The Essential Guide to Cooking Turnips: Tips, Methods, and Recipes
Unlock the delicious potential of turnips with this essential guide to shopping, prepping, and cooking techniques.
How to Cook Turnips: Your Essential Kitchen Guide
Turnips are a delicious, versatile, and often underrated root vegetable that brings nutrition and hearty flavor to a wide range of dishes. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or new to the world of cooking with roots, learning how to shop for, prep, and cook turnips can open up a realm of easy, satisfying meals. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover everything you need to know about working with turnips, including practical tips, cooking methods, recipes, and more.
What Are Turnips?
Turnips (Brassica rapa) are root vegetables related to cabbage and radishes. While turnips have a firm, creamy-white flesh, their exteriors may be white, purple, or both. They have a crisp texture when raw and take on a soft, mellow character when cooked. Their subtly peppery, slightly sweet flavor pairs beautifully with both robust and delicate ingredients.
Both the bulbous root and leafy greens of turnips are edible, though they are often prepared differently. While the roots are usually roasted, mashed, or sautéed, the greens can be cooked much like spinach or kale.
How To Shop for Turnips
Choosing the best turnips at the market is the first step to delicious dishes. Here are some tips to help you pick out the freshest and tastiest turnips for your kitchen:
- Color and Texture: Look for turnips that are small to medium-sized with firm, smooth skin. Avoid those with soft spots, wrinkles, blemishes, or signs of shriveling.
- Size: Smaller turnips (about the size of a golf ball or up to a tennis ball) tend to be sweeter and less fibrous than larger ones, which can be woody and bitter.
- Greens Attached: If the greens are still attached, make sure they are bright, crisp, and unblemished. Wilted or yellowed greens are a sign that the turnips are past their prime.
- Weight: The root should feel heavy for its size, a sign of freshness and moisture content inside.
Seasonally, turnips are most widely available in the cooler months, typically from late fall through early spring.
How To Store Turnips
Proper storage preserves turnips’ texture and flavor. Here’s how to keep them at their best:
- With Greens: Cut off the leafy tops before storing, as they draw moisture out of the root. Store greens separately in a plastic bag for up to three days in the refrigerator.
- Roots: Place the turnip roots in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. They’ll keep well this way for up to two weeks.
- Long-Term Storage: For several weeks’ storage, keep turnips unwashed in a cool, dark, and dry place such as a root cellar. Check periodically for soft spots.
Tip: Wash turnips right before use, not before storing.
How to Prepare Turnips
Prepping turnips is straightforward, but following a few simple steps ensures an ideal texture and flavor in your final dish:
- Washing: Rinse turnip roots under cool running water to remove dirt.
- Peeling: For young, small turnips, peeling is usually unnecessary; simply scrub well. For larger, older turnips, use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the thicker, tougher skin.
- Chopping: Cut turnips as needed—into wedges, cubes, rounds, or slices—depending on your recipe and cooking method.
- Prepping Greens: Wash the leaves thoroughly in several changes of water to remove grit, then chop as desired.
What Do Turnips Taste Like?
Turnip flavor can vary with size, age, and method of preparation:
- Raw: Crisp and mildly peppery, often compared to radish, with a refreshing crunch.
- Cooked: Soft, mellow, and slightly sweet, often described as similar to cooked potato or rutabaga but with a gentle bitterness or tang, especially in older or larger turnips.
- Greens: Slightly bitter with a flavor similar to mustard greens or spinach.
Is There a Difference Between Turnips and Rutabagas?
| Feature | Turnip | Rutabaga |
|---|---|---|
| Skin Color | White & purple, sometimes just white | Yellowish, often with a purple tinge |
| Flesh Color | White | Yellow or golden |
| Flavor | Peppery, slightly sweet, mild | Earthy, milder, sweeter |
| Size & Shape | Small to medium, round | Larger, round–oblong |
| Other Names | — | Swede, Swedish turnip |
While turnips and rutabagas are closely related and sometimes confused, they differ subtly in color, flavor, and texture. Rutabagas are sweeter, denser, and have yellow flesh; turnips are usually white-fleshed with a mild, peppery bite. Both are delicious roasted, mashed, or used in hearty soups and stews.
