Wondering how to cook turnips? They’re one of the most underrated vegetables. How to describe the flavor of turnips… earthy, like a cross between a potato and a radish, almost. You wouldn’t think this would be tasty, but turnips really are. They’re a must for soup, stew, or a roasted veggie platter. If you’ve wanted to cook them but didn’t know how, may I present to you this helpful turnip tutorial.
Turnips… Hearty, Healthy, Full of Flavor
You have a few different options for preparing turnips as a straight side dish. Just like other veggie sides, you can bake, boil (simmer), or stir-fry turnips. They taste great cooked with just oil and garlic, even better with onions. They’re extra delicious cooked in a cream sauce.
Here’s a Video on How to Cook This Humble Yet Tasty Vegetable
Turnips mingle nicely with mushrooms, potatoes, celery, carrot, sweet potato, cabbage, garlic onion, parsley, sage, and/or dill. Their snappy flavor is a bit cabbage-like, and they pair well with savory foods like butter, cheese, cream and the like.
Turnips: Cooking Methods
Here are some different ways to cook turnips.
- Bake: Slice them up like potatoes. Add to a baking pan. Drizzle with oil, season with salt, pepper and herbs.
- Simmer: Place whole or halved turnips in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer until tender.
- Grill: You can grill turnips if you’re doing something else slow and low on the grill, like ribs. Don’t try to grill turnips if you’re fast-cooking foods like burgers.
- Slow cook: The aforementioned soups and stews go next-level nourishing and hearty with the addition of a few turnips, cut in chunks.
Easy Roasted Turnips- Recipe
Roasted turnips make a great side dish, with almost no fuss to prepare. Just dress, pop in the oven, bake and serve.
Ingredients:
- 5 medium to small turnips (not the big rutabaga – the small ones that are about the size of beets)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Olive oil
- Pinch of sage
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
To make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the turnips in half and then crossways. Arrange in a Pyrex pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with sage, salt and pepper. Toss well. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes or until done to your liking. Turnips turn translucent once they’re cooked to tender.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a nice roasted meat.
Good New for Keto Dieters… Turnips are Low Carb
Here are some perfect ways to enjoy turnips in place of carb-loaded sides.
- Mash them and add cream, as a substitute for mashed potatoes
- Add them to a beef or chicken soup in place of potatoes
- Cook them in a stew along with your meat of choice
- Mash them for a shepherd’s pie made with a low-carb crust
Turnips as a Side Dish… More Great Ideas
Here’s a blog post that shares 12 ideas for serving turnips as a main or a side. Get creative and get healthy! Turnips are great for you, and taste great too.
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