Keto Mashed Turnips

Fluffy and creamy, these low-carb mashed turnips are a dream come true: the perfect keto alternative to mashed potatoes!

I’ll share some tips that will make the best mashed turnip you ever had!

Instead of bitter and soupy mashed turnips, these keto turnip mash is naturally thick (without adding any flour or starch!) and have a sweet, delicious flavor!

Roasted turnip and garlic mash garnished with dill in a white plate with a serving spoon.

The secret for thick and sweet mashed turnips is boiling the turnips with a little bit of sugar substitute and vinegar, then roasting them until they are golden to remove the excess liquids and give a sweet caramelized taste!

Keto roasted garlic and mashed turnips on a white plate, some garlic cloves on the side.

Ingredients and notes

This creamy and fluffy mashed turnips recipe is very simple with just a few kitchen staple ingredients:

  • Turnips, 6 medium or about 1 1/2 pounds
  • 7-9 cloves of garlic (add more or less to your taste, or leave it out if you’re not a fan)
  • White vinegar (or ACV), 1 tablespoon
  • Sugar substitute, 1 tablespoon
  • Sea salt, 1 plus 1/4 teaspoon
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon
  • Butter, 1 tablespoon
  • White pepper, 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Roasted garlic and turnip mash being served with a spoon.

Turnips and garlic: choose smaller / younger turnips, as they have a blander taste than larger turnips, which tend to grow bitter and fibrous.

Vinegar and sweetener: will help remove the bitterness of the turnips.

Butter: (optionally heavy cream or sour cream) I like grass-fed European butter for the best flavor! It will make a super thick and rich turnip mash. You can also add heavy cream or sour cream to stretch it out a little, making it creamier and less thick.

Spices: I added just salt and white pepper. You can change quantities or add in any other spices you like. Rule of thumb: if it tastes good in mashed potatoes, it will taste good in mashed turnips!

How to make

If you ever made mashed potatoes, you already know how to make mashed turnips! It’s basically the same thing. You’ll just add a couple extra ingredients to make sure to remove the bitterness out of the turnips.

1. Peel the turnips and dice them in small (about 1-inch) chunks.

2. Place chopped turnips in a pot with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of keto sweetener (like erythritol) and 1 teaspoon of salt.

3. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the turnips. Bring it to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes.

4. Drain the boiled turnips and transfer them to a baking pan, together with the garlic cloves.

Step by step collage of roasting turnips and garlic and mashing the with butter.

5. Toss the turnips and garlic with one tablespoon of olive oil, and take into the oven to roast for about 35 minutes or until golden. Stir the turnips at half time to cook evenly.

6. Transfer roasted turnips and garlic to a large bowl, add the butter, white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

7. Mash the turnips with a fork or potato masher if you prefer a rustic / chunky texture (like me!), or puree with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.

Serve hot, topped with salted butter if you like prefer an extra rich flavor.

Roasted turnips and garlic gloves on a baking pan.

Hot tips & FAQ

Are turnips keto?

Yes, turnips are keto-friendly. Turnips have only 6.4 grams of net carbs per 100 grams (3.5 ounces). For comparison, that’s just about a bit over cauliflower, which contains 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Carbs in mashed turnips vs mashed potatoes

Mashed turnips have nearly one-third the amount of carbs per cup than mashed potatoes: there are 6.4 grams of carbs in 3.5 ounces of turnips, versus 17.6 grams of carbs in the same amount of potatoes.

With so much less carbs than potatoes, mashed turnips are a fitting substitute if you are eating keto, low-carb or just trying to reduce your overall carb intake.

Still, turnips are a root vegetable and have more carbs in them than leafy greens, for example, so it’s wise to control your portion size and watch your macros if eating turnips on keto.

Make creamy mashed turnips

Because it’s made with boiled AND roasted turnips, this mashed turnip recipe gets super thick! There’s no need to add any flour or starch to make it less runny, like it’s recommended when mashed potatoes are watery.

You might have the opposite problem, though: maybe you’ll find this turnip mash a bit too dense or dry for your taste.

If that’s the case, you can make this mashed turnips softer ands creamier by adding some heavy cream or sour cream.

Heavy cream will make it sweeter and richer, sour cream will make it lighter. Either way, you might need to adjust the spices, adding more salt or pepper to taste.

Roasted garlic and mashed turnips topped with fresh dill on a plate.

What to serve with mashed turnips

The sweet and buttery flavor of this roasted turnip with garlic mash makes it a perfect accompaniment for heartier meat dishes, like this easy beef roast and pulled pork. Try alongside grilled sausages for an easy bangers and mash meal.

It’s also amazing with gravy dishes, like this pressure cooker pulled beef brisket. Because you just can’t beat this turnip mash topped with gravy. It’s to die for!

Roasted turnip and garlic mash topped with beef brisket gravy with mirepoix pieces.
What’s more comforting than a hot and buttery mash topped with gravy?

Storage and freezing

The LikeHotKeto roasted mashed turnip will keep for about three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

If not planning on finishing up so soon, you can separate it in portions and freeze for up to three months for best flavor.


Roasted turnip and garlic mash in a white plate with a serving spoon.

Keto Mashed Turnips

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

A thick, rich and buttery mashed turnip recipe that's keto friendly, low-carb and gluten-free - without flours or starches!

Ingredients

  • 6 medium turnips (~700 grams or 1 1/2 pounds) peeled and diced
  • 7-9 cloves of garlic, cut in halves
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon keto sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon salt (in water) + 1/4 teaspoon salt (in mash)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Other

  • 1-3 tablespoons heavy/whipping cream or sour cream (to make it creamier/thinner, See notes)
  • Dill, for garnish

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C - 425 °F
    2. Add diced turnips to a pan with 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon keto sweetener (like erythritol) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Fill the pan with water to cover the turnips and bring it to a boil for about 15 minutes.
    3. Drain the turnips of water, and transfer them to a baking pan, together with the garlic cloves. Toss them with one tablespoon of olive oil, and take into the oven to roast for about 35 minutes, or until tender and golden. Stir the turnips at half time, to cook evenly.
    4. Transfer roasted turnips and garlic to a large bowl, add the butter, white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mash the turnips with a fork or potato masher until desired consistency. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Younger/smaller turnips will taste less bitter and less peppery than larger turnips.
  • Smashing the turnips by hand gives a rustic texture (as in photos). If you prefer a smoother consistency, use a food processor.
  • Dice the turnips into small, bite sized pieces for them to cook faster. Larger pieces will take longer to cook.
  • The mash is quite thick, if you prefer it creamier thin it out by adding heavy cream or sour cream. Add one to 3 tablespoons, mixing between each addition until you find the right texture.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 8gNet Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3.4gSugar: 4.5gProtein: 1.7g

Nutrition information is provided as a guideline only. Different brands of ingredients may have different nutrition facts. If tracking macros, remake the calculations using the nutrition facts from the labels of the ingredients you selected. Net carbs calculated exclude carbs from insoluble fiber and sugar alcohols.

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2 Comments

  1. This was really the best mash I’ve had (on keto), you were not kidding! Way better than cauliflower. Almost as good as potato, so thank you for the recipe!

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