Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

Published . Last updated by Lauren Vavala Harris

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.

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (1)

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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

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2)

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.

Create!

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (3)

Cut the turnips into 1/2-inch thick slices, then into 1/2-inch cubes.

Place the cubed turnips in a medium bowl with the olive oil.

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (4)

Toss to coat, then spread them out onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (5)

Roast, turning halfway, for about 25-30 minutes or until light brown and fork-tender.

Present!

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (6)

Serve as is or topped with fresh herbs.

Tips and Techniques for the Best Roasted Turnips

  • 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

Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (7)

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.

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Print

Roasted Turnips

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.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine American, Gluten Free, Low Carb, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 49kcal

Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

  • Cut off both ends and peel the turnips, if desired.

  • Cut the turnips into 1/2-inch think slices, then cut each slice into 1/2-inch thick cubes.

  • Place the turnips in a medium bowl and toss with the olive oil.

  • Spread the turnips out onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

  • Roast, tossing halfway through, for about 25-30 minutes or until light brown and fork-tender.

Notes

Tips and Techniques for the Best Roasted Turnips

  • 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.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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Easy Roasted Turnips Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

FAQs

What does baking soda do to turnips? ›

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. Look for fresh turnips.

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.

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips? ›

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips? Smaller turnips tend to be sweeter and less bitter, so start by selecting fresh, small, tender turnips and peeling them. Adding a little sugar to your turnips after cooking can also help to counteract any bitterness.

Why should we avoid using baking soda when cooking? ›

Turns out cooking food with baking soda (a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate) can indeed damage a number of nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, riboflavin, thiamin, and one essential amino acid. Yet it doesn't hurt others, including vitamin A, vitamin B12, niacin, and folic acid.

What is the disadvantage of using baking soda to vegetables? ›

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.

How do you make roasted turnips less bitter? ›

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. I use a paring knife instead of vegetable peeler to remove the thick outer later.

Are turnips a super food? ›

Turnips have an excellent nutritional profile. Like other cruciferous vegetables, they're low in calories but pack plenty of vitamins and minerals. A 1-cup (130-gram) serving of cubed raw turnips contains ( 3 ): Calories: 36.

Are turnips good for you? ›

Turnips are indeed healthy, boasting an impressive nutritional profile. They are low in calories and packed with essential nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Turnips also contain glucosinolates, compounds that have been linked to cancer prevention.

Why do my turnips taste bad? ›

Turnips can sometimes taste bitter due to the presence of certain compounds, such as glucosinolates and phenolic compounds. These compounds are natural defense mechanisms that some plants use to deter animals from eating them, as they can be toxic or unpalatable.

What makes turnips taste good? ›

You can't make turnips taste better because they are the best tasting food there ever could be. Roast them instead of boiling them. Serve with salt, pepper, and butter. You can use other spices or things like vinegar too if you like.

What do you eat turnips with? ›

Cooked turnips are also sweet but the tang becomes somewhat bitter, so they are best eaten with fatty or spicy food. The best combinations I know are a sidedish of mashed turnips and carrots and as a full meal, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips (with or without carrots) , a rich beef gravy and haggis.

What is the healthiest way to eat turnips? ›

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. Raw turnips can also be grated and used as a garnish.

How do you tell when turnips are done cooking? ›

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. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if you'd like, and serve.

Is it OK to eat raw turnips? ›

Turnips are a vegetable that people can consume raw or cooked. They are a good source of vitamin C, folate, iron, and calcium. Turnips are a creamy white color and a purple top. People often group this popular European staple food with root vegetables, such as potato and beetroot.

Does baking soda remove bitterness from turnips? ›

Add baking soda.

Salt is one of my favorite ways to cut the bitterness in turnip greens. I then add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the broth and simmer for the last 20 minutes. Works like a charm!

What does soaking vegetables in baking soda do? ›

The US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and other scientists agree: use a cold water soak with baking soda to effectively help remove dirt, chemical residue, and other unwanted materials from your fresh vegetables and fruits.

What does adding baking soda to vegetables do? ›

We got some surprising results. Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll.

What happens when you put baking soda in plants? ›

When applied to plant leaves and stems, baking soda does slow or stop the growth of fungi. However, the benefits are fleeting at best. Studies have shown that while baking soda impacts the growth of fungal spores, the spores and actively growing fungi are not killed.

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