These Turnip Recipes That Prove Just How Delicious the Veggie Can Be (2024)

FAQs

What makes turnips taste better? ›

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.

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.

If you want to try a different cooking method, I tend to like turnip boiled and mashed. If the turnip is old (and likely bitter) you can add an apple. I've also read that you can stir in baking soda after the turnips have boiled to remove the bitterness.

If you experience food allergy symptoms like hives, itching or swelling after consuming turnips, discontinue use and consult with your doctor immediately. Cruciferous vegetables like turnips are also considered goitrogenic, which means that they may interfere with the production of thyroid hormones.

Turnips can sometimes taste bitter due to the presence of certain compounds, including glucosinolates and phenols. These compounds are natural plant chemicals that can contribute to the flavor and nutrition of the vegetable, but in some cases, they can also create a bitter taste.

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 Do You Get the Bitter Taste Out of Rutabagas? If you find that rutabagas are too bitter for you, add up to a tablespoon of sugar to accentuate the sweetness and stir to combine. This will help to counteract the bitterness.

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.

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.

Any root crop (potatoes, carrots, radishes, parsnips, turnips) needs a fine- textured, well-drained soil to grow properly. 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.

Are turnips healthier for you than potatoes? ›

Turnips are a healthy alternative to potatoes; they're lower in calories and have fewer carbs.

Finding ways to use the bumper crop hasn't been too difficult for Erdt and Hill so far. They've given away turnips – including the 9-1/2-pound wonder – as well as cabbages and other veggies, and enjoyed some of the turnips, boiled and mashed with butter and seasoning, like potatoes, or diced into salads, like radishes.

Turnips and other cruciferous vegetables that are high in fiber help make people feel fuller for longer, and they are low in calories. Eating high fiber meals also helps keep blood sugar levels stable. The fiber content in turnips may also prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Additionally, there was no change in the sugar levels of radish and turnip taproots following frost. Sugar levels in both were relatively high before and after frost. Sulfur: We also tested sulfur levels, as high sulfur concentrations may decrease palatability to deer.