The Best Easy Turnip Recipes (2024)

If you have turnips and you are wondering what to do with them, here is our collection of easy great turnip recipes. Plus have you ever wondered how to tell the difference between a turnip and a rutabaga? Find out the answers today in the Ultimate Guide to Turnips, plus tips on how to store them and more.

The Best Easy Turnip Recipes (1)

I originally shared this guide to turnips on April 4th, 2018. I have updated some of the text today.

Table of contents

  • TURNIP RECIPES
  • Origin and Growing Turnips
  • Turnip Nutrition
  • Turnip Buying and Storing

TURNIP RECIPES

The Best Easy Turnip Recipes

If you have turnips and you are not sure what to make with them, try this collection of easy recipes.

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Roasted Turnips

Here is a simple recipe for Roasted Turnips. It’s a great recipe for beginners because it is so easy. It is a great vegetable side dish alternative to potatoes and is paleo friendly, vegan and whole-30 approved!

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Turnip Casserole

Our simple Turnip Casserole includes caramelized onions to lend a necessary sweetness to the peppery turnips. Pair this scalloped turnip recipe with beef, pork or chicken for a holiday meal.

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Bean Bake with Greens and Turnips | Naturally.

Photo Credit:naturallyella.com

An easy and beautiful bean bake featuring the buttery corona beans tossed with turnip or kale greens and topped with sliced turnips.

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Creamed Turnip Recipe

Here is a recipe for creamed turnips and turnip greens with cashew cream sauce. It's naturally gluten-free and low carb. To make it vegan just skip adding in the Pecorino at the end. It's a creamy yet healthy vegetable recipe to share on Easter or with a simple weeknight meal.

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Turnip Pasta with Pesto, Artichoke Hearts and Kale

Photo Credit:www.theroastedroot.net

Turnip Pasta with Pesto, Artichoke Hearts and Kale is a super nutritious meal perfect for those who are looking for a whole food, paleo, grain-free or low-carb/keto dinner recipe.

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Baked Turnip Chips

Photo Credit:thelemonbowl.com

A healthy twist on a salty snack, baked turnip chips will be devoured by kids and adults alike.

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Slow Cooker Turnip Greens Recipe

Photo Credit:addapinch.com

Slow Cooker Turnip Greens makes easy work of a delicious Southern dish. This turnip greens recipe is a favorite and perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday suppers and New Year’s Day!

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Vegetable Mash

This Mashed Root Vegetable Puree with Garlic is ultra creamy and makes a great alternative to mashed potatoes.

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Turnip and Potato Patties

Photo Credit:www.simplyrecipes.com

Try these delicious turnip and potato patties! They're a cross between pancakes and fritters, but made with turnips and potatoes.

Origin and Growing Turnips

What is the Origin of Turnips? Turnips are a root vegetable in the family Brassica that are thought to have originated in Asia.

Do Turnips Survive a Frost? Yes, they can be harvested after one or two frosts.

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What kind of soil do Turnips Prefer? They can tolerate a slightly alkaline soil (they prefer 6.0 to 7.5.) As with most root vegetables, turnips grow best in loose and deep soil.

What are the different varieties of turnips? The most common “grocery store” turnips available here in the US are Purple Top, though there are dozens of varieties including Japenese turnips. When peeled purple top carrots are white inside. Golden turnips, are golden inside and out. Hakurei are a common variety of Japanese salad turnips. They are creamy white in color, with delicate green leaves and are eaten raw and do not need to be peeled. They have a crispy slightly spicy flavor, similar to radish.

Turnip Nutrition

The following information in this section about Nutrition was provided by RD and my friend Danielle Omar,Integrative Dietitian and creator of Nourish: 21 days of Clean eating. Find her at foodconfidence.com.

Turnips have myriad health benefits. Read more details in our complete guide to Turnip Nutrition where we will cover Carbohydrates, Glycemic Load FODMAPs and more.

Since turnips are cruciferous vegetables, they’re associated with cardiovascular health and cancer prevention thanks to their anti-inflammatory benefits.

They’re also rich in vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision and immune health, vitamin C, an antioxidant that fights free radicals and promotes immune health, and vitamin K, which is essential for healthy blood clotting.

Turnips are high in fiber, making them filling and beneficial for digestive health, but lower in carbs than other root vegetables like potatoes.

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Turnip Buying and Storing

How do I choose turnips? Choose turnips without any sign of rot. Try to purchase them in groups of similarly sized turnips so they can be cut and cooked at the same rate. If the greens are attached, look for fresh (un-wilted greens) as that is a sign they were freshly picked. Once the greens start to wilt, they will pull moisture from the roots.

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How Do I Tell The Difference Between a Turnip and a Rutabaga?

Turnips are usually smaller, and thinner skinned than rutabaga. Rutabaga are rarely sold with greens attached and are often coated in wax. Though there are golden varieties of turnips, mostly rutabaga are easily distinguished because they are more golden in color.

What is the best way to store Turnips?

Store turnips in a plastic bag in the produce drawer of your fridge. According to High Mowing Seeds “Unwashed roots can store for several weeks at 32°F at a high relative humidity as close to 95% as possible. With good air circulation, topped roots can be stored four to five months.” If you buy them with the greens attached, cut them off and store them separately, as the greens will pull moisture from the root.

