This Instant Pot Autumn Mash is one of my favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving, made even easier!
Table of Contents
My favorite mashed potato alternative!
One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes is Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash. Why? ’Cause it’s a feast for both the eyes and tastebuds. My original stovetop version is crazy delicious, but now that I’m a certified Instant Pothead, I was determined to create a shortcut to veggie mash nirvana using my Instant Pot. After some tinkering, I’ve come up with a simpler way to make my Autumn Mash in an electric pressure cooker!
Make it faster in an Instant Pot!
This recipe shaves about 15 minutes off of the original version, but the best part is that you can set the Instant Pot and walk away without worrying about burning down the house. The Thanksgiving struggle is real, so I’m doing my part to get you in the zen zone. I even shortened the name of this dish so it’s not such a tongue twister!
Ingredients
- Roasted garlic: You can also “roast” the garlic in an Instant Pot by following this recipe.
- Ghee
- Onion
- Parsnips
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- Bone broth or organic chicken broth
- Freshly ground pepper
- Minced chives (optional)
How to make Instant Pot Autumn Mash
Start by roasting a head of garlic. Elise Bauer’s recipe is my favorite for its simplicity and consistently perfect results, though I modify it slightly by cooking the garlic in a covered mini cocotte with whatever cooking fat I have on hand (e.g. melted ghee, avocado oil, etc.).
Rushed for time? “Roast” the garlic in an Instant Pot by following this recipe!
I know you might be tempted to skip this part, but the roasted garlic adds a mellow, sweeter flavor that is essential to this dish. You can roast the garlic ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about a week. (Make an extra one so you can squeeze the roasted garlic into other dishes throughout the week!)
When you’re ready to cook the mash, press the “Sauté” button on your Instant Pot and when the metal insert is hot, add three tablespoons of ghee. Toss in the onions and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chopped parsnips, carrots, and cauliflower into the pot, and squeeze in the roasted garlic bulbs.
Sprinkle on some salt.
Pour the broth into the metal insert…
…and give everything a good stir. Cancel the “Sauté” function.
Lock on the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve in the sealed position and program it to cook under high pressure for 5 minutes.
When the Instant Pot beeps to let you know your veggies are done cooking, release the pressure manually.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of ghee.
Purée the mixture with an immersion blender or blitz in a food processor until smooth (or until the desired texture is reached—I prefer it silky-smooth, but Henry likes more texture in his mash).
Finally, plate it up, top with fresh chives and serve!
How to save leftovers
Leftover Autumn mash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Yes, you can definitely make it ahead for Thanksgiving and zap it in the microwave in an Anyday microwave bowl when you’re ready to serve it!
More Thanksgiving recipes
Want to get a downloadable PDF e-book that contains everything you need to wow your family and friends this holiday season: a countdown planner, all of these foolproof Thanksgiving recipes, and step-by-step photos of all the steps? Join my email list!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot Autumn Mash
Ingredients
- 1 head roasted garlic you can also “roast” the garlic in an Instant Pot by following this recipe
- 4 tablespoons ghee divided
- ½ onion coarsely chopped
- ¾ pound parsnips or about 5 small parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 pound carrots or about 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped slightly smaller than parsnips
- 1½ pounds cauliflower florets or 1 small head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
- Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ½ cup bone broth or organic chicken broth
- Freshly ground pepper
- Minced chives optional
Instructions
- Start by roasting a head of garlic. Elise Bauer’s recipe is my favorite for its simplicity and consistently perfect results, though I modify it slightly by cooking the garlic in a covered mini cocotte with whatever cooking fat I have on hand (e.g. melted ghee, avocado oil, etc.). Rushed for time? “Roast” the garlic in an Instant Pot by following this recipe!
- When you’re ready to cook the mash, press the “Sauté” button on your Instant Pot and when the metal insert is hot, add three tablespoons of ghee. Toss in the onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsnips, carrots, and cauliflower into the pot, and squeeze in the roasted garlic bulbs. Sprinkle on some salt.
- Pour the broth into the metal insert, and give everything a good stir. Cancel the “Sauté” function.
- Lock on the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve in the sealed position and program it to cook under high pressure for 5 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot beeps to let you know your veggies are done cooking, release the pressure manually.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of ghee. Purée the mixture with an immersion blender or blitz in a food processor until smooth.
- Finally, plate it up, top with fresh chives and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was fantastic by the way – I used your old, stovetop recipe, but figured that halving the amount of liquid was the starting point for the IP. I served it with the bacon-wrapped chicken thighs with lemon date sauce from your new book and my two male friends polished off everything. I was a bit sad I had no leftovers, but hey, it was good!
Awesome!
Michelle, Could I sub in white potatoes for the cauliflower? Or even yams? Not a cauliflower household.
Thanks!
Yep!
The ring! Sorry I know it’s about the food but seriously the ring (not the silicone bands). If you have noted prior I’m again sorry (ok not sorry ;)).
It’s an Oura Ring which also works as a fitness and sleep tracker!
Of course!
Thank you!
Made this tonight, and it was good (wish I had the chives though!), but I used a cup of broth since that’s what the IP manual says is minimum liquid. Do you really only use 1/2 cup?
Yep! The vegetables release liquid, too!
Hi, Michelle! I’m trying for a Whole30 Thanksgiving, and this seems perfect. I love to do as much cooking as I can ahead of time – can I make this the day before or will it lose some appeal?
Well, to answer my own question, it’s fantastic on day 2! Be aware that this makes a LOT. For daily use with our family, I’d be inclined to cut back a little.
thinking about making this for thanksgiving on the stove! How much Diamond Crystal kosher salt do you recommend adding?
So creative, yum!
I made this for Thanksgiving. Not a fan of parsnips but the flavor is mellowed out by the carrots and cauliflower. The garlic definitely helped too. Some members of my family happily ate this thinking it was mashed sweet potato! Thank you for yet another great recipe.
Made this tonight — awesomely delish!
Can I freeze individual serving of this with my foodsaver?