Creamy Mashed Root Vegetables

These Creamy Mashed Root Vegetables make for a simple, delicious, and unique side dish to serve with any fall meal.  This root mash is hearty, healthy, and pairs well with just about anything.

Jump to:

• Savory Root Vegetables Mash
• What is a Root Vegetable?
• What Vegetables to Use in Root Mash
• Ingredients in Mashed Root Vegetables
• How to Make Mashed Root Vegetables
• Other Seasonings for Root Vegetable Mash
• More of the Best Holiday Side Dishes
• Making Mashed Potatoes Ahead Of Time
• Can I Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
• Mashed Root Vegetables Recipe

Savory Root Vegetables Mash

Mashed potatoes will, of course, always hold a special place in our hearts.  But there is also something so pleasing about the earthy flavors of root vegetables, which got us thinking that perhaps we could give them a chance to join the party.

This recipe for Mashed Root Vegetables a great alternative to mashed potatoes, It is made just like mashed potatoes, with the addition of other root vegetables and whatever other seasonings you’d like.  We’ve given you our suggestions for the best root vegetables and flavorings to use, but this is by no means an exhaustive list!

If you like your root vegetable mash a little on the chunkier side, simply don’t mash as much.  However, if you like yours extra creamy, we suggest mashing a little further and adding a little extra butter and half and half or cream.  

If you're wondering what to make with these mashed root veggies, be sure to try our Oven Baked BBQ Chicken, Simple Chicken Breast, Honey Mustard Chicken, or some of our favorites such as Turkey, Crockpot Rump Roast, or Kalua Pork.

What is a Root Vegetable?

Root vegetables are the veggies that grow under the soil, rather than on top.  They are some of the more common foods that we grow and consume in the United States.

What Vegetables to Use in Root Mash

Root veggies are hearty, nutritious, and last for quite a while, making them a popular and practical ingredient in all sorts of fall and winter dishes. Here are some of our favorites.

• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Beets
• Turnips
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Rutabaga
• Radishes
• Celery root.

We like to make Mashed Root Vegetables with a mixture of potatoes (red potatoes and sweet potatoes work great) and more pungent root veggies, such as carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips or rutabaga. We have found that a good mix of 50% potatoes and then a mixture of other vegetables is a nice balance.

Ingredients in Mashed Root Vegetables

• Root Vegetables - any combination of potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, beets or celery root.
• Butter - you can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe, or even olive or avocado oil if you want to be a little healthier.  You’ll need some for mashing into the veggies and some for a garnish.
• Half and Half - you can also use milk or heavy cream.
• Salt - we like to use sea salt.
• Parsley - this is an optional garnish.
• Garlic Powder- You can play around with this a little. We like to add about a ½ teaspoon of ground garlic powder for yet another layer of flavor.

How to Make Mashed Root Vegetables

1. Wash and peel the vegetables and cut into 1" cubes. 
2. Place the vegetables in a large pot, add 2 teaspoons of salt and cover with hot water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and no longer stick to a fork when poked.
4. Once cooked, drain the water then return vegetables to the pot.  Add in the butter, half and half and about 1 teaspoon of salt (more or less, to taste) and garlic powder (if desired)
5. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or potato ricer, getting out all of the largest chunks and mashing as chunky or smooth as you like.  (Note: you may also use a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, but just be sure not to overmix or it will get gummy.)
6. Scoop the mashed vegetables into a serving dish and finish with a pat of butter and chopped parsley.  Enjoy!

Other Seasonings for Root Vegetable Mash

We’ve kept things pretty plain-Jane in this recipe, but there are plenty of simple ways to jazz up this side dish.  Try adding any of the following to your Mashed Root Vegetables:

• Garlic (powder or fresh minced)
• Fresh thyme or sage
• Horseradish (drained bottled, or fresh grated)
• Sour cream
• Chopped chives or green onions

More of the Best Holiday Side Dishes

• Oven Brussels Sprouts
• Acorn Squash Soup
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
• Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
• Ham and Cheddar Cheeseball
• Best Stuffing Recipe
• Oven Turkey Breast
• Chocolate Cheesecake

Making Mashed Potatoes Ahead Of Time

For a variety of reasons, you may want to make your mashed potatoes ahead of time.  In order to make sure they taste freshly made here are a few tips.

• Make Ahead- Boil, mix, and mash your potatoes as directed, but don’t add quite all of the butter.  Let them cool to room temp, and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.
• How to reheat- You can di this either in a pot or microwave, reheat slowly, and add a touch more milk and the rest of the butter until they are soft and creamy, just like when you made them.
• Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Mashed Potatoes?

Yes!  The key to making mashed potatoes freeze well is the fat content, so make sure to add plenty of butter and sour cream!  To freeze, just cool them to room temperature and transfer them to freezer bags.  Press them so that they lay flat and freeze for up to 3 months.  

To reheat you have a few options:

• Microwave - transfer the frozen potatoes to a microwave-safe dish and reheat based on your microwave's settings (either half-power, defrost...whatever works best).  Make sure to stop and stir occasionally and add butter as needed.
• Stovetop - transfer to a pot and reheat over low-medium, stirring occasionally and adding extra butter or a touch of milk if needed.  
• Oven - preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put the frozen potatoes in a covered baking dish.  Heat for about 30 minutes, or until warm, and mix in any additional butter that you want.

Here are more of the best mashed potato recipes:

• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Gruyere Mashed Potatoes
• Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
• Holiday Mashed Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes Casserole
• Cheesy Holiday Potatoes
• Best Potato Recipes
• More Holiday Recipes
• All of our Potato Recipes
• More Side Dish Ideas

If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest,  feel free to leave a comment and photo there too.  Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!

This Mashed Root Vegetables side dish is hearty, healthy and pairs well with just about anything.  Any mashed potato lover is sure to enjoy this delicious fall favorite.

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