Everyone makes mashed potatoes holiday meals, and I wanted an alternative side dish. Parsnips are perfect. Stop thinking about it. Just go buy the mascarpone cheese. The addition of the sweet potatoes is nice because of the added sweetness and fluffy texture.

Whipped Parsnips Side Dish

If you are making a meal that won’t result in pan drippings that you would make into gravy, think about this side dish. The parsnips and sweet potatoes are very rich because of the butter and mascarpone. You don’t need the gravy for them.

I served these recently with my 60-day dry-aged prime rib. The low and slow cooking method I used didn’t leave pan drippings. No mushroom gravy, which is sad, but these parsnips made me happy again. My guests loved them too.

The whipped parsnips are the ideal side with a light dish like fish because the butter and cheese make them a very decadent. The leftovers will keep well in the fridge and reheat nicely.

 

 

Whipped Parsnips with Mascarpone Cheese

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Mascarpone Cheese, Whipped Parsnips
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs parsnips
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 8 oz tub of mascarpone cheese
  • 1 stick salted butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube the parsnips and sweet potato. Put in pot of salted boiling water and simmer until tender. About thirty minutes.
  2. Drain very well. Using a hand mixer, mash up the potato and parsnips. Add in the mascarpone and half a stick of butter. To keep the mash hot, either work in your pot over low heat or put potatoes in a metal mixing bowl and hold it over a pot of simmering water, like a double boiler.
  3. Add a generous amount of black pepper.
  4. Whip the mash until it starts to get a little fluffy. They will be lighter than a standard mashed potato. Taste and add more salt, butter, and black pepper.

Recipe Notes

Hints:
If you want to make the whipped parsnips with sweet potatoes early for a party, just put them in an oven friendly baking dish with a lid, and they will keep in a low-temperature oven without drying out for quite a while.
Want you mash to be smooth and silky, then you could run it through a food mill. I don’t mind the texture from just a beater, but if you want restaurant-style, that’s the way to get it.
To change up the flavor, I sometimes add about ½ teaspoon of ground coriander; it’s an excellent addition to the sweet potato that will not overwhelm the parsnip flavor.
Why is there garlic in these photos? Because I didn’t save any of my parsnips for the pictures. I forgot to buy extra. Sorry. But I liked the purplish garlic with the gray tablecloth.

What is a Parsnip?

According to Wikipedia, it’s a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley. Parsnips are in the family Apiaceae. It looks like a white carrot, and the tops are kind of lacy like parsley. It has a peppery flavor that reminds me a little of arugula or even a mild radish. It stands up well to roasting or boiling. I often put them in stews or my corned beef on St Patrick’s day. Don’t forget to remove the peel.

 

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