What can I make with carrots? Try this recipe for mashed carrots and potatoes. This simple meal is so colorful, tasty, and easy to make
Mashed carrots are usually associated with baby food. No wonder, they are super healthy! But if you add a few simple ingredients to them, you will get a fantastic vegetable side dish – so simple yet totally elegant.
If you want to make plain mashed potatoes more interesting, then you will definitely like this carrot and potato recipe. Carrots add extra flavor and make the dish healthier.
What else can you add to this potato and carrot mash?
Mashed carrots will add brightness and color not only to your everyday table, but they are also a great festive side dish. You can change the recipe to your own taste by adding your favorite spices.
Try to add:
- Garlic powder. You can replace it with fresh garlic, but then the taste of the dish will be less gentle and tender.
- Chopped fresh dill, parsley, chives, or rosemary. They will perfectly complement this carrot and potato recipe and will add extra flavor.
- A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg. It will also fit nicely here.
- Sautéed diced bacon. Bacon makes any dish better and absolutely scrumptious.
But if you want to make the perfect carrot mash, then ground black pepper is exactly what you need. I am sure that carrots and pepper were created for each other: mashed carrots love ground black pepper – it takes their flavor to a higher level. And this love is mutual, because black pepper, thanks to these root vegetables, fully reveals its rich aroma.
Useful tips for the best mashed carrots
This recipe is extremely easy to make, just follow a few simple rules:
- Choose the right potatoes. Those high in starch are perfect for this recipe.
- Do not overcook the potatoes or they will become too watery.
- Mash the potatoes right away after cooking, while they are still hot for a truly creamy texture.
- When making mashed carrots and potatoes, add the fat (in this case it’s butter) before adding the milk. Thanks to this trick the texture of the mash will remain firm and not watery.
- You can use heavy cream instead of milk for the creamiest potato and carrot mash.
This carrot puree stores well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Moreover, you can turn the leftovers into delicious savory waffles!
Potato masher, potato ricer, or immersion blender?
When it comes to mashed potatoes, there are many different options to choose from.
However, since this recipe combines carrots and potatoes, it’s important to choose the right way to prepare it.
The texture and taste of the mash largely depend on the choice of gadget:
- Classic hand potato masher. This is the undisputed king when it comes to potato recipes. It confidently occupies the first place in kitchens around the world and has every right to do so – thanks to this gadget, you will have homogeneous, creamy mashed potatoes with almost no lumps. However, in this recipe, there are also carrots and onions. If you use a potato masher, you will have tender mashed carrots and potatoes with noticeable small pieces of carrots and sautéed onions. If you like hearty rustic dishes, a potato masher is your perfect gadget for this recipe.
- Potato ricer. (It resembles a big garlic press). I first saw this miracle only after I moved to Italy. Here, such a device is not a novelty at all, but for me, it was a real discovery. If you don’t have this assistant in your kitchen yet, I strongly advise you to buy it – it will provide you with the best potato and carrot mash, without lumps, smooth, creamy, and just perfect. But with noticeable pieces of sautéed onions. This is not a disadvantage at all, on the contrary – it’s a kind of “highlight” that will make the puree more interesting.
- Immersion blender. This is the only kitchen gadget that I don’t recommend using when you are preparing potato dishes. Yes, it can mash potatoes in seconds, but it will be the worst mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted. The blades of the blender rotate at a high speed, and this causes excessive release of starch. As a result, you will get a sticky, tasteless potato mass that resembles glue. But the blender is ideal when you need to puree carrots: mash boiled potatoes with a masher or ricer; blend carrots and onions with a blender. Then mix everything together, and add the rest of the ingredients – you will get fantastic mashed carrots and potatoes with the perfect consistency.
Ingredients
- ½ stalk of leek (can be replaced with a regular onion)
- 2Tbsp olive oil
- 1lb (500g) potatoes
- 1lb (500g) carrots
- 1Tbsp finely grated cheese (I usually use Parmesan)
- 3Tbsp milk
- water
- ground black pepper
- salt
- 1Tbsp (20g) butter at room temperature
How to make mashed carrots
Peel the potatoes and carrots and cut them into small pieces. Boil them separately in salted water.
Chop leeks (or onions) and sauté them in olive oil
When the vegetables are ready, drain them. If you like mashed potatoes with visible pieces of carrots, mash the potatoes and carrots together with a masher (as in picture 1) and add the rest of the ingredients. If you want to prepare a puree with creamy consistency without lumps (as in picture 2), then remember to use a potato masher only for potatoes. Puree carrots and sautéed onions with a blender. After that, mix them together, add butter, grated cheese, milk, and ground pepper. Add salt to taste.
Healthy, delicious and so bright carrot puree is ready. Bon Appetit!
How to serve savory mashed carrots
It’s a great side dish for meat and fish. I highly recommend trying it with:
- stewed meat
- kotleti
- Italian polpette
- Italian sausage
- gravy
- meatloaf or polpettone
- tuna steak
FAQ
Place the mashed carrots in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. If necessary, heat the puree in a pan with a little oil.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish. After freezing, it will lose its texture and become watery.
Of course! Just swap the dairy milk and butter for plant-based ones.
These mashed carrots and potatoes are great no matter what you serve them with. Prepare them for a weeknight or serve them for holidays. You and your family are going to love this simple recipe. Enjoy life brightly!
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Recipe for mashed carrots and potatoes
Equipment
- Potato masher
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ stalk of leek (can be replaced with a regular onion)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb (500g) potatoes
- 1 lb (500g) carrots
- 1 Tbsp finely grated cheese (I usually use Parmesan)
- 3 Tbsp milk
- water
- ground black pepper
- salt
- 1 Tbsp (20g) butter at room temperature
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and carrots and cut them into small pieces. Boil them separately in salted water.
- Chop leeks (or onions) and sauté them in olive oil
- When the vegetables are ready, drain them. If you like mashed potatoes with visible pieces of carrots, mash the potatoes and carrots together with a masher (as in picture 1) and add the rest of the ingredients. If you want to prepare a puree with creamy consistency without lumps (as in picture 2), then remember to use a potato masher only for potatoes. Puree carrots and sautéed onions with a blender. After that, mix them together, add butter, grated cheese, milk, and ground pepper. Add salt to taste.
- Healthy, delicious and so bright carrot puree is ready. Bon Appetit!
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