Mashed carrots and parsnips were a frequent dinnertime side in our house when I was a little girl. And let me confess, I hated the mixture.
But no matter how much I begged my Mom to spare me this weekly “treat”, these root vegetables regularly appeared alongside my roast chicken and potatoes.
“Just one bite!” I can still hear her instructions. Dutifully, I let a miniscule amount pass my lips, before grimacing in disgust. But believe it or not, her persistence paid off. Today I love this earthy veggie combination.
Most recipes recommend a vegetable pureé when pairing carrots and parsnips, but in Ireland the texture is seldom silky smooth, with a slightly lumpy mash preferred.
Im really doing a bad job of making these veggies sound appetizing. By now, you probably have visions of me being force fed “lumpy” mash.
But honestly, this combo is truly satisfying and is wonderful alongside roast turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or to set off a Sunday roast beef.
Another mashed root vegetable loved by the Irish is mashed rutabaga or turnip, as we say in the Emerald Isle.
Todays post and recipe tutorial is all about how to cook this popular side dish – Irish carrot and parsnip mash.
Directions for Making Carrot and Parsnip Mash
Carrots are harder than parsnips and take longer to cook. To make sure your parsnips dont go mushy while you wait for your carrots to tenderize you have a few options.
- First, you can just chop the carrots into smaller pieces than the parsnips, and boil the vegetables together in the same pot for the same amount of time.
- Or you can give the carrots a head start before adding the parsnips. If boiling the vegetables a 7 minute lead time is good, but if steaming, the carrots need at least 10 minutes extra cooking.
- Or you can do what my mom always did, and cook the parsnips and carrots in two separate saucepans, and only combine them when they are tender, drained and ready to mash.
I find option 1 difficult, since I can never accurately estimate the right size for each vegetable.
Since I dont like cleaning too many saucepans, I usually go for option 2 and give my carrots a little head start on the parsnips.
I also like to steam the veggies, so I dont risk burning my fingers when adding parsnips to simmering water.
So steam the carrots for about 10 minutes, then add the parsnips.
Steam them both for about 20 more minutes until they are fork tender.
Drain the vegetables and return them to the bottom pan.
Mash them together using a potato masher.
Some people like to add them to a food processor or blender to make a puree, but usually a little bit of texture is retained in the mash. Thats why I like to manually combine the two cooked vegetables.
Add the butter and cream and mash together a little more.
Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Transfer into a serving dish and garnish with a nice knob of butter.
Feel free to add a little green with some parsley if you like as a garnish. Youll have all the colors of the Irish flag, green, white and orange.
I never saw fancy parsley on my carrot and parsnip mash as a child, so I just stuck to a nice piece of melting butter to garnish this dish for its photo shoot.
These veggie combination is usually served alongside mashed potatoes in Ireland.
Ingredients for Carrot and Parsnip Mash
Heres a quick list of what youll need. The exact quantities are available in US and Metric versions in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
- carrots
- parsnips
- butter
- cream
- salt and pepper to season.
Irish parsnip and carrot mash doesnt have any fancy onion or garlic flavors added. Its simply the two veggies combined with butter, cream, salt and pepper.
I use white pepper for this recipe since thats what my mom always used. I only discovered black pepper when I came to America. So, I stick to white pepper and, truth be told, I dont like black speckles in the middle of this lightly orange colored mash.
I dont add any herbs to the veggies as they cook. You could experiment by adding a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary to the vegetables as they cook. Be sure to remove it before mashing them together.
A little freshly ground nutmeg can be added to the mash for a little extra flavor.
I use butter and cream so this is not a dairy-free recipe, but it is gluten-free. To make it vegan substitute a vegan cream and butter alternative.
Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots & Parsnips | The Perfect Side For Christmas Dinner!
FAQ
Which takes longer to boil carrots or parsnips?
Which root vegetables take the longest to roast?
What takes longer to boil carrots or turnips?
Can you cook carrots & parsnips in advance?
Make in advance: Clean and cut the carrots and parsnips in advance, then season and roast right before serving. These oven roasted veggies pair well with anything! Make it a weeknight side dish when paired with a protein like grilled chicken thighs and creamy mashed potatoes.
What are the health benefits of parsnips?
Parsnips are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate, as well as other important micronutrients. Also high in antioxidants including vitamin C and polyacetylenes that may prevent oxidative stress and chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Parsnips are high in fiber, which can support regularity, improve your digestive health, regulate blood sugar levels, and enhance heart health. Parsnips are low in calories but contain a good amount of water and fiber, both of which may benefit weight loss. Parsnips are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which may enhance your immune function and optimize health.
What is the difference between carrots and parsnips?
Parsnips are typically a creamy color. Whereas carrots are sweet, parsnips have a subtle unique spice flavor to them similar to nutmeg and cinnamon. When you combine the two vegetables and roast them in the oven, you have a superb subtle blend of sweet and spicy. This entire dish is done in only four simple steps.
How do you cook roasted carrots & parsnips?
Colorful & crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these roasted carrots & parsnips pair perfectly with so many entrèes! Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel carrots and parsnips and cut into approximately 2″ pieces. Cut the thicker pieces in half lengthwise. Toss all ingredients together and spread onto a large baking sheet.