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Back when I asked for suggestions for my Family Favorite Entrees THMified post, I was blown away by the number of you that requested a cheesy party potato recipe that would fit the THM lifestyle. This request was a little tricky because 1) potatoes are not recommended on plan, and 2) potatoes are not recommended on plan. 😛 Oh, and 3) potato substitutes don’t taste like potatoes. However, I said I would try to come up with something, so I made (and ate) many valiant attempts that ranged from super disgusting to almost palatable. The final Cheesy Party “Potatoes” recipe is yummy and garlicky with a surprising combination of non-starchy veggies that provide a taste and texture closer to hashbrown potatoes than anything I’ve tried before! They are NOT potatoes and therefore will not taste exactly like potatoes, but they do make a delicious and nutritious cheesy side dish that would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! I happen to think that this is as good as you’re going to get without potatoes, but I’m willing to be proven wrong.
What’s the secret? Turnips and cauliflower. I didn’t want to use cauliflower only because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the grated hashbrown texture. I’ve used grated turnip (a Fuel Pull non-starchy) in the Breakfast Casserole recipe in my cookbook where it worked well, so I decided to give it another try. I asked my mom to pick up some turnips for me at the local grocery store, and she came home with some big lunkers! Excited about my new idea, I grated them up (not bothering to peel them), added a cheesy sauce, and popped it in the oven where it baked up beautifully. I tasted it with bated breath…and immediately my heart sank. My “potatoes” were nearly soupy because of all the juices that had escaped the grated turnip in the baking process, but the bigger problem was that the whole pan tasted overwhelmingly of something akin to horseradish! I like horseradish, but not when I’m shooting for a mild, cheesy potato recipe.
Take 2 had issues as well, but for Take 3 (this recipe) I used small turnips (they’re MUCH more mild in flavor), peeled them, roasted them to eliminate excess moisture, and added cauliflower for even more mild flavor. Perfect! You may be able to detect a slight trace of turnip flavor, but it’s very slight and the texture is wonderful.
There are a few other veggies you could try in place of the turnips if you prefer (I’ve covered this in the Notes section of the recipe), but I chose turnips for their softer texture and easy availability. I thought about using radishes but didn’t have a good way to get large radishes and didn’t feel like grating a whole bunch of teensy tiny radishes. Besides, I’m concerned that large radishes would have the same strength of flavor as large turnips do. Does anyone know if that’s the case?
Looking for a runnier scalloped “potato” recipe? Try the Scalloped Cauli & Ham on pg. 78 of my cookbook, Necessary Food! That would be a good recipe option if you’re not into trying the whole turnip thing.
Want to see how it’s made? Check out this video!
You may also enjoy:
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STARTING THM
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my recipe index
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recipe index by fuel type/allergy/theme
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Jiggly Cranberry Orange Salad
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Sweet Potato Casserole
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Green Bean Casserole
As always, check out the Notes section of the recipe for extra info. Check out the links in and below the recipe to see the products I use and recommend. Some of the links included in the recipe and blog post are affiliate links, which means that if you make purchases through these links, I make a small commission to help defray the costs of running this blog (at no extra charge to you). Thanks for your help!
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- 4 c. peeled, grated turnip (gently packed)*
- 1 (1 lb.) bag frozen cauliflower florets (thawed)
- Salt
- -
- 1½ c. grated cheddar cheese
- 1 c. cottage cheese
- 1 T. salted butter (softened)
- 1 lg. (or 2 sm.) garlic clove (peeled)
- 2 tsp. chicken bouillon (not low sodium)**
- 1 tsp. each onion powder, parsley flakes
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend
- ⅛ tsp. turmeric (for color)
- -
- 3 T. oat fiber
- -
- Additional ½ c. grated cheddar cheese
- Parsley flakes
- Spread the grated turnip and cauliflower out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and roast at 450* for 20 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 350* to prepare for baking the casserole.
- While the veggies are baking, make the cheese mixture. Add the second section of ingredients (grated cheddar cheese - turmeric) to a blender and blend to a thick paste.
- Put the turnips and cauliflower in a mixing bowl and add the oat fiber. Use a pastry cutter to chop up the cauliflower and distribute the oat fiber at the same time. Add the cheese mixture and mix everything up with a spatula. Spread the mixture into a greased 8"x8" baking dish and top with the additional cheese and parsley flakes.
- Bake (uncovered) at 350* for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly and the veggies are tender.
**Because people usually ask, I recommend a high-quality chicken bouillon like Better Than Bouillon. (I consider this to fall under the "1 g of sugar or less per serving" rule for store-bought condiments.) If using low-sodium bouillon, you may need to add a little salt to the recipe.
