Roasted Turnips Recipe (2024)

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These delicious roasted turnips are a simple, flavorful side dish that's easy to make.

Turnips are a fantastic root vegetable that can be served as a side or added to salads, grain bowls, or soups. Turnips, like most root vegetables, are available year-round but are at their peak from October to February.

This turnip recipe is a great way to enjoy this slightly more unusual vegetable - if you like roast potatoes, you will like this, too!

Roasted Turnips Recipe (1)

Roasted turnips are a perfect side dish for a weeknight meal or a special occasion like a holiday dinner. You can use them like any other root vegetable in a grain bowl or salad.

This will be your new favorite way to enjoy turnips - roasting them really brings out the delicate flavor and natural sweetness of the turnips. Roasting also removes any bitter flavor from turnips that you might experience when they're raw.

You might find turnips at the grocery store that come with greens; you can use them to make this spicy skillet turnip greens recipe that's delicious!

Turnips are rich in vitamin C and A and low in calories and fat (source).

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • More Great Side Dishes
  • Storage
  • Tips for Making this Recipe
  • Roasted Turnips

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this roasted turnips recipe into an easy side dish.

  • Fresh turnips - I used purple top turnips, but any kind will work for this recipe, although I do recommend using smaller turnips (about 2 inches across) as they will have better flavor than large turnips, which tend to be older and less sweet.
  • Olive Oil (you don't need to use extra virgin olive oil; the regular stuff will work!)
  • Sea Salt
  • Paprika
  • Ground Black Pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Optional - chopped herbs like parsley or oregano for topping

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

You don't need to remove the outer peel of the turnips (turnip skin is edible), but if you'd prefer to remove it, peel the turnips with a vegetable peeler.

Using a sharp knife, slice the tops and bases off the turnips and chop them into ½-inch pieces.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (2)

Place the diced turnips on a parchment or aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.

Pour the olive oil over the turnips and sprinkle with the salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to coat the turnips.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (3)

Spread the turnips out in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (4)

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (5)

Remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl or large serving platter. Top with optional chopped herbs.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (6)

More Great Side Dishes

If you love roasted vegetables and root veggies, try some of these fantastic recipes.

  • Smashed Brussels Sprouts
  • Roasted Radishes
  • Oven Roasted Root Vegetable Recipe
  • Roasted Golden Beets

Substitutions & Variations

Want to make a few swaps or changes to the ingredients? Here are some options.

  • Oil - you can substitute the olive oil for avocado oil or vegetable oil.
  • Seasonings - feel free to add fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, or rosemary to the seasoning blend or if you like a little spice, add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
  • Optional Toppings - if you want to add a bit of sweetness give the roasted turnips a drizzle of honey or if you'd like some acid give them a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.

Storage

You can save roasted turnips for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

For best results when reheating, I suggest heating them in an oven or toaster oven and not the microwave. This will keep them crispy.

Roasted Turnips Recipe (7)

Tips for Making this Recipe

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Cooking Tips - Make sure to cut your turnips to similar sizes. This helps them roast evenly. Don't crowd the turnips on a baking sheet - they need a little space in between them to get a crispy exterior. Use two baking sheets if they don't fit onto one.

Ingredient Notes - 1 ½ pounds of turnips was 4 medium turnips for me. I used purple top turnips. If you use larger turnips like regular white turnips, you may only need 3. And if you use smaller hakurei turnips or baby turnips, you'll probably need 5 or 6.

Recommended Tools - I like using parchment paper that's the same size as my sheet pans - this is the ready-to-use parchment paper I use, and here are the sheet pans I recommend.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.

Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Turnips

Roasted Turnips Recipe (8)

These delicious roasted turnips are a fantastic side dish with a wonderful savory flavor.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds turnips
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • optional - chopped herbs like parsley or oregano

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Using a sharp knife, slice the tops and bases off the turnips and chop them into ½ inch pieces.
  3. Place the diced turnips on a parchment or aluminum foil-lined sheet pan.
  4. Pour the olive oil over the turnips and sprinkle with the salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to coat the turnips.
  5. Spread the turnips out in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece.
  6. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with optional chopped herbs.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 71Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

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.

What is the best way to cook and eat turnips? ›

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.

Why put baking soda in 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.

Are roasted turnips healthy? ›

As a product of this group, the turnip is known for its high nutrient count and its low calorie density, which makes it a perfect food to add to your healthy eating plan. In one medium-sized turnip there are just 34 calories, 4 grams of fiber when cooked and 1 gram of protein.

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips? ›

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

How are turnips usually cooked? ›

Place the turnips in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of salted water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer until the turnips are tender when pierced with a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Step three: Season and serve. Drain the turnips and season with salt and pepper.

Are turnips better for you than potatoes? ›

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.

What goes well with turnips? ›

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.

How do you cook Jamie Oliver turnips? ›

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.

Is a turnip the same as a rutabaga? ›

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.

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.

Can you eat raw turnips? ›

Turnips can be eaten both cooked or raw, and turnip greens make a great addition to salads. Here are some ways to incorporate turnips into your diet: Add some boiled turnips to your mashed potato recipe. Thinly slice and bake them to prepare crunchy turnip chips.

Is turnip good for high blood pressure? ›

They play a significant role in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's DASH diet, which medical experts have designed to bring down blood pressure. Turnips also provide potassium, which may help lower blood pressure by releasing sodium from the body and helping arteries dilate.

Which is healthier parsnips or turnips? ›

Half a cup of sliced and boiled parsnip has 55 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, three grams of fiber, one gram of protein, and no fat. A half cup of cubed turnip has 17 calories, four grams of carbs, 1.6 grams of fiber, 0.5 grams of protein, and no fat.

Are turnips bad for cholesterol? ›

Turnip may reduce bad cholesterol levels due to its antioxidant activity. The natural antioxidants like quercetin, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and beta-carotene present in turnip may help breakdown the LDL (low-density lipoproteins). This may lead to lower LDL levels in the body.

Why peel turnips? ›

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.

How do you cut turnips for cooking? ›

To cut the turnip, first slice it into thick batons or sticks. Then slice the batons crossways to dice it.

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