The Best Easy Turnip Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes turnips taste better? ›

A variety of herbs and spices can be added to the mashed turnips. Try a tablespoon of finely chopped sage or rosemary, a clove or two of roasted or sautéed garlic, or a pinch of paprika or ground ginger. If your turnips came with the greens, don't throw them away.

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.

Roasting mellows the flavor of turnips and concentrates their texture into a tender, melting vegetable. Serve these easy roasted turnips with other roasted vegetables (the sweetness of carrots is a good complement) alongside roasted meats or with a simple roasted chicken.

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.

The bitterness comes from chemical compounds called glucosinolates that can be found in the Brassica family. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, these compounds have been known to have anti-cancer properties.

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.

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.

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. Raw baby turnips can be sliced or diced and used in salads.

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.

Turnips are packed with nutrients, low in calories, and a great source of fiber. They have a mild, slightly peppery flavor that can easily be transformed to mimic the taste of potatoes. By cooking turnips like potatoes, you can enjoy a healthier alternative without sacrificing taste.

What do you eat turnips with? ›

Cooked turnips are also sweet but the tang becomes somewhat bitter, so they are best eaten with fatty or spicy food. The best combinations I know are a sidedish of mashed turnips and carrots and as a full meal, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips (with or without carrots) , a rich beef gravy and haggis.

Any root crop (potatoes, carrots, radishes, parsnips, turnips) needs a fine- textured, well-drained soil to grow properly. 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.

Turnips are a part of the Brassica family, which also includes cabbage, rutabaga, and radish, and shares many flavor notes with these cousins. When properly prepared, it has a refreshing, slightly sweet taste with a delicate bitterness. If overcooked, it smells like something you would blame on the dog.

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.

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.

We did record slightly elevated sugar concentrations in kale, radish, and turnip leaves following frost, but starch levels also were slightly higher after frost in kale and radish leaves, indicating starch levels do not drop after frost.

When are turnips in season? Peak season for baby turnips is June to July. You can buy winter turnips all year round, although peak season is from October to February.