I used oat fiber to help soak up some of the moisture from the vegetables and do not recommend leaving it out or substituting for it unless you're OK with a runnier product. To answer a FAQ, no, oat bran and oat fiber are not the same thing and are not interchangeable. We purchase this brand of oat fiber from Netrition.
Obviously these are not potatoes and will not taste exactly like potatoes, but they're a good substitute! I chose a combination of cauliflower and turnip for my favorite taste and texture, but you could try substituting grated jicama or radish for the turnip if you're up to a little experimenting, or even just use all cauliflower. Various vegetables may need longer baking times to soften up (especially jicama!). The texture may vary.
NUTRITION (per serving): 182 calories, 12 g fat, 8 g carb., 3 g dietary fiber, 12 g protein (Carbs minus dietary fiber = 5 g net carb.)
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Are you using rutabagas (orange in color) sometimes called turnip or white turnips?
Recipe looks interesting. Based upon the Color I believe your using rutabagas. I currently prepare rutabaga as a standalone vegetable cooked and mashed with a sweetener and either becel, butter and milk. The left over mashed rutabaga is great when fried to heat up. I agree it can have a lot of moisture left in it.
Thanks Please confirm.
No, these were turnips. The color is from the turmeric. 🙂
I use radishes and when cooked they have no flavor except what is picked up in the recipe. If you freeze them first, they are more mushy, but if you use them fresh, I’d probably try this recipe by whirling in a food processor instead of grating. The texture might be a bit different, but probably acceptable. Since I have a freezer full of them I’m going to have to try it. I chunked them and froze them, so I’d prob whirl, then bake a bit before adding to the recipe. Off to experiment!
Great idea, Diann! I’d like to try that too.
No substitute suggestions for the oat fiber?
I’m afraid not. Oat fiber is a very powdery, fine, dry flour that acts the most like white flour in recipes like this. I’m afraid that substituting another low-carb flour would add some grittiness. You’re welcome to try with the finest, most mild-tasting flour you have, though. (Or just leave it out and expect it to be soupier.)
I just made this and YUM! I also took a scoop of it and spread it on a pan to cook up like a “potato pancake.” It TOTALLY worked and definitely suggest it! I had some sugar-free ketchup on the side, and it is so close to having a regular potato pancake/shredded hash brown that the potato version will not be missed! Thank you for another great one and for utilizing ingredients (read: turnips) I would not have otherwise considered!
That is awesome to hear! Thanks so much for reporting back, Nancy! I love the potato pancake idea!
Can I use garbanzo flour instead of oat fiber? This looks fabulous but I wanted to use ingredients I already have.
I’m not familiar with the texture of garbanzo flour and don’t know if that would be similar in dryness to oat fiber or not, but you’re welcome to try! Since garbanzo flour is made with beans, it is a THM E fuel and would add more carbs to this recipe, taking it closer to crossover range.
Thanks. I’m going to try it!
How about parsnips? We accidentally got a couple of bags!
Parsnips are actually considered a THM E fuel, I believe. They’re sweeter than turnips – more like carrots.
Making this for dinner tonight. I took a tiny bite and YUM…This recipe is absolutely wonderful. Will be making again. Can’t wait for family to try tonight.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear that, Debra!
Have you tried rutabagas? (I know only “old people” know what rutabagas are, according to the produce manager at my grocery store.) They are low calorie, low carb, and I think pretty darn tasty. I’ve not seen them anywhere in a Trim Healthy recipe, or a no-go list.
Yes I have, but I believe they’re considered to be more starchy than turnips so I stayed away from them for this recipe. 🙂 Don’t quote me on that, but that’s what sticks in my mind for some reason….
I can’t waut until next cookbook comes out. I love your recipes!!!! When do u expect the next cookbook to come out?
Aw, thank you, Jan! I’m not throwing out any expectations until it’s nearly done. 😛 Last time it took way longer than I thought it would and I don’t want to raise hopes before the proper time! I *am* working on it, though.
Thanks, God bless you!!!
is this recipe in your recipe book?
No, this is a new recipe and Necessary Food only includes recipes published on my blog through July 2016. This one will be in the next book. 😉
I want to try this with purple radishes. We have some large ones from our farm share. They don’t have a bite like other radishes. I hope the color doesn’t look yucky.
Have you heard of Jerusalem Artichokes? I think they are used as a low starch option at times. I may give them a try and let you know how it turned out as a substitute potato.
I’ve heard of them but never actually seen one in person. That’s a neat suggestion! I’d love to hear how they work!