Mashed Parsnips

If you’re a mashed potatoes lover but want to try something new, whip up our mashed parsnips recipe. After all, parsnips cook similarly to potatoes, and many parsnip recipes resemble your fave potato dishes. Just like spuds, you can roast parsnips, pan-fry them, add them to a pot roast and, of course, mash them.

To make a recipe for parsnip mash, first boil the parsnips until soft and then mash them with butter, salt and milk until they reach creamy perfection. Compared to mashed potatoes, a recipe for mashed parsnips will have a slightly sweeter flavor with a hint of anise. They’re a delightful change of pace for dinners at home and holiday spreads.

Mashed Parsnips Ingredients

• Chopped, peeled parsnips: At the store, choose small or medium parsnips that feel firm (not limp). Before cooking them, you don’t technically need to peel parsnips—just as with potatoes or carrots. If you enjoy the extra fiber and texture from skins, simply scrub the parsnips before using them.
• Salt: A healthy pinch of salt will help bring out the savory flavors in this recipe for mashed parsnips.
• Whole milk: You don’t need to use whole milk, but its fat will give your parsnip mash a smoother, creamier consistency. You could even add a few drops of half-and-half for extra creaminess.
• Butter: Butter adds to the creamy, smooth texture of your parsnip mash, and together with salt creates that classic savory, homey flavor in your food.
• Pepper: A bit of black pepper brings out the natural spice of parsnips and balances all the rich, creamy flavors.
• Chives: A final touch of minced fresh chives adds brightness to this recipe for parsnip mash.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the parsnips

Place the parsnips in a stockpot, and add enough water to cover the vegetables. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook the parsnips, uncovered, until they’re tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and return the parsnips to the stockpot.

Editor’s Tip: As when making boiled potatoes or pasta, add a bit of salt to the parsnip cooking water so the parsnips can absorb some of that salt (i.e., flavor) while they boil. This helps create a more flavorful dish in the end.

Step 2: Heat the milk and butter

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until the mixture is just warm and the butter is melted. Set aside until ready to use.

Editor’s Tip: Be mindful here not to boil the milk-butter mixture. You just want the butter melted so it mashes smoothly with the parsnips in the next step.

Step 3: Mash the parsnips

Gently mash the parsnips in the stockpot while gradually adding the milk-butter mixture until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in the pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with chives, and serve.

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Mashed Parsnips Variations

• Go for half potatoes: If you’re not ready to dive headfirst into a mashed parsnips recipe, dip your toes in the water with a mixture of half potatoes and half parsnips. You’ll find the water is just fine.
• Add cheese: Starchy vegetables, fat, salt and cheese—a classic combination for the ages. Add your favorite cheeses in the last step for a savory, gooey dish. Try Parmesan, cheddar, Gruyere, blue cheese or whatever calls to you.
• Sprinkle in some fresh parsley: Parsnips and parsley are a great pairing since they’re part of the same botanical family. To give your recipe for mashed parsnips an herbal lift, either stir chopped fresh parsley into your parsnip mash or use minced parsley as a garnish.
• Make vegan mashed parsnips: Make your parsnip mash recipe plant-based by replacing the whole milk with full-fat nondairy milk, whether it’s your favorite oat milk brand or another kind. And replace the butter with vegan butter, coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
• Use a food processor: If you like your mashes particularly creamy and whipped, mash these parsnips in the food processor instead of by hand. You’ll end up with a much smoother mash.

How to Store Mashed Parsnips

You can store your mashed parsnips in the refrigerator or freezer. Let them cool completely—but don’t leave them out at room temp for longer than two hours before refrigerating them or placing them in freezer containers and storing them in the freezer.

How long do mashed parsnips last?

Your recipe for mashed parsnips will last for three or four days in the refrigerator. In the freezer, they’ll stay fresh for up to three months. To use from frozen, let them thaw completely in the refrigerator.

Reheat your leftover mashed parsnips in the microwave or over gentle heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of cream or milk if needed to make them creamy again.

Mashed Parsnip Tips

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What can you serve with mashed parsnips?

Think of your mashed parsnips like mashed potatoes, and pair them with all the usual homestyle foods or holiday fare. For casual nights at home, pair your mashed parsnips with meat loaf, a lentil loaf, chicken cutlets or tofu cutlets. Or, go for a veggie-packed feast and pair parsnip mash with other hearty plant-forward dishes like herbed pumpkin flatbread, mushroom steak, grilled cauliflower steaks and air-fryer zucchini.

What other vegetables can you mash?

Other root vegetables and tubers mash quite well due to their starchy nature. Carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, winter squash, rutabaga and celery root (celeriac) are all great vegetables to mash down with cream, butter and salt.