Creamy, butter loaded mashed turnips at just 5.5g net carbs, closer to real potatoes than any cauliflower mash I've tried. I boil the diced turnips with half a russet riding on top to absorb the bitterness, discard the potato, dry cook the turnips so they're not watery, and I blend with butter, cream, and pepper until smooth.
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 root vegetables, not starchy tubers like potatoes. 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: pulse, don’t blend nonstop. Reader Joanna asked why hers turned out gluey in the food processor, and it’s because turnips starch up just like potatoes when you overwork them. I puree mine in a food processor too, but I pulse in short bursts and stop the moment it turns smooth and creamy. The dry-cook step matters here as well. Wet turnips need extra blending, and extra blending is what turns the mash gluey.
Beyond butter, cream, salt and pepper, I’ve tested a lot of add-ins over the years. Here are the ones that work best.
Add cheese
Cheese adds savory depth that masks any lingering bitterness. I rotate between grated parmesan, cream cheese, gruyere, and gouda. Parmesan is my favorite because it melts right in without changing the consistency.
Flavor enhancers
Crumbled bacon, crispy shallots, roasted garlic, or a pinch of nutmeg all work. I’ve been adding roasted garlic lately, and reader Jocelyn uses garlic powder with parmesan, which is a solid combination. Paprika adds a smoky note too.
Fresh herbs
Parsley, thyme, and rosemary are my favorites here. I chop them fine and fold in right before serving so they stay bright.
Can I make this dairy free?
I get asked about this a lot. You can make this completely dairy free or vegan with a few swaps. I’ve tested most of these and they all work.
Instead of chicken broth
Use vegetable broth or water. I prefer broth for the background flavor, but water works fine.
Instead of butter
Ghee works for dairy free. For vegan, I’ve used olive oil and it blends in well.
Instead of cream
Coconut cream gives the closest texture to heavy cream. I’ve also tried macadamia milk and almond milk. Both work, but coconut cream is the richest option.
How I store and reheat leftovers
Refrigerator
I let the mash cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Keeps for 3-5 days in the fridge. Reheats well in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of cream to loosen it up.
Freezer
I freeze batches regularly. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, leaving room at the top for expansion. Freezes well for up to a year. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat. If the texture comes out watery, cook off the excess moisture on the stovetop. If it’s gritty, stir in a tablespoon of cream or butter to bring back the smoothness.
How to make mashed turnips
The whole process takes about 40 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. Then puree with butter and cream in a food processor, pulsing in short bursts, until smooth and creamy. Short pulses on dry turnips keep the starch in check, so the mash never turns gluey.
Peel the skin off the turnips with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Discard the skins. Dice the turnips into ¾ inch pieces.
For this step
1 1/2 pounds small turnips
2
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)
For this step
1/2 of a medium-large russet potato, skin on
1 cup chicken broth
3
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.
4
Mashed and buttery
Transfer turnips to a food processor or blender. Add butter, heavy cream and pepper. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Season with more salt if needed.
For this step
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Nutrition
Per serving: about 1/2 cup
Calories
122
Fat
9.6g
Protein
1.2g
Total carbs
7.5g
Net carbs
5.5g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
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 for two reasons. The first is skipping the dry-cook step after draining. Excess water makes the mash loose, so you compensate by blending longer, and all that extra blending releases starch. That's where gluey comes from. The second is running the food processor nonstop. Turnips starch up just like potatoes when you overwork them. I puree mine in a food processor, but I pulse in short bursts and stop as soon as it's smooth and creamy. Dry the turnips well and it only takes a few pulses.
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 food processor. It's the fastest way to get that smooth, creamy texture that passes for real mashed potatoes. Two things keep it from going gluey: dry-cook the turnips after draining so no extra water sneaks in, and pulse in short bursts instead of letting the machine run. Stop as soon as it looks smooth and creamy. A hand masher still works if you like a chunkier, more rustic mash, but the food processor is what I reach for.
Can turnip mashed potatoes really pass for the real thing?
I've served these turnip mashed potatoes to people who had no idea they weren't the real thing, and more than one asked what brand of potatoes I used. They aren't a perfect one-to-one, but once you mash the turnips with butter and cream, the texture goes genuinely creamy and the flavor turns rich and earthy instead of sharp. The bitterness trick is what sells it for me. I boil the turnips with a potato half to pull out the bitter compounds, then toss it before mashing. That one step is the difference between a decent swap and one that actually fools people at the table.
So smooth. The dry cook step is the part I used to rush. Letting the turnips sit in the dry pan a couple extra minutes is what finally got mine thick instead of watery.
Wrote mashed potatoes off eighteen months into keto and stopped looking for a substitute. A friend sent this recipe and I had zero expectations. First bowl on a Tuesday night, that thick, buttery texture was exactly what I’d given up on. Making these every couple weeks now and still a little relieved every time.
Two things, Angela. The potato pulls the bitter compounds out of the turnips while they boil, and it also releases a little starch into the cooking liquid, which gives the mash more body than turnips alone ever would. That’s the whole trick.
Made these Sunday and my husband (who has been quietly mourning potatoes since we went keto in January) went back for more without saying a word, then asked me to save some for his lunch the next day. That told me everything. I’ve made cauliflower mash a dozen times and always had to doctor it up to get past the smell, but the potato trick here actually works. These tasted like something I’d have made before keto, not a substitute.
The bitterness trick actually works, kept waiting for that sharp aftertaste and it just never came. My one note: 3 tablespoons of butter for a pound and a half of turnips is a little restrained, I ended up adding more and it opened up. Worth the small tweak.
Cauliflower mash has never worked for me no matter what I tried. This one’s different. Bitterness is gone and it actually tastes like real mashed potatoes.
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.
Cream cheese at the end is smart. The potato already handles the bitterness so it’s not competing with anything, just adding body. For the salt, I taste right before the cream goes in, easier to pull back at that point than after.
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. Pulse in short bursts instead of running it continuously, and stop as soon as it looks smooth and creamy. The dry-cook step matters here too, since wet turnips make you blend longer than you should. The potato does affect texture, not just flavor (adds starch for body), which is also why it makes over-processing more punishing.
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!
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.
