How to cook turnips recipe

Learn how to cook turnips! Roasted with salt and pepper, this underrated vegetable becomes sweet, tender and nutty. It’s a delicious and healthy side dish!

Turnips are one of the vegetables I buy most often in the fall. I could never resist them at the farmers’ market: bright white, pink or tinged with purple, with lush green tops attached. They often look more humble in the grocery store, but they’re still worth buying. Turnips have a slightly sweet and peppery flavor with delicious nutty and mustard undertones. Why not add them to your root vegetable rotation?

I share below a guide on how to cook turnips, complete with my favorite roasted turnip recipe. It’s easy to make with 4 ingredients and cooks in about 30 minutes. If you’re new to cooking with this vegetable, or if you’ve never done it, I hope you’ll try this healthy side dish. This might just convince you to become a turnip team!

How to cook turnips

First, some context! Turnips are part of the brassica family, related to cabbage, Brussels sprouts and rutabaga. You’ll typically see a few varieties at farmers markets and grocery stores:

• Harukei – Also called Japanese turnip, this variety has a bright white color, small size, sweet flavor, and crisp, juicy texture.
• Scarlet – Taste and texture similar to Harukei, but with a spicy red skin.
• White globe with purple top – The most common variety. It has a denser, slightly starchier texture that is better cooked than raw.

I like thinly slice Harukei and scarlet turnips and use them raw in salads. They are also pretty in quarters and steamed. All three types are excellent in soups and stews.

But more often than not, when I have turnips on hand, I roast them. Here’s how I do it:

Start by cutting the turnips. If they have greens, cut them where the turnip root meets the stems. Don’t throw away the greens though! Store them in the refrigerator for another use. Just like green radishes, they are excellent sautéed or sautéed. I also love them in miso soup!

Next, prepare the bulbs. Scrub them well and peel them, if you wish. If the bulbs are small, cut them in half or quarters. If large, cut turnips into 1-inch pieces.

Then season the turnips. Arrange them on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Toss the turnips with a drizzle of olive oil, pinches of salt and several grains of pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet, leaving some space between pieces.

• Other seasoning options: Garlic powder, fresh hardy herbs like thyme or rosemary, or dried thyme or rosemary

Roast at 425°F for 20 to 35 minutes, or until tender and golden brown around the edges. The timing will depend on the variety: Harukei cook quite quickly. Other types will take longer.

Season to taste and serve garnished with a pinch of chopped fresh parsley. A squeeze of lemon juice doesn’t hurt either. Appreciate!

Simpler Vegetable Recipes

If you enjoyed learning how to cook turnips, then try one of these simple vegetable recipes:

Roasted Turnips

Preparation time: 10 minutes minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes minutes

Total duration: 30 minutes minutes

Serves 3 at 4

This simple roasted turnip recipe is one of my favorite methods for cooking turnips. An easy, healthy and delicious side dish, the roots are tender, sweet and nutty in flavor. I often don’t peel them before roasting, but feel free to peel them if you prefer.

• 1 bunch turnips, greens trimmed, bulbs halved or quartered if small, cut into 1-inch pieces if large
• extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Cooking methodStop your screen from going dark

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Arrange the turnips on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet.

• Roast for 20 to 35 minutes, or until tender and golden around the edges. The exact timing will depend on the variety and freshness. Season to taste, garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.