Mashed Turnips
Published November 14, 2023 • Updated March 8, 2026
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Creamy, butter-loaded mashed turnips that taste closer to real potatoes than any cauliflower mash I've tried. My bitterness-removal trick makes all the difference.
I started making this as a keto potato substitute years ago, and turnips beat every cauliflower version I’ve tried. The texture is naturally creamy (closer to real potatoes than cauliflower gratin), and the flavor is rich and earthy instead of bland. The bitterness thing scares people off, but I’ve figured out exactly how to handle it.
Turnips are tubers like potatoes, but non-starchy. That means about 7.5g total carbs per serving versus 35g for regular mashed potatoes. I make this side at least twice a month, and it fills that mashed potato craving without the carb hit.
How to remove bitter taste from turnips
Turnips have a reputation for being bitter, and large old turnips can be. But I’ve figured out five methods that completely eliminate the problem.
- Use small turnips. Young turnips are naturally sweeter. The big ones are woody and bitter, so I skip them entirely.
- Add a potato while boiling. Sounds counterintuitive for a low-carb side dish. But half a potato thrown in while everything cooks absorbs the bitter compounds and leaches starch into the cooking liquid, giving the final mash more body. You discard the potato before mashing, so the extra carbs don’t end up in your bowl.
- Dry cook after draining. The cooking water holds bitter flavor. After draining, I put the turnips back on the stove for two minutes to cook off remaining moisture. This is the step most recipes skip, and it’s what keeps the texture from going watery.
- Add plenty of fat. Butter and cream don’t just add richness. They neutralize any lingering bitterness. If your batch still tastes off, add more butter.
- Add a touch of sweetener. One or two tablespoons of erythritol or allulose cuts through any sharpness, the same way sugar balances bitter chocolate.
Reader Amy has made this at least a dozen times and now keeps turnips stocked permanently. One thing I’ve learned from feedback: don’t over-blend. Reader Joanna asked why hers turned out gluey after using a food processor, and it’s because turnips starch up just like potatoes when you overwork them. I switched to a hand masher and stop while there are still small lumps.
These pair with just about any protein. I serve them alongside bacon wrapped chicken tenders on weeknights, next to green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole for holidays, or with cheesy brussels sprouts. Cornbread rounds out the table too.
How to make mashed turnips
The whole process takes about 30 minutes. Boil diced turnips with a potato half (you discard the potato afterward) to pull bitterness and add starchy body. Drain, then return the turnips to the stove for two minutes to cook off surface moisture. That dry-cook step is the one most recipes skip, and it makes the biggest difference. Mash with butter and cream. I use a hand masher for more control, but a food processor works if you pulse in short bursts to avoid a gluey result.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds small turnips -
1/2 of a medium-large russet potato, skin on
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1 cup chicken broth
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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salt to taste
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the turnips
Peel the skin off the turnips with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Discard the skins. Dice the turnips into ¾ inch pieces.
- 1 1/2 pounds small turnips
Boil the turnips
Add the diced turnips to a large saucepan. Place the potato half on top of the turnips. Pour in chicken broth. Then add enough water to the saucepan to cover the turnips and potato. Season with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and let cook until turnips have softened enough for a fork to easily pierce through. (about 20 minutes)
- 1/2 of a medium-large russet potato, skin on
- 1 cup chicken broth
Dry cook
Drain the cooking water and discard the potato. Return the cooked turnips to the pot and place back on the stove top over medium heat. Dry cook the turnips over the stove top until most of the remaining moisture is gone.
Mashed & buttery
Transfer turnips to a food processor or blender. Add butter, heavy cream and pepper. Pulse until pureed until smooth and creamy. Season with more salt if needed.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you put a potato in the water if this is keto?
I know it sounds counterintuitive. The potato does two things while everything boils: it absorbs the bitter compounds from the turnips, and it leaches a small amount of starch into the cooking liquid, which gives the mash more body. You discard the potato before mashing, so the extra carbs don't end up in your bowl. I've tested it side by side with and without the potato, and the difference is noticeable in both flavor and texture.
Why did mine turn out gluey or gummy?
I've seen this happen when people blend too long. Turnips starch up just like potatoes when you overwork them, especially in a food processor. I switched to a hand masher years ago and the texture improved right away. If you use a processor, pulse in short bursts and stop while there are still small lumps. The other culprit is skipping the dry-cook step after draining. Excess water makes the mash loose, so you compensate by blending longer, and that's where gluey happens.
