A smooth, soft parsnip purée without potatoes, enriched with olive oil or butter.
Mashed parsnips stay soft and slightly sweet, rounded out with fruity olive oil or butter. This purée keeps things simple, with no cream or potatoes, letting the root vegetable’s earthy flavor shine. It takes 25 minutes to prepare, including 20 minutes of boiling or steaming. This recipe is part of my collection of keto dishes.
What is parsnip purée?
Parsnip purée is made from cooked, mashed parsnips, without cream or potatoes. This version keeps things simple to highlight the root vegetable’s slightly sweet flavor and earthy aroma. The basic recipe calls for 150 g of parsnips, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or butter, a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
The pieces are boiled or steamed before mashing. You can leave the texture rustic or make it smooth with an immersion blender, adding a splash of plain almond milk to loosen the purée only if needed. Each serving contains 144 calories, 17 g of net carbs, 9 g of fiber and 3 g of fat: a potato-free alternative for a moderate-carb diet.
Origins and seasonality
This purée belongs to the wider family of homemade vegetable recipes: seasonal produce, gentle cooking, simple seasoning and mashing. Parsnips are easy to find at greengrocers, farmers markets and in the produce aisle, especially in fall and winter.
Parsnips have enough flavor to need only salt and pepper, but they also pair well with a few spices. Sage and thyme add an herbal touch, paprika brings a mild note and a little color, and cumin and coriander offer warmer, citrusy notes. Choose one of these directions rather than layering them all together.
The main ingredients
Parsnips are the star ingredient, with 150 g used here. Choose firm, small to medium roots: they cook evenly and are less fibrous. For large parsnips, check the core after cutting and remove any hard central sections, which blending will not soften.
The 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil add creaminess and a fruity note when incorporated while the parsnips are hot. Butter, in the same quantity and preferably from grass-fed cows, replaces the oil rather than being added alongside it. A splash of plain, unsweetened almond milk loosens a purée that is too thick, a pinch of sea salt brings out the flavor, and a pinch of black pepper adds a little bite.
Two seasoning combinations can flavor the purée. The first pairs 0.5 teaspoon of dried sage, 0.5 teaspoon of dried thyme and 1 teaspoon of paprika; the second combines 0.5 teaspoon of ground cumin and 0.5 teaspoon of ground coriander. In both cases, add the seasonings after mashing, once you have achieved the right texture.
Technique and serving tips
The key step comes before mashing: the parsnips must be cooked all the way through and then drained well, with 20 minutes of cooking out of the 25 minutes total. The tip of a knife should slide easily into the largest piece, and the flesh should mash without resistance. Incorporate the oil or butter, salt and pepper while everything is hot: mashing by hand gives a rustic texture, while an immersion blender produces a smooth result. Only add almond milk after checking the consistency; it is unnecessary if the purée is already soft, and do not count on the blender to soften a woody core.
This purée pairs well with sautéed mushrooms, Vietnamese air fryer roast chicken, turkey, an air fryer fish fillet or scallops; overly rich sauces can mask its flavor. Keep leftovers in an airtight container, ideally for 3 days, or freeze in small portions. A little water may separate after thawing; stir well when reheating, adding a little almond milk only if the purée has thickened.
For more low-carb ideas, browse all my keto recipes.
Parsnip Purée
Ingredients
- 150 g parsnips
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or 2 tablespoons of butter (from grass-fed cows)
- 1 splash almond milk
- 1 pinch Celtic sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper freshly ground
“European” variation
- 0.5 teaspoon sage (dried)
- 0.5 teaspoon thyme (dried)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
“Middle Eastern” variation
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds ground
- 0.5 teaspoon coriander seeds ground
Instructions
- Peel the parsnips. Cut them into pieces.150 g parsnips
- Boil or steam for 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, drain, mash and purée with a little oil (or butter), salt and pepper to taste.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 pinch Celtic sea salt, 1 pinch black pepper
- Depending on the consistency, add almond milk if needed. However, this will probably not be necessary. The purée is naturally much thinner than mashed potatoes.1 splash almond milk
- Finish with herbs and spices of your choice.0.5 teaspoon sage (dried), 0.5 teaspoon thyme (dried), 1 teaspoon paprika, 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, 0.5 teaspoon coriander seeds
