Eight Ways to Cook Turnips

Do you have to peel turnips before cooking?
How do you get the bitterness out of turnips?
What can I do with turnips?
Are boiled turnips good for you?
How do you tell when turnips are done cooking?
Do turnips need to be refrigerated?
Can you eat raw turnips?
What does a turnip taste like?
Why are my turnips so bitter?
Are turnips healthy for you?

Do you have to peel turnips before cooking?

How to prepare turnips. Baby turnips do not have to be peeled – just wash and slice off the root end. Peel winter turnips, then cut into small chunks before cooking.

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips?

Cut off the tail. Turnips tend to have a bitter flavor if not boiled long enough, with at least ONE water change about halfway through (sometimes two!). To solve this, add a potato to the cooking water. And yes, you can go ahead and eat that potato - the flavor matches turnips perfectly.

What can I do with 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.

Are boiled turnips good for you?

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.

How do you tell when turnips are done cooking?

Place a whole or sliced turnip in a pot with water to cover and add a pinch of salt; or put in a steamer above the water. Add a teaspoon of sugar to give it a bit of a sweet taste. Bring to a boil and cook until the turnips are tender; about 10 minutes for cut pieces, about 35 minutes to cook whole.

Do turnips need to be refrigerated?

Store turnips wrapped in a moist cloth or paper towel in placed in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Turnips will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 months. Store turnips greens just as you would turnip roots.

Can you eat raw turnips?

Raw or cooked, turnips are incredibly versatile: 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.

What does a turnip taste like?

How Do Turnips Taste? Like similar root vegetables, turnip's flavor shifts slightly when cooked. Mildly spicy when raw, turnips turn sweet, nutty, and earthy when cooked. This goes for texture, too: raw turnips have a crisp, starchy flesh.

Why are my turnips so bitter?

Radishes and turnips are both in the mustard family (brassicaceae) so it's not surprising that they are similar in taste, but the bitterness tends to mean that the vegetable has more nutrients.

Are turnips healthy for you?

Are turnips healthy? You bet! They're low in calorie density but high in nutritional value. Turnips are loaded with fiber and vitamins K, A, C, E, B1, B3, B5, B6, B2 and folate (one of the B vitamins), as well as minerals like manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and copper.