Turnips can be a little sharp in their taste, but something happens when you roast these peppery veggies from the mustard family. Roasting mellows the flavor of turnips and concentrates their texture into a tender, melting vegetable. Serve these easy roastedturnips with other roasted vegetables (the sweetness of carrots is a good complement) alongside roasted meats or with a simple roasted chicken.
This recipe is really a method. Feel free to change the amount to suit your needs. Try adding fresh herbs (rosemary is particularly delicious with the spicy bite of turnips) or spices, or combine the turnips with other root vegetables as you like. You'll find some variations at the end of the recipe. They're tasty all on their own but can certainly benefit from a bit of extra love.
Serve roasted turnips hot, warm, or at room temperature as a side dish, or as part of a roasted vegetable platter.
what you'll need for this roasted turnips recipe
A Good Vegetable Peeler
A Sharp Paring Knife
A Reliable Baking Dish
"Plentiful, simple, and easy-to-follow, these roasted turnips are a great side dish. They have a little bit of a bitter note, but since they are roasted and sprinkled with salt and olive oil, the flavor combination works well. I made a batch of this for dinner one night and everyone really enjoyed them." —Victoria Heydt
Preheat the oven to 400 F. While the oven heats, trim and peel the turnips. Tender baby turnips can be simply scrubbed instead of peeled, but their peel will still be a bit more fibrous than the tender insides. Leave baby turnips whole; cut bigger ones into 1-inch pieces.
Put the prepared turnips in a baking pan or on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil. Use your hands or 2 large spoons to toss the turnips around a bit to coat them thoroughly with the oil. Sprinkle them with salt.
Roast the turnips until they're tender and browned. Start checking them after about 30 minutes. Depending on their size and age, it may take up to an hour or more to become completely tender. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if you'd like, and serve.
If you want to keep your cooking time on the lower end, then you should cut the turnips into 1-inch cubes. If they are larger, they will take closer to 60 minutes to roast.
Recipe Variations
After 20 minutes, add a few grinds of coarsely ground black pepper over the turnips.
When you take the turnips out of the oven, toss them with a tablespoon or two of minced fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, and/or rosemary.
Drizzle the roasted turnips withromesco sauceorhomemade pestowhen you serve them. If it's spring and you have baby turnips, they are a particularly good match forgreen garlic pesto.
When the turnips arealmostdone, add about 1 tablespoon of butter, toss to melt and coat the turnips, then sprinkle them with about 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, and toss again to coat them evenly. Roast for another 5 to 10 minutes.
If you're cooking a chicken or a pork roast, simply add the turnips to the pan to roast with them. The juices from the roast will flavor the turnips beautifully.
Mix things up by roasting other root vegetables—potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and rutabagas are all goods choices. Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly. Beets are tasty, too, but know that they will stain the turnips pink when they touch.
How to Store Roasted Turnips
Turnips, like many roasted vegetables, will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days if they're in a sealed container. You can reheat them until warmed through in the microwave, in a low oven covered in aluminum foil, or in a cast-iron skillet with a little drizzle of olive oil.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
37
Calories
2g
Fat
4g
Carbs
1g
Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories
37
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g
3%
Saturated Fat 0g
2%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 188mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate 4g
1%
Dietary Fiber 2g
5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg
44%
Calcium 25mg
2%
Iron 0mg
1%
Potassium 134mg
3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
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.
It's not essential to peel turnips before cooking. If this skin appears to be thin enough you can leave it on and cook as is. However if the skin feels thick and leathery, you can peel it off with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Both the roots and leaves, also known as turnip greens, are safe to eat.
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.
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.
Rinse turnips and remove tops, reserve them for another recipe. cut turnips in half then into wedges about 1/4" thick. Toss with olive oil and seasoning then spread in a single layer in a baking pan. Roast until golden brown on edges, 10-15 minutes.
They take about as long to cook as carrots but do not overcook. Unlike carrots which become sweeter with cooking, turnips lose their sweetness when overcooked.
Do you have to peel turnips before cooking them? No, you don't need to peel turnips before cooking them. However, if you don't peel your turnips, you do need to make sure that they've been washed and scrubbed to take off any dirt or pesticides.
Boosts immunity: Rich in vitamin C, turnips help strengthen the immune system and protect against infections. Aids digestion: High in fiber, turnips promote healthy digestion and prevent constipation. Supports bone health: Turnips contain calcium and vitamin K, essential nutrients for maintaining strong bones.
Salt is one of my favorite ways to cut the bitterness in turnip greens. I then add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the broth and simmer for the last 20 minutes. Works like a charm!
Rutabagas are also generally much larger than turnips. So for a quick rule of thumb, the brownish-yellowish ones are rutabagas, and the smaller white and purple ones are turnips. In terms of their flavor, rutabagas are slightly sweeter-tasting than turnips whereas turnips have a slightly more radishy flavor.
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.
Turnips have a crisp, white inner flesh and a zesty, peppery flavor. People can eat them raw or cooked. However, roasting turnips tends to bring out their best flavors and qualities.
Turnips contain sulfur, giving them a peppery taste that potatoes lack. However, the flavors are so similar that some people replace potatoes with turnips in recipes like casseroles to create healthier meals, per Spend With Pennies.
The turnips should stay fresh and ready to cook for up to 2 weeks if stored separately in the fridge. Keep them in the vegetable crisper drawer to keep them in a more humid environment, which maintains the root's flesh and texture more effectively.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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