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Loaded Mashed Turnips, Butternut, and Apples

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 5 cups
  • Serving size: ¾ cup
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Loaded with color and flavor instead of cheese and sour cream, this festive vegan mash is a winning side dish for a holiday or celebration dinner. The three-prong mashup—featuring turnips, butternut squash, and shredded apple, for extra sweetness—works deliciously well. A garlicky cashew sauce provides a rich creaminess that elevates this beyond an everyday dish. Garnish with scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, and additional squash. Make plenty!

Tips

Extra creamy: For a really creamy texture, in Step 4, place turnips, apples, and garlicky cashew cream in a food processor. Process to desired consistency, adding plant milk if needed.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

By Nancy Macklin, RDN,

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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • ½ of a small clove of garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lb. turnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 lb. apples, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
  • 2 cups coarsely shredded butternut squash or carrots
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
  • ¼ cup sliced scallions or chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • To make garlicky cashew cream, in a small blender combine cashews and ⅓ cup hot water; let soak 20 minutes. Add garlic and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
  • Meanwhile, place turnips in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 20 minutes or until tender, adding apples in last 5 minutes of steaming. Transfer turnips and apples to a large bowl and return steamer basket to saucepan.
  • Place squash in the steamer basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 5 minutes or until tender.
  • Add garlicky cashew cream to the turnips and apples. Mash with a hand masher or handheld mixer, gradually adding milk (if needed) until desired consistency. Season with salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Reserve ¼ cup cooked squash for garnish; stir in the remaining squash. Top mash with reserved squash, the sun-dried tomatoes, and scallions.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (¾ cup): 130 calories, 26 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 3 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 172 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 14 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

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Nancy

Can this be made ahead

About the Author

Headshot of Nancy Macklin

About the Author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.
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