This basic Roasted Turnips recipe is a great way to really let the flavor of this delicious root vegetable shine. It’s a tasty side dish to serve with most any fish or meat and can be made in just around 30 minutes.
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If you are new to turnips, roasting them is a great way to really get a taste for this vegetable.
Smaller, younger turnips have a sweeter taste, often described as being similar to that of carrots.
Medium aged turnips, as used in this Roasted Turnips recipe, taste more like potatoes.
This recipe actually tastes very similar to Roasted Rutabaga (which is called a turnip is some countries).
Why This Recipe Works
Roasted Turnips is an easy side dish that you can make to pair with just about any meat or seafood.
Turnips are a low calorie vegetable that’s also much lower in carbohydrates than other root vegetables. One medium turnip has around 8 total carbohydrates.
This makes turnips a great choice to swap in for carrots or potatoes especially for those watching their carbohydrate intake.
How to Make Roasted Turnips
Prep!
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Cut both of the ends off of your turnips and peel the outer skin off with a vegetable peeler.
Tip: you don’t have to peel the skin, but it may be more bitter if your turnips are larger or older.
Choose smaller, younger turnips if you prefer a sweeter flavor and medium aged turnips if you prefer a taste more similar to potatoes.
Store raw turnips tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Store leftover cooked turnips in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-5 days.
FAQ’s
What do turnips taste like? Younger, smaller turnips have a sweeter taste to them. As they age, then start to taste more like a potato. If your turnips are older or even sprouting, they will be bitter and should probably be thrown out.
Do you need to peel turnips? No, you don’t need to peel turnips unless you prefer to. Older turnips skin may have a more butter taste to it.
More Low Carb Side Dish Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this recipe, then you will most likely enjoy Roasted Rutabaga. They have a very similar flavor.
Some other low carb side dish recipes that you might like include this Cauliflower Au Gratin recipe as well as this recipe for Fried Cabbage and Bacon.
This basic Roasted Turnips recipe is a great way to really let the flavor of this delicious root vegetable shine. It makes a great side dish to most any fish or meat dish.
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.
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.
As a product of this group, the turnip is known for its high nutrient count and its low calorie density, which makes it a perfect food to add to your healthy eating plan. In one medium-sized turnip there are just 34 calories, 4 grams of fiber when cooked and 1 gram of protein.
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.
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.
Boil or steam turnips and add them to mashed potatoes for extra vitamins and minerals. Grate them raw into salads or slaws. Roast them with other root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, and bring out their natural sweetness.
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.
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.
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.
This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable. It has various unwelcome effects, such as softening the vegetable, altering the vegetable's flavor, destroying thiamine content, and hastening the loss of vitamin C.
They play a significant role in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's DASH diet, which medical experts have designed to bring down blood pressure. Turnips also provide potassium, which may help lower blood pressure by releasing sodium from the body and helping arteries dilate.
Turnips come from the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cabbage and mustard greens. They have a much more round, squatty shape and a pinkish-purple crown. In terms of flavor, turnips have a more bitter, spicy flavor as opposed to the sweetness of parsnips.
Yes, people living with diabetes can eat turnip as it is a low glycemic index vegetable that can help regulate blood sugar levels. However, it is important to monitor portion sizes and overall carbohydrate intake.
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.
The next question is whether to peel turnips. As with carrots, this is largely a matter of preference — with a few caveats. One is that the attractive purplish blush of turnips resides solely in the skin, so you'll lose it if you peel them. Secondly, unless your turnips are farm-fresh, they may have tough skin.
The decision to peel your turnips is totally up to you. However, it's recommended to remove the skin of larger bulbs to avoid a sharp aftertaste when you eat them. If you decide to peel the turnips, do the chore with a vegetable peeler, just as you would with a potato.
Add the turnips and potatoes to a large stockpot and fill the pot with water, enough to cover the vegetables. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then simmer until the turnips are tender (they may take longer to cook than the potatoes), about 15 minutes.
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