads of vitamins K, which provide anti-inflammatory effect
- Vitamin C, E and beta carotene – great antioxidants for preventing different diseases
- High in fiber and low in calories. A cup of cooked turnips has 3 grams of fiber and 36 calories.
- Rich in potassium, which helps in lowering blood pressure. Good source of calcium, great for bone health
- Great for weight loss, and curing some kidney illnesses and lack of hunger
- And so much more, including skin health, eye health and anti-aging properties!
Check also our Brussels sprouts with bacon to find out health benefits of sprouts.
Choosing and Storing turnips
Choose turnips that are firm and have no grey dots. If they are sold with stems, they should be green and not dull.
It is better to store fresh roots in the fridge for up to 2 months. If you don’t know how long they’ve been waiting for you in the supermarket (especially if they are not in the fridge section), better use them within a week.
By the way, you can use turnip greens for the salads or steamed! Use freshly chopped greens within couple days for the better taste. They are very rich in calcium, however rather bitter mustard taste.
Turnips are actually one of the first well-known veggies used in European and Russian cultures. There are even some folk tails about it that every Russian knows (at least one about The Giant Turnip). However, now it is almost forgotten after introduction of potatoes in Europe.
Turnips and rutabaga are also great in salads, soups and roasting with other veggies like carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Potato and turnip mash is also great, topped with sour cream.
What’s great, turnips is a great healthy vegetable that costs pennies!
If you are in search for an easy potato recipes, try adding turnips to your mash. Also we have a great Colcannon recipe, an Irish style potato mash. Also check our Sweet potato fries.
How to make mashed turnips an potatoes
This is such an easy recipe that you should include to your Thanksgiving menu or every day. First wash and peel your veggies. Cut off the ends of the turnips. Cut turnips in smaller pieces than potatoes, as they tend to cook slower. Put peeled and diced veggies to a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring it to the boil on a high heat, then on a medium-low heat cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your veggies.
Check if the vegetables are ready with a fork or knife. If it goes easily in the center of turnips and potatoes, turn off the heat. Leave the water for the soups, cook vegetables on a low heat for a minute until liquid evaporates.
Finally mash potatoes and turnips with masher or fork, add butter and milk and spices. Mash until it is as smooth as you want. Don’t forget to taste and add more spices to your taste! Enjoy as a side dish. We enjoyed turnip and potato mash for lunch with bread. You can also add sour cream to your mash to make it creamier.
Hope you found something new in this post that you hadn’t known about turnips! If you like it, share with your friend on one of your social networks.
Do you include baked or mashed turnips in your everyday meals? Are you interested in more recipes with turnips? Leave a comment below, we’d love to know!
Mashed Turnips and Potatoes
- vegetable peeler and knife
- cutting board
- small pot
- Masher or fork
- 270 g potatoes 1 big potato
- 350 g turnips or rutabagas 1-2 medium or 1 big
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk of your choice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder or minced cloves
- 1 tsp dill powder or fresh, chopped
- 1/2 tsp marjoram optional
- fresh parsley for decoration optional
- First wash and peel your veggies. Cut off the ends of the turnips.350 g turnips or rutabagas, 270 g potatoes
- Cut turnips in smaller pieces than potatoes, as they tend to cook slower. Cut potatoes.
- Add turnip and potato to a small pot and cover with cold water until the top of vegetables
- Bring it to the boil on a high heat, then on a medium-low heat cook for 15-20 minutes.*
- Pour out the water (or leave it aside for the soups). Cook vegetables in the same pot without water on a low heat for a minute until remained liquid evaporates.
- Finally remove from heat mash potatoes and turnips with masher or fork, add butter and milk.** Mash until it is smooth as you want.1 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk
- Add salt, pepper, marjoram, dill and garlic. Mix together and serve with parsley.1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dill powder, 1/2 tsp marjoram, fresh parsley for decoration
I grew up on turnips and potato mash. Love it! My mom also made a delicious turnip potato soup that we all enjoy on family visits.
Thanks for your input, Marge. I love the memories that recipe brings! Turnips are often forgotten, but they are just healthy and delicious vegetables that everyone should try.
I haven’t had turnips in ages and my grandma used to mash them as well.
Our grandmas had much more turnips every day. Unfortunately this vegetable is not so popular nowadays.
Great idea to incorporate turnips into your mashed potatoes — adds so much more nutrition. Also — I never thought to add dried spices. Genius.
Thanks! I always have dried spices by hand, so I can include them in my dishes, when I don’t have fresh. Also dried spices have more concentrated flavor.
I have never mixed turps and potatoes together and this really sounds like a great combo. I’m definitely making this very soon!
That is one of the easiest side dishes to include in your menu!
I have never had turnips they sure looks great not sure why I have never tried them you gave me a reason too!
Turnips are in season now, maybe check in farmers markets for the best quality.
I love trying new vegetables and realized that I’ve never had an actual turnip – only rutabagas! This is going on my must-try list asap!
That is a healthy veggie to include in your list!
This is a great twist on regular mashed potatoes for the holidays!
Absolutely! Great for every day, too