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These creamy and flavorful Mashed Turnips mixed with Brussels sprouts and bacon redefine nutritious comfort food. The turnips are exceptionally buttery, irresistibly tasty, and wonderfully simple to prepare.
A savory casserole of mashed turnips mixed with sauteed Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon. It’s a perfectly delicious yet nutritious, low-carb Thanksgiving side dish!
Why We Love Mashed Turnips
- Exciting Variation: This recipe is a nice change from the usual, adding a unique and tasty alternative to the holiday menu that might just outshine the classic potato dishes.
- Flavorful: These mashed turnips are extra creamy and buttery, enriched with heavy cream and butter, making them a deliciously rich side dish.
- Perfect for the Holidays: Ideal for Thanksgiving, they provide a warm, comforting, and slightly less starchy option.
What Are Turnips?
Turnips are a root veggie, similar to potatoes, carrots, and rutabagas. While larger and older turnips may have a slightly bitter taste, younger and smaller turnips have a pleasant flavor that resembles fresh cabbage. Small turnips are mild and go very well with other flavors like butter, garlic, and bacon.
Ingredients
- Butter: You’ll need 2-1/2 tablespoons of butter, divided.
- Onion: Finely chop one small yellow onion, or substitute a white onion.
- Fresh Garlic: Press or mince three cloves of garlic.
- Brussels Sprouts: This recipe uses two cups of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts.
- Turnips: You’ll need 2 ½ pounds of turnips, rinsed, peeled, and quartered.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: While you can try substituting half-and-half or milk, using heavy cream here really adds richness and texture to the overall dish.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste.
- Bacon: I use about six slices of bacon, cooked to a crisp.
How To Make Mashed Turnips
- Fry the bacon. Then, remove crispy bacon from skillet; do not discard bacon grease.
- Sauté. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet. Add onions, and cook for 2 minutes. Next, stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Finally, add the Brussels sprouts and continue to cook for 4 minutes, or until tender.
- Cook the Turnips. In the meantime, put the turnips in a stockpot and cover them with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until very tender.
- Warm the Cream. Place the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper in a microwavable bowl or cup; cook on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter is melted and mixture is hot.
- Mash. Drain the turnips thoroughly and return to the pot. Mash with a potato masher, adding the cream mixture, until combined and fluffy. Then fold in the Brussels sprouts mixture and half of the bacon.
- Bake. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy! Top the finished casserole with the reserved bacon crumbles, and serve.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Peel the Turnips: The skin of turnips can be tough, which might affect the texture of your dish. Peeling ensures a smoother, creamier consistency in the mashed turnips.
- Choose the Right Turnips: For best results, choose smooth, unblemished turnips that are no larger than a tennis ball. Larger turnips may be tough or bitter.
- Get Creative: You can dial back the heavy cream and substitute cream cheese, yogurt, extra butter, or whatever you’d like! Try adding some additional toppings like chopped chives, thinly sliced scallions, or freshly chopped parsley for color and flavor.
- Prepping Sprouts: To prep the Brussels sprouts correctly, first remove them from the stem (if the sprouts are sold on the stem). Then wash well in several changes of water. Then, peel away any blemished outer leaves. Finally, slice them into thin shreds.
- To Make Ahead: Simply make the turnip mixture, omitting the bacon, up to 24 hours ahead. On the day of, stir half of the bacon into the turnips, and proceed with baking!
Serving Suggestions
These mashed turnips go with everything, from my Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Glazed Ham, this Prime Rib, or Instant Pot Turkey Breast to these gorgeous Maple Glazed Carrots and Orange and Pecans Sweet Potato Casserole.
Storage
- To refrigerate. Simply cover the casserole tightly, or store in airtight containers. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat. Place leftovers in an ovenproof dish and bake, covered, at 350˚F until heated through.
More Low Carb Side Dishes
- Keto Sausage and Cauliflower Rice Stuffing
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Instant Pot Creamy Brussel Sprouts
- Creamy Spaghetti Squash
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Mashed Turnips
This creamy casserole of Mashed Turnips mixed with sauteed Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon is a delicious yet nutritious, low-carb side dish!
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds turnips,, rinsed, peeled, and quartered
- 2½ tablespoons butter,, divided
- 4 to 5 slices bacon,, diced
- 1 small yellow onion,, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 cups thinly shaved Brussel sprouts
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the quartered turnips in a large saucepan or stockpot; cover with water and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set the stockpot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; continue to cook at a steady boil for 10 minutes or until very tender.
- Drain the turnips, then return them to the stockpot and set them aside.
- In the meantime, cook the diced bacon in a skillet set over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the skillet; do not discard the bacon grease. Set the bacon aside.
- Set the skillet back over medium-high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to melt. Add onions to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until just starting to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
- Add shredded Brussels sprouts to the skillet and continue to cook for 4 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper in a microwavable bowl or cup; microwave on HIGH for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot.
- Mash the turnips with a potato masher, add the hot cream mixture to the turnips, and continue to mash until combined and fluffy.
- To the turnips, add the Brussels sprouts mixture and half of the bacon; stir to combine.
- Transfer the turnip mixture to the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy on top.
- Remove from oven; let stand 5 to 8 minutes.
- Top with reserved bacon crumbles.
- Serve.
Notes
- Peel the turnips for a creamier consistency. The skin of turnips can be tough, and that can affect the texture of the dish.
- Make the dish your own; use less heavy cream and mix in cream cheese, yogurt, or extra butter. Stir in some chopped chives or thinly sliced scallions for a different flavor. If you like a bit of a kick, spice it up with some crushed red pepper flakes.
- To make ahead, make the turnip mixture, omitting the bacon, up to 24 hours ahead. On the day of, stir half of the bacon into the turnips and proceed with baking!
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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