Celeriac isn’t a pretty vegetable. Its pale tan, knobby texture never sees the light of day until it’s pulled from the earth. It’s the root of celery, a base ingredient in most recipes, especially for soups. As expected, the root has a celery taste, but it’s mild with a dense texture. Its flavor is a quaint surprise, especially when paired with other root vegetables.

For the holidays, instead of serving mash potatoes, try adding celeriac root. In this healthy version, use unsweetened thick Greek Yogurt for a creamy and tangy taste. Like most root vegetable purees, season this dish with plenty of sea salt and fresh black pepper. Spice it up a bit with a tiny about of crushed red pepper. Garnish it with celery seed for tiny bits of intense celery flavor.

Plain mash potatoes are a tradition in most households. Play a guessing game with guests by asking them to name the surprise flavor in this mash potato version. Celeriac may not look pretty, but it’s a beautiful addition to your traditional holiday menu.

Mash Celeriac Root and Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 celeriac; outer rough layer removed with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife and diced into 1/2” cubes
  • 1 lb. white potatoes; peeled and chopped into 1/2” pieces.
  • Sea Salt and fresh black pepper; lots of it
  • (Optional) Crushed red pepper; to taste
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 to 3/4-cup whole milk, organic unsweetened/plain Greek yogurt
  • Garnish: Celery seed

Directions

  1. Place diced celeriac and white potatoes in a saucepan and fill with water until barely covered. Generously add salt and cover with a lid. Once the pot is boiling, remove lid and reduce heat to a slow boil. Cook vegetables for a few minutes until soft. Rinse and drain vegetables under cold water to stop them from cooking.
  2. (Optional step to reduce water in the vegetables) Add vegetables to a cold skillet and turn on the heat to a medium-high temperature. Stir for a three to four minutes. The heat will help the excess water evaporate.
  3. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Add butter, yogurt and season generously with salt and black pepper. Add crushed red pepper to taste.
  4. Using a masher, mash celeriac and potatoes until smooth and creamy or chunky creamy.
  5. If the vegetables are lukewarm, preheat oven to 350°F. Place mashed vegetables in a baking dish, cover and place in the oven. Reheat until warm, but not too long or the vegetables will liquefy.
  6. Garnish with celery seed and enjoy.

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3 Comments

  1. Thanks, great ideas, I’m taking some notes. Can you provide some more information about the calories?
    – Liz
    thrift savings plan

  2. You must be absolutely cray. Frugivore/Sanura, yall continue to bring great holiday recipes. Okay enough praise 😉 This looks like it a new staple in my home. I actually had something in the same vein at a Hispanic home, but it was called jicama. Is this similar?

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