Carrot and Swede mash

Creamy and perfectly mashed, we love serving our carrot and swede mash side dish, as a low-carb alternative to mashed potato. Not only does it taste great, but it looks fresh and colorful and gives your roast dinner a different dimension. It tastes so good that our family can eat it by the bowl full!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s a great alternative to standard mashed potatoes.

• The it looks colorful and the kids love it!

• It’s a great side dish to have at Thanksgiving, Christmas or with a Sunday dinner.

• Make it in 30 minutes, make it ahead or freeze it!

• It’s a 100% vegetarian side dish and easy to make vegan.

Swede vs Rutabaga

A swede and rutabaga are the same things.

It’s a member of the cabbage family and quite often, people mistake it for a turnip.

Swede is a name given to the root vegetable in British English, and in American English, the same root vegetable is called Rutabaga.

Forget store bought swede and carrot mash (aka rutabaga), once you taste how creamy and flavorsome this side dish is, you’ll never want to buy it again, and what’s even better is that it’s budget friendly!

How to make this recipe vegan

There are two ingredients in this carrot and swede mash that make it not suitable for vegans; butter and cream.

You can easily buy vegan butter in stores, so use this or simply swap the butter for olive oil.

Replace the cream with plant-based cream.

Once you’ve used these substitutes, then you have a tasty vegan carrot and swede mash!

Take a look at our vegan recipes.

What equipment will I need?

You need very little equipment for this recipe.

You could blend your mash in a food processor but we didn’t, as cleaning a food processor, just for this filled us with dread.

A stick blender works well if you want to speed up the process.

You could use a potato ricer, we used one to get a smooth creamier mash but it’s not crucial.

A potato masher will suffice, if that’s all you have in your kitchen cupboards then that’s fine!

It’ll take a little extra effort but if you’ve cooked the swede and carrots well, then they should mash easily.

How do I prepare a swede?

Swede (rutabaga) can be daunting as it’s chunky and tough, but all you need is a sharp knife and a vegetable peeler.

First, using your sharp knife, remove the top and bottom of the swede.

Then, stand the swede on your chopping board and cut the swede in half.

Now, use your vegetable peeler and start at the top and peel down your swede until all the tough outer skin has been removed.

Then cut it into chunks of around 3cm (around an inch or so), your swede is now prepared for making your mash.

Do I have to peel the carrots?

We recommend that you peel the carrots.

The reason why you should peel the carrots is so that you achieve a beautifully creamy and smooth consistency.

Is swede healthier than potato?

Swede, or rutabaga, is both lower in calories and carbohydrates than potatoes.

Whether it is healthier for you or not, totally depends on what diet your dietary goals are.

Carrot and swede mash does account for one of your five a day.

What consistency should swede and carrot mash be?

It’s a personal choice.

Some like their mash smooth but a little chunky and some like it as a smooth purée.

Mash it until you have your own desired consistency.

Can you make mashed swede in advance?

Yes, you can make your mash in advance.

Once you mashed it, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge overnight or for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze carrot and swede mash?

Yes, swede and carrot mash freezes well.

Place it in a freezer bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.

What do I serve carrot and swede mash with?

Our carrot and swede mash recipe is really flexible, why not serve it with some of these dishes?

• Nut roast or lentil loaf

• Part of a roast dinner, that includes honey roasted parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, and roast potatoes.

• A healthy vegetable stew or casserole, it makes a tasty weeknight meal.

Recipe notes and tips

• Don’t have any carrots?
  Try using a butternut squash or sweet potato instead.
• Storing swede and carrot mash
  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Out of cream?
  Try sour cream or creme fraiche, they will change the flavor but your mash will be lovely and creamy.
• Add fresh herbs
  Use fresh rosemary or thyme to add extra flavour.
• Freezing your mash?
  Transfer portion sizes to freezer bags, so you only use what you need.
• Got leftover mash?
  Use it as a delicious topping for a shepherd’s pie!

How to make swede and carrot mash with step-by-step instructions

Making our swede and mashed carrot is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and then add in your chopped swede and carrots and cook for approximately 15 – 20 minutes until the carrot and swede are soft.

Drain in a colander, ensuring all the water has gone, then return the carrot and swede to the pan.

Now, add in your butter (or vegan butter) followed by your double cream (heavy cream or plant cream), ground nutmeg, and then season with salt and black pepper.

Then using a potato masher or a potato ricer, mash until you have your desired consistency.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

We hope that you enjoy making and eating our carrot and swede mash recipe as much as we do, and we’d love to hear how you got on making it.

Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions you may have.

More mash recipes you’ll love

• Sweet potato mash – dreamy, creamy sweet potatoes mashed perfectly and tasting amazing!

• Mashed potato – the best, the smoothest and creamiest mashed potatoes recipe you could ever want!

• Parsnip puree – ok, we know it’s not strictly a mash, but this parsnip puree is so nutty and creamy that you’ll want to take a look!

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