Carrots and Turnips with Honey Pecans

Carrots and turnips is a great side dish for the holidays. This version is topped with honey and butter-coated pecans. It is a crowd-friendly vegetarian side dish and completes any fall, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner menu.

This recipe was originally posted on 11/3/2014 and was updated with new images and added content on 10/5/2024.

Hope you all had a good weekend! I spent mine being thankful that I don’t have what the daycare children have…the run-of-the-mill cold and hand-foot-and-mouth. It’s been a rough week in regards to health. Thank goodness for Airborne! I swear by that stuff! It does a great job of boosting my immune system. In fact, I have called out sick only ONE DAY in the 15 years of doing daycare and working in close contact with children. NO LIE!! That’s not to say I don’t get sick…I do. However, the majority of the time, my cold symptoms are gone within 24 hours. And when I am ill, I don’t get to the point where I am non-functional.

Sorry to sound like a commercial (I am not being sponsored to say this), but I thought I would share one of my favorite products with you. Airborne doesn’t work for everyone, but it works for me!

How about you? What is your comfort item when you’re not feeling well?

Onto carrots and turnips!  For me, the holiday menu is not quite complete without them. Here is my version—with honey pecans! Yum! It really dresses up the standard carrots and turnips and gives it presence (and extra delicious too!!). Since I still had a lot of pecans left from my Chocolate Crepe Cake with Pumpkin Mascarpone Cream Filling, I thought this side dish was a perfect opportunity to use some more up. It’s not too early to plan for Thanksgiving. Yikes!

This recipe makes 4-6 servings. This recipe can easily be multiplied for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner for a larger crowd. This is a simple side dish that everyone will love!

Recipe Highlights:

• Peel and chop carrots and turnips.
• Place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the veggies. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.
• Place butter and honey in a medium skillet on medium to medium-high heat.
• Add chopped pecans when the butter has melted. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spreading the pecans out.

• When the carrots and turnips are tender, drain. Add butter and salt. Then mash with a potato masher.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the chopped pecans.
• Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to store:

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

You can also prepare everything a day ahead. Store the mashed carrots and turnips in a separate container from the pecans. Reheat the veggie portion just before serving, then top with the pecans.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• Vegetable peeler
• Potato masher
• This 3.5 quart stainless steel pan comes with a pour and strain cover.

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Carrots and Turnips with Honey Pecans

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Stovetop Cooked Cuisine:American Courses:Sides Recipe Keys: V Vegetarian Gluten Free

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:6 Servings

Description

Carrots and turnips is a great side dish for the holidays. This version is topped with honey and butter-coated pecans. It is a crowd-friendly vegetarian side dish and completes any fall, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner menu.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. carrots
• 1 lb. turnips
• 5 tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
• 3/4 rounded tsp. salt, divided
• 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Peel and cut carrots no larger than 1/2-inch slices. Peel turnips and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place carrots and turnips in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover the pan loosely and bring water to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and boil for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. I use a small pointed sharp knife to test tenderness—done when the knife slides in and out easily.
2. While carrots and turnips boil, make the honey pecans. Place a medium skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the honey. Stir gently as the butter melts. Add pecans. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Do not let it burn.
3. Remove from heat and spread pecans in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to dry out. Allow enough space between pecan pieces to prevent excessive clumping.
4. When carrots and turnips are tender, drain. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and brown sugar. Mash using a potato masher. Reseason with salt to taste.
5. Transfer the carrots and turnips to a serving bowl. Break up pecan clumps and layer over mashed carrots and turnips.
6. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note

• For more fall flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or to taste.

Keywords:Carrots and Turnips, Thanksgiving Dinner, Side Dish For the Holidays, Honey Pecans, Vegetarian Side Dish

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