Looking for a low carb alternative to mashed potatoes? One that’s better than potatoes?? No it’s not cauliflower…Hello Creamy Dreamy Mashed Turnips!
Mashed potatoes are one of those comfort food staples that just seem to compliment so many of our favorite meals. The Cowboy is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so if he can’t have mashed potatoes with his fried backstrap, meatloaf or roasted chicken, he’d rather just not eat it at all! A little juvenile? Possibly. But there are foods that we all have grown up with that have these comforting and familiar associations…and they just aren’t the same when we separate them!
So, when we decided to cut back on starches and sugar to try to get some health issues under control, we knew we had to come up with a worthy alternative to mashed potatoes. I had tried cauliflower mash in the past, and while the whole family loves cauliflower, it just wasn’t something that we liked as an alternative to mashed potatoes. It was just to sulfury and cauliflower-y.
Creamy Dreamy Mashed Turnips are the picture perfect alternative to mashed potatoes! Packed full of flavor, creamy and velvety they are sure not to disappoint. Honestly, I don’t miss the potatoes one bit. I’m completely serious….I cannot stop eating them. They have so much more flavor and character than boring ole’ mashed potatoes and they are healthy to boot! Actually, after the second time we ate them I declared that I preferred them over traditional potatoes and we haven’t gone back! Maddie loves them and they definitely have the Cowboys stamp of approval!
If you aren’t familiar with turnips, they are the root end of turnip greens, often cooked in the South. They look similar to a big white radish but often have some purple or pink on them, although their flesh inside is completely white. You can eat the small ones raw just like a radish. The Cowboys’ Granny loves eating them right out of the garden and she always goes on and on about how sweet they are!
Turnips also have less than a quarter of the carbs of potato to they are a great choice for people who live a low carb lifestyle. They’re also a great source of Vitamin C and a good source of potassium and vitamin B6!
Just remember that the smaller the turnips, the more mild the flavor. For mashed turnips, pick the smallest ones you can find. The first time we tried this we grabbed 4 huge turnips from the grocery store and they were just too bitter for my taste. The turnips you choose should be no bigger than a baseball. The flavor mellows out as they cook and they are sweet, earthy and incredibly satisfying!
Next time you have a hankerin’ for mashed potatoes or need a delicious side for your smothered steak give these mashed turnips a try. You may just forget all about those boring potatoes! Also, great for the holidays as an alternative to traditional mashed potatoes!
Creamy. Dreamy Mashed Turnips
Ingredients
- 5 medium turnips about baseball sized, peeled & diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener optional
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped Green Onion or Chive for Garnish
Instructions
- Add the turnips to a large stock pot of cold water (about 6 cups), add 2 teaspoons of salt to and sweetener (if using) to the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until soft and tender, about 20 minutes.Drain turnips well in colander and return to pot. Let sit for a minute or 2 so some of the excess moisture evaporates.
- Add the cream cheese, butter and cream and mash until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender. I like mine a little chunky! Enjoy!!
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are approximate and will vary depending on the ingredients used. Carbs from sugar alcohols have been excluded since they have shown to have no impact on blood sugar.
Hello,
This recipe lists monk fruit sweetener in the ingredients list, however I do not see anywhere in the instructions where the sweetener should be added. Please advise. Thank you for your time and have a beautiful day:)
Sorry about that! The sweetener is used in the water when boiling the turnips to help tame some of the bitterness if the turnips are larger. If they are smaller and mild there is no need to use it. I have added this note to the recipe as well as marked the sweetener optional. I very rarely have to use it but sometimes you can get a turnip that is just really bitter! Hope this helps! Have a great Thanksgiving!
OMG these were fabulous! I’m so happy I found your site!! We made ours loaded with bacon and cheese we were so pleased at the outcome! You have made my low carb journey so much easier because potatoes are my big downfall! I can live without pasta but bread is my next demon to conquer! Lol Thank You!!
Thanks Denise! I have really learned to love turnips! They have so much more flavor than potatoes! I bet the we’re delish with cheese and bacon!! So glad you enjoyed them! Happy New Year!