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Can I freeze turnips?

Turnips do not freeze very well, as they become mushy. Once they are thawed, they are best used in stews or soups. Mashed turnip freezes well and can be blended into other mashed root vegetables such as potatoes.

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What do Turnips taste like?

Turnips are mild and slightly spicy, similar to a radish in flavor. They have a slight sulfurous note as they are part of the brassica family.

What do they go with?

Turnips go great with pork. They are often paired with other root vegetables and cook nicely in stew recipes.

Strong flavors like smoked bacon, miso and Dijon mustard pair well with turnips as do spicy and creamy sauces, such as horseradish.

Try roasting peeled turnips with olive oil, dried herbs, salt and pepper until tender. Use a hot oven 400- 425 degrees F, and turn occasionally until browned in places and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle hot turnips with Balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Toss cubes of hot steamed turnips with minced garlic cooked in olive oil. Add in salt, pepper, chopped thyme and grated Parmesan, and serve immediately. Serve with Crispy Skin Chicken Thighs, roasted spatchco*ck chicken and chopped winter salad.

Can you eat them raw?

Salad turnips are delicious raw. They are crisp like an apple, and sweet and peppery like a radish. They do not need to be peeled. Purple top and golden turnips, while technically edible raw, are more palatable when cooked. They are fibrous (like a beet) and if served raw should be finely shredded or jullienne cut.

The Best Easy Turnip Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes turnips taste better? ›

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips? Smaller turnips tend to be sweeter and less bitter, so start by selecting fresh, small, tender turnips and peeling them. Adding a little sugar to your turnips after cooking can also help to counteract any bitterness.

How to cook turnips so they are not bitter? ›

If you want to try a different cooking method, I tend to like turnip boiled and mashed. If the turnip is old (and likely bitter) you can add an apple. I've also read that you can stir in baking soda after the turnips have boiled to remove the bitterness. You would then need to rinse thoroughly.

What is the best way to eat turnips? ›

Try them baked or boiled in stews, soups and stir-fries, or lightly steamed with some butter, salt or lemon juice for flavor. homemade coleslaw.

How to get rid of bitterness in turnips? ›

The humble vegetable is worthy of a second look. Wash greens and roots well. Some suggest soaking the greens in a little salty water. One turnip website from the United Kingdom notes that if you boil them, add a little sugar to tame the scent and add baking soda to reduce bitterness.

Why do turnips hurt my stomach? ›

However, they can instigate causing gas and bloating. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale, and turnips contain a non-digestible carbohydrate (trisaccharide) called raffinose. The way to avoid belly bloat and still be able to enjoy cruciferous veggies is to let your digestive system adjust over time.

How to soften turnips when cooking? ›

Place the turnips in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of salted water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer until the turnips are tender when pierced with a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Step three: Season and serve. Drain the turnips and season with salt and pepper.

Why are my turnips tough? ›

If the soil is too heavy, the crop will rot. If the soil is too lumpy or rocky, the roots will be tough, fibrous and misshapen.

What is the side effect of turnip? ›

If you experience food allergy symptoms like hives, itching or swelling after consuming turnips, discontinue use and consult with your doctor immediately. Cruciferous vegetables like turnips are also considered goitrogenic, which means that they may interfere with the production of thyroid hormones.

How to cook turnip jamie oliver? ›

Alternatively, you can steam, roast or braise the roots. Larger turnips are best peeled and steamed, boiled or mashed. Chunks of turnip are often added to casseroles or soups. Try sautéing or steaming the leaves in the same way as spinach, or add them to stews and curries.

Are turnips healthier than potatoes? ›

Turnips are a healthy alternative to potatoes; they're lower in calories and have fewer carbs.

Do turnips need to be fully cooked? ›

Raw turnips are even more nutritious than cooked turnips and can be grated into salads or used in slaws. It's essential to thoroughly clean turnips first if you're eating them raw, even if you plan to peel them.

Are boiled turnips good? ›

Turnips are a vegetable that people can consume raw or cooked. They are a good source of vitamin C, folate, iron, and calcium.

How do you take the bitterness out of a rutabaga? ›

How Do You Get the Bitter Taste Out of Rutabagas? If you find that rutabagas are too bitter for you, add up to a tablespoon of sugar to accentuate the sweetness and stir to combine. This will help to counteract the bitterness.

Are turnips good or bad for you? ›

Turnips and other cruciferous vegetables that are high in fiber help make people feel fuller for longer, and they are low in calories. Eating high fiber meals also helps keep blood sugar levels stable. The fiber content in turnips may also prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Are turnips better for you than potatoes? ›

Turnips are a healthy alternative to potatoes; they're lower in calories and have fewer carbs. Smaller, sweeter turnips can be sliced into wedges and eaten raw like an apple.

Does frost make turnips sweeter? ›

Additionally, there was no change in the sugar levels of radish and turnip taproots following frost. Sugar levels in both were relatively high before and after frost. Sulfur: We also tested sulfur levels, as high sulfur concentrations may decrease palatability to deer.

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