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.
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.
I have not found a bitter turnip as long as you boil with about 1 tablespoon brown sugar. I discovered that cooking them with tomatoes made them less bitter. Pondering this - I thought it might be the acid. So I cooked them about half done in VERY salty water with a couple of tablespoons of vinagar or lemon juice.
Swedes and Turnips do come from the same family. Swede is a Swedish turnip, hence the name “swede”.They are bigger, tougher skinned, yellow fleshed and much hardier than a turnip. Turnips are the smaller ones, with smoother skin and white flesh.
To peel or not to peel, that is the question. 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.
If you are suffering from thyroid disorders, it is best to avoid eating turnips as this vegetable contains certain compounds that may affect the thyroid gland and interfere in the functioning of the hormone.
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.
Roasting mellows the flavor of turnips and concentrates their texture into a tender, melting vegetable. Serve these easy roasted turnips with other roasted vegetables (the sweetness of carrots is a good complement) alongside roasted meats or with a simple roasted chicken.
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. Raw baby turnips can be sliced or diced and used in salads.
Though they are most commonly cooked, turnips can be enjoyed raw as well. If you plan to eat them raw, simply peel and slice the turnip like an apple to eat with dips or add to the top of your salad. Be sure to slice off the root end and remove the greens – which can be saved for cooking as well.
And if their reputation for bitterness scares you or your kids, fear not. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness. Another secret is how you peel them. Bitter notes lie just under the surface of the skin, but you can eliminate this if you go a little deeper when peeling them.
Bitter greens are leafy greens or vegetables that have an intense bitter flavor profile. They include kale, mustard greens, collards, turnip greens, broccoli rabe, radicchio, chicory, and endive. The bitterness comes from chemical compounds called glucosinolates that can be found in the Brassica family.
Turnips should not be overcooked, or they will become dark in color and strong in flavor. The summer turnip, when sliced, can be cooked in thirty minutes, the winter turnip in from forty-five to sixty minutes.
Turnip peels are safe to eat, but you can peel a turnip using a vegetable peeler if you desire. If you have a larger turnip, bigger than two to three inches, you should peel the turnip—bigger turnips tend to have a more bitter skin.
To prepare: Very small parsnips don't need peeling, just wash them and top and tail. Medium to large parsnips should be peeled and chopped into even-sized chunks, halves or quarters.
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.
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