Name: Microwave Carrot and Potato Mash Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 Medium Potatoes; 2 Large Carrots; 50 ml Milk; 25 g Butter; Salt; Black Pepper

Ingredients

3 Medium Potatoes
2 Large Carrots
50ml Milk
25g Butter
Salt
Black Pepper

Method

Step 1: Prep

Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots into evenly-sized small pieces. This ensures they cook evenly. You want cubes of approximately 1-inch square.

Peeling potato in focus with out of focus carrots and potato peelings in the background

Step 2: Add to Bowl

Place them in a microwave-safe bowl and add a splash of water. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid or cling film, leaving a small gap for steam to escape.

Raw carrots and potatoes in a glass bowl covered with cling film

Step 3: Microwave

Microwave on high for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Check halfway through and stir if needed. This is especially important if the vegetables are not in a single layer.

Remember, you are mashing the vegetables. Although you don’t want to completely overcook them, there’s no issue if they go a little mushy.

Cooked carrots and potatoes in a glass bowl covered with cling film

You’ll need to adjust these timings if you don’t have a 900w microwave. Add 1-2 minutes for lower wattages and check the veggies after 8 minutes for higher wattages.

Step 4: Drain

Drain any excess water and add the butter and milk to the bowl immediately. You need the residual heat to melt the butter.

Step 5: Mash

Mash everything together until smooth. Add more milk if needed for the desired consistency before you season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mashing carrot and potatoes in a glass bowl with milk and butter

Tweaks

Add Herbs When microwaving the vegetables, add a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary or tarragon to give your mash more flavour.
Make it Cheesy When adding the milk and cheese, add a handful of freshly grated cheddar cheese to create a cheesy mash.
Add Flavour Spike the mash with flavour by stirring through a spoonful of mustard or black garlic paste, or a few drops of Lea and Perrins.

Substitutes

Use Other Roots Swap out the carrots for any other root vegetables. Swede, turnip, parsnip and celeriac all work well as mash.
Go Vegan Swap the butter for margarine or vegan spread and use oat milk in place of the milk to turn this into vegan carrot and potato mash easily.

Storage

In the Fridge Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Just make sure it’s not too hot when you put it in the fridge. It will keep for 3-4 days.

In the Freezer To freeze carrot and potato mash, first let it cool completely. Then, portion it into freezer-safe bags or containers. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.

Tips

Use Uniform Pieces: When prepping your vegetables, aim for uniformity in size to ensure even cooking. Pieces that are too large may remain uncooked.

Limit Water Use: Aim for enough water to cover the bottom of the bowl, roughly 2-3 tablespoons. This will create steam for cooking without boiling the vegetables.

Remove Excess Water: After cooking, there might be more water in the bowl than expected. Carefully drain this off to avoid a watery mash.

Pass Through a Sieve: If you want the smoothest of all mashes then pass it through a fine sieve. This will remove all lumps.