Caramelized Roasted Turnips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to peel turnips before you roast them? ›

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.

Adding a little sugar to your turnips after cooking can also help to counteract any bitterness.

Baked, Boiled or Steamed. Use turnips any way you would use a potato, and then some. Try them baked or boiled in stews, soups and stir-fries, or lightly steamed with some butter, salt or lemon juice for flavor. homemade coleslaw.

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.

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.

In the hands of an able cook, a well-cooked turnip tastes heavenly. When roasted, the natural sugars are allowed to caramelize, resulting in a crispy-tender side dish that tastes like a cross between a potato and a carrot.

Like any root vegetable, turnips should be given a good rinse to remove dirt or grit; a soft brush is an excellent aid.

Parsnips have a long root like carrots while turnips are round like radishes. Parsnips are sweeter than turnips, with a hint of licorice taste. Parsnips are in the same family as carrots, while turnips are in the same family as cabbage. That gives you an idea of their taste and how they can be used.

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.

If the soil is too heavy, the crop will rot. If the soil is too lumpy or rocky, the roots will be tough, fibrous and misshapen.

Should turnips be hard or soft? ›

Select pearly, heavy turnips without soft spots and fresh leaves if still attached. Small to medium bulbs are sweet and most tender. Turnips will feel firm and heavy with crisp green tops.

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.

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.

How to cook Turnips. Small turnips are delicious raw – eat whole or slice thinly. Alternatively, you can steam, roast or braise the roots. Larger turnips are best peeled and steamed, boiled or mashed.

When used in cooking, baking soda can become hazardous to people following a low-sodium diet. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, half a teaspoon of baking soda has 629 milligrams of sodium.

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.

You can drop the bitter greens into a pot of boiling water just until they wilt, drain them, and start the cooking over to reduce the bitterness, and most eat them with a splash of vinegar, which further reduces the bitter part of the taste.

Good for Your Gut

Like all plant-based whole foods, turnips contain dietary fiber. Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that serves important functions in the body, including maintaining healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, promoting regular bowel movements, and supporting weight management, among others.

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.

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.

Is it better to roast or boil turnips? ›

Turnips can be a little sharp in their taste, but something happens when you roast these peppery veggies from the mustard family. Roasting mellows the flavor of turnips and concentrates their texture into a tender, melting vegetable.

Turnips are a cruciferous vegetable with multiple health benefits. They boast an impressive nutritional profile, and their bioactive compounds, such as glucosinolates, may support blood sugar control, protect against harmful bacteria, and provide anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

Add a couple of turnips, cubed to stews and soups to add some sweetness to the dish. They take about as long to cook as carrots but do not overcook. Unlike carrots which become sweeter with cooking, turnips lose their sweetness when overcooked.

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.

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.

Root and cruciferous vegetables — think carrots, parsnips, turnips, Brussels sprouts — can be washed, peeled and cut a day in advance for a beautiful medley of roasted vegetables.