A good recipe for mashed potatoes and root vegetables is indispensable. And a recipe this tasty is worth its weight in gold. You can make this fluffy, creamy side dish with any kind of root veggies that tickle you or just happen to have on hand.
For this mashed potatoes and root vegetables side dish, russet potatoes will yield a slightly fluffier, less creamy mash potatoes, but they can be used in place of the Yukon Gold potatoes, if desired. Rinsing the potatoes in several changes of water reduces the amount of starch and prevents the mashed potatoes from becoming gluey. It is important to cut the potatoes and root vegetables into even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. This recipe can be doubled and cooked in a large Dutch oven. If doubling, increase the cooking time in step 2 to 40 minutes.–Editors at America’s Test Kitchen
Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) carrots, parsnips, turnips, or celery root peeled; carrots or parsnips cut into 1/4 inch-thick (6 mm) half-moons; turnips or celery root cut into 1/2 inch (12 mm) dice
- 1 1/2 pounds (about 3 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch-thick (6 mm) slices; rinsed well in 3 or 4 changes of cold water and drained well (see headnote)
- 1/3 cup homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
- 3/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup half-and-half warmed
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- Ground black pepper
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the root vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and the vegetables are dark brown and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. (If after 4 minutes the vegetables have not started to brown, increase the heat to medium-high.)
- Add the potatoes, broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cook, covered, over low heat (the broth should simmer gently; do not boil), stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart easily when poked with a fork and all the liquid has been absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. (If the liquid does not gently simmer after a few minutes, increase the heat to medium-low.) Remove the pan from the heat; remove the lid and allow the steam to escape for 2 minutes.
- Gently mash the potatoes and root vegetables in the saucepan with a potato masher (do not mash vigorously). Gently fold in the half-and-half and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve the mashed potatoes immediately.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Originally published November 13, 2009
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Brenda Carleton
My husband and I ADORED this. The recipe instructs you to caramelize root vegetables in butter, then add in Yukon gold potatoes, chicken broth, and salt, and simmer until cooked. Then you mash with warm half and half, add chives, and season. I chose to use carrots. They caramelized beautifully.
The recipe specifies adding only 1/3 of a cup of chicken broth. That was not enough — the vegetables began to dry out quickly, so I added a good further 1/4 cup, in one tablespoon increments. The recipe recommends rinsing the potatoes with water a few times to eliminate gummy potatoes. Definitely do this! I mashed the vegetables, but left the mixture a bit chunky. The dish was buttery and oozed with flavor. I would make it again in a heartbeat. Other than the broth, I cannot think of a way to improve it. We both found this to be a stellar recipe, and I guarantee this will become one of our new favorite starches.