Cinnamon Free Lemon & Olive Oil Root Vegetable Mash
Root vegetables don't always get the credit they deserve, but this golden, velvety mash is the kind of dish that changes minds fast. Parsnips, sweet potato, and turnips are boiled until completely tender, then brought together with warm spiced olive oil, bright lemon juice, and a hit of zest that lifts the whole thing beautifully. The trick of letting the drained vegetables steam off for a minute or two before mashing is a small step that makes a real difference — no watery, loose texture here, just a rich and creamy result every time. Warming spices like turmeric and ground ginger do all the heavy lifting in the flavor department, so there's absolutely no need for cinnamon to make this feel cozy and complex. That's genuinely good news if you're navigating a sensitivity or intolerance, because so many spiced vegetable dishes default to it without a second thought. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, which takes the guesswork out of the shopping list entirely. Finished with a drizzle of good olive oil and a scatter of fresh parsley, this mash is elegant enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a weeknight side.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 medium parsnips (about 12 oz total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato (about 10 oz), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium turnips (about 10 oz total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the parsnips, sweet potato, turnips, and smashed garlic cloves in a large pot. Cover with cold water by at least 1 inch and add 1 tsp fine sea salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until all the vegetables are completely tender and a fork slides through without resistance, about 20–22 minutes.
- 2
Drain the vegetables through a colander, then return them to the warm pot. Let them sit uncovered for 1–2 minutes so residual steam can escape — this prevents a watery mash.
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