Mashed Parsnips

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A simple, comforting side made with sweet parsnips and warm milk for a light, creamy texture. Perfect with holiday turkey, weeknight salmon, or slow-simmered beef stew.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Total Time28

Servings: servings

Author: Shareba Abdul

Equipment

Immersion Blender optional

Ingredients

1 lb parsnips
2 cloves garlic
1 cup milk
⅛ cup salted butter
salt to taste
grated nutmeg to taste
parsley finely sliced for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Peel and chop parsnips into ½ inch pieces. Also peel and smash your garlic cloves.
Add parsnips, garlic, milk and a pinch of salt to the saucepan.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cook uncovered until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add butter and mash with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender to make the mixture smoother.
Add salt and nutmeg to taste. Add a tiny bit more warm milk or butter if the mash seems too thick.
Garnish as desired and serve warm.

Notes

Milk choice: Use whole milk (3.25%) for a richer mash or 2% for something lighter. The immersion blender creates creaminess, so heavy cream isn't needed. If you would prefer to use heavy cream, substitute half the milk with the cream.
Texture: Immersion blender = smooth and creamy. Potato masher = chunkier and rustic. A food processor also works.
Flavour pairings: Sage and nutmeg with turkey. Thyme with fish. Parsley with beef.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stove with a splash of milk, stirring occasionally.

Optional Garnish: Fried Parsnips

To make a nice crunchy topping for your mashed parsnips, fry up strips of the same vegetable. Here's how:

Peel 1 parsnip.
Use a julienne peeler to make thin strips of raw parsnip. If you don't have a julienne peeler, use a regular peeler to make wide strips, and cut them into thin strips with a knife.
Fry in hot vegetable oil (350°F) until golden brown. This only takes about 3 minutes, so keep an eye on them!
Drain on a paper towel and enjoy.

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