I’ve always thought turnips were underrated. But I love them. Maybe because they remind me of the dark and cool days of the fall. My favourite time of year. Holiday feasts. Cozy sweaters. I tend to find turnips (and it’s cousins) in the cozy fall dishes. Like this soup, one of my all time favourite winter soups ❤️. Or this other mash. Turnips deserve some respect and appreciation. Fall vegetables are a part of the harvest that need to be celebrated. Just look..
So, today, I’ve got Roasted Turnip and Root Vegetable Mash. Another cozy fall dish. Sweet fall veggies are tossed with a rich and tangy mustard vinaigrette. Seriously this vinaigrette is something to vegetables dream about.
I’m going to tell you now why I love this dish…. partly because I feel you need to know. And partly because we are talking about turnips here and I think turnips need a hard sell.
- This is perfect holiday – thanksgiving, Christmas, you name it feast – dish. It covers off the mashed sweet vegetable requirements in a new and unexpected way. I have now decided that the vinaigrette may very well be the best thing to ever happen to a turnip.
- You can make this the day before and it reheats beautifully. (Oven or microwave – whatever floats your boat). Hardy root vege does not mind hanging around. Unlike some other vegetables I know – they are good at room temperature, good the next day, they are just good. Easy going and adaptable is a quality I admire in vegetables. (I’m still sorry about that time with the Brussels Sprouts 🙁 )
- As a nutritional bonus – this vegetable mash is vegan. A nice plus during this time of year when rich and indulgent is the norm. Although the flavours here are anything but boring or plain.
- And you get to use up some of those odds and ends hanging around your crisper. You will need 4-5 lbs of vegetables. I used about two and half pounds of turnips, a couple of carrots, some parsnips and a few potatoes. But you could use any kind of root vegetable you can get your hands on – rutabaga, kohlrabi, celery root…
- Did I tell you this was easy to make?
Cut everything in about the same size chunks and roast in a hot oven until soft and lightly browned.
While the veggies bake, start the vinaigrette – you did not know yellow mustard seed could taste so good.
Then mash it all up together and store in a casserole dish until you are ready to serve it. That is it.
Roasted Turnip and Root Vegetable Mash
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds mixed root vegetables turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery root, potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 large white onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet toss vegetables with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, using your hands to coat the vegetables well. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place vegetables in the hot oven and roast 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and slightly browned around edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, mustard seeds and 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Vinegar will reduce slightly and mustard seeds will have swelled. Drain mustard seeds from vinegar - reserve both vinegar and seeds separately.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until brown and caramelized, about 20 minute. If the onion seem to be browning too quickly, reduce heat, although a little crispy around the edges is fine.
- Once the onions are caramelized and browned increase heat to medium high and add the drained mustard seeds. Cook until the seeds begin to pop - 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add reserved vinegar and dark brown sugar. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Set aside until the vegetables are roasted.
- When vegetables are done roasting, remove them from the oven and transfer to an oven safe casserole dish. Using a potato masher or fork, roughly mash the vegetables. Stir in the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Make-ahead:
- At this point, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and chill in the refrigerator for up to a day. To reheat - place in a 350 degree oven, covered, until warmed through 40-50 minutes. You could also use a microwave to warm if using a microwave safe serving dish and cover.
- Stir in fresh parsley and perhaps a drizzle of fresh olive oil before serving. Serve warm or room temperature.
Thank’s for visiting. I’m Trish. I share healthy family recipes to inspire your family to eat their veggies and save room for cake!
