Mash Leftover Roasted Turnips For An Easy Next-Day Meal

Turnips have always been a popular side dish for their earthy flavor and peppery bite. Others may be newer to the turnip club, trying out the root vegetable as a lower-carb substitute for potatoes. Whether you're a new or lifelong fan of turnips, you still might be caught wondering what to do with the leftovers after you've roasted a big batch of them. As delicious as herbed roasted turnips are, you still might be left with some after making a big pan-full. You'll be pleased to know that, with a little know-how, roasted turnips can easily become mashed turnips.

Note that roasted turnips won't make a silky, creamy mash. The bits of crusty outside that make them delicious will remain crispy when you mash them. The trick is to embrace those crispy bits. Your mashed turnip dish will be rustic, like mashed potatoes with the skins. Chop your leftover roasted turnips roughly (you can cut of any bits that seem too charred), then gently heat with cream or milk, butter, and any additional seasonings. Mash roughly as you continue to warm them. Unlike with mashed potatoes, which can become gluey, you don't have to worry about overworking turnips. You can even use an immersion blender if you want them to be smoother, but be aware that you'll still have crispy bits. Try adding some crumbled bacon and you won't notice them as much. 

You can combine your leftover turnips with any other root vegetable for a creamier, more texturally interesting dish. There's no reason you can't toss in a potato or two. Depending on how you've seasoned your original turnip dish, you may opt to add additional flavor with sage, rosemary, roasted garlic, green onions, shallots, or sour cream. Enjoy your mashed turnips as they are, or combine with egg and a binder (panko, breadcrumbs, or flour), shape into patties, and fry in a skillet until golden. You can top mashed turnip cakes just as you would potato cakes, with sour cream, buttermilk dressing, or shredded cheese. 

Mashed turnips are delicious when combined with greens, so consider adding kale, collards, cabbage, or bok choy. A dish of turnip greens and mash ensures that you don't waste any part of the turnip. You can also add greens to mashed turnips when making them into cakes or patties. If you'd like to enjoy leftover turnips for breakfast, skip the mashing altogether. Chop the turnips roughly, add onions and peppers, and cook in a skillet until the turnips are reheated and the vegetables are cooked. This is an especially good dish if you like crispy bits. Keep in mind that you can easily substitute rutabagas for turnips, so any of these dishes work just as well with them. Swedes, parsnips, and even potatoes and carrots will have similar results, with slight variations in texture and flavor.