Brighten up your dinner table with beet mashed potatoes – a playful spin on the classic dish! These aren’t just tasty; they’re a striking, deep red feast for the eyes. Simple to make, bursting with flavor, and a delightful departure from the norm, these mashed beets and potatoes promise to be the star of your meal!
Want more potato recipes? You’ll love my Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Herring, Easy Potato Soup (Potatissoppa), and Jansson’s Temptation (Swedish Potato Casserole) recipes!
Move over mashed potatoes, now there’s something beetier! (Get it? Anyone? Is this thing on?) I love these beets and mashed potatoes. They’re a super fun twist on regular mashed potatoes. Although it looks like there are a lot of steps in this recipe, it’s actually very simple. You just boil the beets and the potatoes, mash them, mix them together and season. Voila!
If you’re looking for another delicious version of mashed potatoes, try my Caramelized Onion and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The rich, jewel-like hue of the beets give mashed potatoes a vibrant pop of color!
- The subtle sweetness and earthiness of the beets complement the creamy potatoes.
- It’s a fun twist on a very traditional dish!
- They’re incredibly versatile and can be paired with a wide range of main dishes, from roasted meats to vegetarian options.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe!
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes: I like to use Russet potatoes because they make for a fluffy and creamy texture. You can use Yukon Gold if you prefer, but don’t use waxy potatoes like red or fingerling potatoes as those keep their shape and make little potato chunks when mashed.
- Beets: Beets provide a stunning ruby-red color and earthy sweetness to your mashed potatoes. You can use precooked beets to save time.
- Unsalted Butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt when cooking. Salted butter works too. Just make sure to taste the mash before adding any additional salt.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the potatoes and beets. Taste the mash before seasoning, then add some salt, taste again and then add more if necessary. Remember, you can always add more salt, but you can’t remove it!
- White pepper: Adds a mild, floral heat. You can substitute black pepper if you prefer.
See recipe card below for full ingredient measurements.
Variations
- Garlic and Parmesan beet mashed potatoes: Roast a few cloves of garlic and mash them into the beet potato mash. Top with grated Parmesan cheese for an extra burst of flavor.
- Crispy bacon and scallion beet mashed potatoes: Fry bacon until crisp, crumble it, and mix it with finely chopped scallions. Sprinkle this bacon-scallion mixture over your mashed potatoes for a savory crunch and an extra layer of flavor.
- Spicy beet mashed potatoes: Add a kick to your mashed potatoes by incorporating a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce. The subtle heat pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the beets.
- Vegan beet mashed potatoes: Just sub out the butter for your favorite plant-based butter.
- Experiment with garnishes: Garnishes like fresh herbs (parsley, chives), crumbled cheese (goat cheese, feta), or a drizzle of olive oil adds flavor and visual appeal!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step by Step Instructions
Boil the beets:
- Peel the beets, remove the ends and cut them into 1-inch chunks.
- Place the beets in a large pot and cover with cold water so the water line is about 1 inch above the beets. Season with 1 tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-high and gently boil for 20-25 minutes, or until beets are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Drain the beets and set aside to cool a bit. You don’t want to add hot food to a food processor.
Pro Tip: Use precooked beets to save time!
Boil the potatoes:
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water so the water line is about 1 inch above of the potatoes. Season with 1 tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-high and gently boil for 10-12 minutes, or until you can easily insert a knife into the center of the potatoes with very little resistance.
- Drain potatoes and immediately return them to the hot stockpot. Return the pot to the hot burner and turn heat down to low.
- Using two oven mitts or potholders, grab the handles of the pot and shake it gently on the burner for about 1 minute to dry up any residual moisture in the pot.
Melt the butter:
- Heat the butter either in a small saucepan or in the microwave until melted.
Process the beets:
- Add the boiled beets to a food processor (or a blender) and process until they reach a smooth consistency.
- Pour the beet mash into a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the potatoes and butter:
- Using a potato ricer, rice the boiled potatoes into the bowl with the mashed beets. If you don’t have a ricer, a potato masher works well too.
- Add the melted butter and mix everything gently to combine. Don’t overmix the mixture or the potatoes may get gummy.
- Taste and add salt and white pepper as needed. You can also add more butter if you’d like.
Expert Tips
- Potato ricer for creamy potatoes: A ricer is an easy way to make super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.
- Food processor for beets: Beets are fibrous, so using a food processor is the best way to puree them. I’ve tried using a ricer and a potato masher. The ricer was a total fail. I couldn’t get the beets to go through it. The masher worked but it took some effort and left pieces of beets, so it’s fine if you don’t want a super creamy texture. It still tastes good! If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender.
- Season gradually: Add the salt and white pepper gradually, tasting as you go. Remember that you can always add more seasoning, but you can’t remove excess salt or pepper once it’s mixed in.
- Reheat with care: If you need to reheat your mash, do so gently to avoid overcooking and changing the texture. Use a microwave them in short intervals, stirring in between, to maintain their creaminess.
What to Serve With
- Swedish Meatball Meatloaf with Lingonberry Glaze
- Swedish Meatballs with Gravy
- Swedish Meatloaf with Caramelized Cabbage (Kålpudding)
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, microwave them in short intervals, stirring in between until they’re heated through. You don’t want to overheat them or they may turn gummy.
Freeze: Once they’ve cooled completely, divide them into individual serving-sized portions. This makes it easier to thaw only what you need and prevents repeated freezing and thawing, which can affect the texture. Place each portion in an airtight, freezer-safe container, a heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw and reheat: When you’re ready to eat them, transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw slowly. Once thawed, reheat them as you would with freshly made mashed potatoes, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
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Beet Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces
- 1 lb beets, peeled, ends removed and chopped into 1" pieces
- 3-4 Tbsp butter, unsalted if using salted butter taste before adding any additional salt
- 2½ tsp salt, or more to taste (divided)
- ⅛ tsp white pepper, or to taste you can use black pepper or leave it out
Instructions
For the beets:
- Place the beets in a large pot and cover with cold water so the water line is about 1 inch above the beets. Season with 1 tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-high and gently boil for 20-25 minutes, or until beets are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Drain the beets and set aside to cool a bit. You don't want to add hot food to a food processor.
For the potatoes:
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water so the water line is about 1 inch above of the potatoes. Season with 1 tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-high and gently boil for 10-12 minutes, or until you can easily insert a knife into the center of the potatoes with very little resistance.
- Drain potatoes and immediately return them to the hot stockpot. Return the pot to the hot burner and turn heat down to low.
- Using two oven mitts or potholders, grab the handles of the pot and shake it gently on the burner for about 1 minute to dry up any residual moisture in the pot.
Bring it all together:
- Heat the butter either in a small saucepan or in the microwave until melted.
- Add the boiled beets to a food processor (or a blender) and process until they reach a smooth consistency.
- Pour the beet mash into a large mixing bowl.
- Using a potato ricer, rice the boiled potatoes into the bowl with the mashed beets. If you don't have a ricer, a potato masher works well too.
- Add the melted butter and mix everything gently to combine. Don't overmix the mixture or the potatoes may get gummy.
- Taste and add salt and white pepper as needed. You can also add more butter if you'd like.
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