How To Cook Turnips: Basic Techniques
Turnips are adaptable to numerous cooking methods. Here are the most popular techniques:
1. Roasting
- How: Cut turnips into 3/4-inch cubes or wedges, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Time & Temp: Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 30–40 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and tender.
- Tip: Add other root vegetables—like carrots or parsnips—for variety, or sprinkle with herbs for extra flavor.
2. Boiling or Steaming
- How: Place peeled and chopped turnips in a saucepan of boiling salted water, or in a steaming basket over boiling water.
- Time: Boil or steam for 10–15 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Uses: Serve plain, mash, or add to soups and stews.
3. Mashing
- How: Boil peeled and cubed turnips until tender, then mash with butter, salt, and optional cream or milk.
- Variations: Combine with potatoes for a milder flavor or add roasted garlic for extra depth.
4. Sautéing
- How: Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat, add sliced or diced turnips, and cook until golden and just tender, about 10–15 minutes.
- Flavor Boost: Add aromatics like garlic, onions, or fresh herbs during cooking.
5. Braising
- How: Cook chopped turnips slowly in a flavorful liquid such as stock or wine, often with aromatics, until soft and infused with flavor.
- Time: 25–35 minutes, covered, over low heat.
- Result: Silky, deeply flavored turnips perfect alongside roasted or grilled meats.
How to Cook Turnip Greens
Don’t toss those fresh turnip tops! The greens are packed with nutrients and flavor. Here’s how to enjoy them:
- Wash: Rinse greens thoroughly to remove grit.
- Cook: Sauté quickly in olive oil with garlic and a pinch of salt, or simmer until tender in a little broth with onions and hot sauce for a Southern-style side.
- Add: Stir into soups, pastas, or frittatas for extra color and nutrition.
Best Turnip Recipes to Try
Here are a few classic ways to enjoy turnips in your home kitchen:
- Oven-Roasted Turnips: Cube, toss with oil, season, and roast for an easy side.
- Turnip and Potato Mash: Combine equal parts boiled turnips and potatoes, mash with butter, salt, and a splash of cream for a lighter take on classic mashed potatoes.
- Creamy Turnip Soup: Sauté onions and garlic, add diced turnips and stock, simmer until tender, and blend for a velvety puree.
- Turnip Gratin: Thinly slice and layer turnips with cream, cheese, and herbs; bake until bubbling and golden.
- Glazed Turnips: Simmer in broth with a splash of honey or maple syrup until deeply caramelized.
Tips for Cooking Turnips
- Balance Bitterness: If your turnips are especially strong or bitter, try boiling them in milk or adding a pinch of sugar or honey to mellow their flavor.
- Mix It Up: Combine turnips with potatoes, parsnips, or other root veggies for a naturally sweet, complex taste.
- Don’t Overcook: Exceeding cooking times can make turnips mushy and intensify bitterness.
- Use the Greens: Enjoy the whole vegetable by sautéing or braising the tops as a flavorful green.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Should you peel turnips before cooking?
A: For small, young turnips with thin skin, you don’t need to peel—just scrub thoroughly. For larger, mature turnips with thicker, tougher skin, peeling is recommended for a smoother texture and milder flavor.
Q: Are turnips good raw?
A: Yes! Raw turnips add crunch and a mild kick to salads or slaws. Slice thinly or julienne and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs.
Q: Can you eat turnip greens?
A: Absolutely. The tops are edible and delicious when cooked. They are nutritious and have a flavor that works well in sautés and soups.
Q: How do you keep cooked turnips from being bitter?
A: Choose smaller turnips for a milder flavor, add a splash of vinegar, lemon juice, or a pinch of sugar when cooking, or blend with other root vegetables to balance bitterness.
Q: How long do cooked turnips keep in the fridge?
A: Cooked turnips can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. Reheat gently to preserve texture.
Conclusion
Turnips shine as a versatile, budget-friendly addition to your kitchen. With the right techniques and a little creativity, these nutrient-packed roots can star in everything from simple weeknight dinners to festive holiday spreads. Whether roasted, mashed, or blended into soups, turnips bring comfort and flavor to any table. Don’t forget the greens—for a complete and waste-wise culinary experience!
