How To Cook A Turnip

name Many people don't know how to cook a turnip. And some have never tasted a turnip either. Turnips are one of those vegetables that looks sort of strange in their raw state and can be intimidating.

I tried making turnips once, but the resulting bitter veggie was enough to turn me off of ever wanting turnips again.

Then one day Jeff and I went out to eat and I was happily munching away on a fabulous potato-like vegetable with a taste I had never enjoyed before. When the server came by I asked "What is this delectable vegetable?" When she said "Those are turnips" I nearly fell out of my chair. When prepared correctly, they are truly delicious.

How To Select A Turnip

Look for turnips with smooth skin. They should feel firm and heavy with crisp green tops. Check for a sweet aroma.

Turnips are, generally, white at the bottom with a light purple blush on the top.

Those that are small have the sweetest, most tender flavor. The smaller turnip can be eaten raw, such as when sliced and added to salads.

The larger the turnip, the more woody it tends to be.

Don't confuse turnips with rutabagas which are much stronger tasting than turnips. They're VERY large, usually have a waxy coating, flesh that is yellowish, with a dirty white bottom and a deep purple top.

Many people enjoy eating the greens attached to the end. If you fall in this camp, be sure the greens are fresh and free from decay. But if you’re choosing turnips for the root only, the condition of the greens doesn’t matter.

How To Clean and Prep A Turnip

To clean, simply scrub with a vegetable brush under running water UNLESS you're baking them. When baking, there's no need to clean them first.

Next, cut away the greens (optional -- the greens ARE edible). Peeling is optional (I prefer them peeled which can be done with a vegetable peeler).

To chop, begin by carefully cutting in half so you have a flat surface. Then place that flat surface on your cutting board and continue to chop, dice, etc. Especially helpful tip when peeling.

Turnips can be sliced, diced, chopped, or left whole depending on their size, and cooking technique you'll be choosing. They can also be grated to be used in salads or coleslaws.

How To Cook A Turnip

Baked Turnips
Boiled Turnips
Sauteed Turnips
Steamed Turnips
Eat Your Turnip RAW (Cut raw turnips into sticks for use with dips. Grate for use in salads or coleslaws.)

Turnip Vegan Flavor Matches

Create your very own turnip recipe with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with turnips.

Apples
Apple cider
Bacon, vegetarian (I like Fakin' Bacon. Use sparingly -
this is not a health food)
Brown sugar (I like Sucanat)
Butter, non-dairy (I like Earth Balance)
Carrots
Cheese, very mild (such as mozzarella or muenster), non-dairy
Chives
Cinnamon
Cream, non-dairy (I like Silk Soy Creamer)
Garlic
Ginger
Lemon
Lemon thyme
Maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup
Mushrooms
Mustard
Nutmeg
Onions
Paprika
Parmesan cheese, non-dairy
Parsley
Parsnips
Pepper, white
Potatoes
Salt
Sherry
Sucanat, or dry sweetener of choice
Sweet potatoes
Tarragon
Thyme
Veggie broth
Vinaigrette
Vinegar
White wine vinegar

Turnip Helpful Hints

Although available year-round, turnips are BEST during their peak season, which is October through March.
Raw turnips will last up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator crisper.
Turnips provide a great crunch and texture, so be sure not to overcook.
Turnips are well known for their bitter flavor if not prepared correctly. When boiling your turnip, and to avoid changing the water up to 3 times (!), place a potato in the water and cook right alongside the turnip. The bitter flavor will disappear!
Leftover turnips are NOT very tasty, so after you learn how to cook a turnip be sure to make only enough for your current meal. Turnips vary in size and water content, so the amounts they feed vary greatly. Generally, you can count on 2 pounds of turnips per 4 servings.
Want to learn how to cook turnip greens, including how to create your own turnip greens recipe? Visit my greens page, where you'll also discover a substitute for turnip greens, such as collard or mustard greens, or visit the kale page.
Although turnip greens have a flavor all their own, these suggestions make a fine turnip green substitute.