Mashed Turnips

If you’re looking for a creamy, buttery low carb side dish that works for weeknights and holiday tables alike, these mashed turnips are it. Made with cream cheese, sour cream, and chives, they come together in about 40 minutes with just 4 net carbs per serving.

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Turnips don’t get nearly enough credit. They’re budget-friendly, easy to find at any grocery store, and when you mash them up with cream cheese and sour cream? They’re genuinely delicious.

I’ll be honest with you: mashed turnips don’t taste like mashed potatoes. They look just like them, but they have their own flavor (slightly earthy, a little peppery) and I think that’s actually a good thing.

Once you stop comparing them to potatoes and just enjoy them for what they are, you might be surprised how much you love them.

(That said, if you cook them in soup – like my keto beef stew or keto zuppa toscana – no one even realizes they aren’t potatoes. Sneaky little things.)

3 Things You’ll Love About This Recipe:

1. It’s a holiday table hero. This is the low carb side dish you can serve right alongside the mashed potatoes and nobody feels left out. It looks the part and tastes great.
2. The texture is incredibly creamy. Cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream do a lot of heavy lifting here. This isn’t sad diet food – it’s rich and satisfying.
3. Turnips are seriously underrated. Low in carbs, high in fiber, and easy to find year-round. Once you start cooking with them, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.

Ingredient Notes & Tips:

Turnips – These are easy to find year round at most any grocery store, but they are in peak season during Spring and Fall. Look for smaller turnips, as they’ll be sweeter and less bitter than larger turnips.

Dairy – We’re going for extra creamy and rich by adding in heavy cream, cream cheese, and sour cream. These are decadent in the best way.

Seasoning – A little salt and chives does all the lifting here. Turnips are already peppery, but you could add some freshly cracked pepper as well

How To Cook Turnips:

Making mashed turnips is honestly just as easy as making mashed potatoes – the method is basically the same.

Peel your turnips, cut off the root, and cut them into small chunks.

Bring them to a boil in a pot of water and cook until soft – about 35 minutes or so.

Add in your dairy and mash!

We’re using cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream in these mashed turnips because I wanted them to be extra creamy and tasty! 

I also stirred in some chives to give these mashed turnips a sour cream and chive vibe. Yum!!

You can skip the sour cream and chives if you don’t love those flavors. Add a little butter, if you like!

What Do Turnips Taste Like?

Younger, smaller turnips tend to be a little sweet, while older, larger turnips are more bitter. I always choose smaller turnips.

The best way to decide if you like the taste of turnips is to just try them! 

My favorite way to eat a turnip is here: roasted turnips. They are most similar to potatoes when cooked in that manner and the roasting brings out their natural sweetness.

Even the smaller turnips have more bitterness than a potato does, though. Don’t expect these to fool anyone. They’re not potatoes, even though they look a bit like them here.

More Low Carb Holiday Recipes:

Turnips au Gratin: Cheesy + creamy!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese: This recipe really is the best!

Green Beans Almondine: Fresh green beans are the best, aren’t they? 

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts: The balsamic gives these such an amazing flavor.

Mashed Cauliflower: A classic, but my method makes really excellent mash!