What do turnips taste like compared to potatoes?
I'd describe raw turnips as peppery with a mild sweetness, especially young small ones. Large ones taste bitter. Once you cook and mash them with butter and cream, they develop a rich, earthy, nutty flavor that's closer to potatoes than anything else I've found. They're not identical, but I think they're the best substitute available. If cauliflower is more your style, my cauliflower fried rice is a completely different approach.
How many carbs are in turnips compared to potatoes?
I get about 7.5g total carbs per serving from my recipe, versus roughly 35g for the same amount of regular mashed potatoes. Turnips have about 6g net carbs per cup when cooked. They're a better potato substitute than cauliflower in my experience because the texture is naturally starchy without needing thickeners.
Do I need to add sweetener, or will it taste sweet?
I add one to two tablespoons of erythritol or allulose, and it doesn't make the dish taste sweet. It works the same way sugar balances bitter chocolate. The sweetener rounds off any sharp edges without adding noticeable sweetness. If your turnips aren't bitter at all (small young ones often aren't), you can skip it. I skip it about half the time depending on the batch.
Can I cook turnips in the microwave?
I've done it when I'm short on time. Dice the turnips, add them to a microwave-safe dish with 1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken broth, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave 8-10 minutes until soft. You won't get the benefit of the potato trick this way, so add a bit more butter if they taste sharp. I still prefer the stovetop method for the best flavor.
Should I use a food processor or a hand masher?
I use a hand masher. A food processor gives a smoother result, but it's easy to over-process and end up with a gluey consistency. Turnips release starch when overworked, just like potatoes. If you want it smoother, pulse a food processor in short bursts and stop before it looks perfectly smooth. It continues to smooth out when you stir in the butter and cream.
Threw in two ounces of cream cheese at the end because I had an open block sitting there, and the texture got obscenely rich. The potato half trick already kills the bitterness, so the cream cheese could actually shine. Four stars because I way over-salted mine, but that swap is worth trying.
Made these last week and they were really good but the texture came out gluey instead of fluffy and I'm not sure what I did wrong. I used my food processor and blended until smooth, which I'm guessing was too long. I know potatoes get gluey when you overwork them, and I'm wondering if turnips do the same. Also curious whether the potato half in the cooking water is actually affecting the texture or if it's just for flavor. Should I be pulsing in short bursts instead of running it continuously, or would a hand masher give me more control? I want to nail this before it becomes a regular weeknight side.
Yeah, over-blending is it. Turnips starch up just like potatoes when you overwork them. I use a hand masher and stop while there are still small lumps. The potato does affect texture too, not just flavor (adds starch for body), which is also why it makes over-processing more punishing.
Thanks Annie. I've made this side at least a dozen times now and always keep turnips stocked because of it.
I love hearing that! Turnips are one of those things I didn't even think about before keto, and now I grab them every grocery trip.
This is my new favorite "mashed potato" replacement. So, so, so good!
Turnips are so underrated! I ignored them for the first two years of keto and now I make them constantly.
These turned out really nice! I added 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Cooking off some of the water before mashing was key because the turnips held onto a lot of liquid. I mashed mine in the pan while the heat was on.
Parmesan and garlic powder is a good combo with the turnip flavor. And mashing on the heat dries them out faster. Mine hold onto liquid too, especially if they've soaked in broth.
I didn't follow the recipe so I'm not leaving a rating for that, but I used your suggestion about the potato. OMG, what a difference that makes. Thank you so much!
That potato is the whole trick. Still fits in the carb count but it completely changes the texture.
Totally delicious, and so much fun to make and eat! This really is silky smooth, and maybe it's just the small turnips we get here in the UK, but they did not seem bitter to me at all - next time I might just skip the potato. The amount of butter and cream is just perfect, and I added a little parsley on top for some oomph. Next time I'll try the other suggestions of garlic (maybe even black garlic!), and maybe even paprika? Thanks for a great recipe, Annie, this one is a keeper!
Yeah, small turnips are way less bitter - the large ones are where that flavor comes from. Skip the potato if you want, just lean on a bit more butter if they taste sharp. Black garlic is such a good idea here.