Taste test: Turnips

 After one of my monthly visits to my grandparent's farm in Sigourney, Iowa (a tiny town about an hour and a half south west of Iowa City), my grandpa handed me a large, heavy paper sack.

"What's this?"

"They're turnips," he said as if I asked him what color the sky was.

I peeked inside the bag before putting them in my trunk. What in the world am I going to do with these?

I shoved the sack to the back of the fridge and forgot about them until I started seeing them every time I went to the grocery store or farmer's market. Even though this weird, round, purple and white thing that I've never prepared nor tasted scared me a little, letting food go to waste as a poor graduate student scares me more.

So this post is dedicated to conquering the turnip!

Step 1: Research

Apparently turnips are very high in Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that prevents scurvy and helps the body form and maintain bones, blood vessels, and skin. Turnips are also low in fat and high in dietary fiber.

They are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family (along with cabbage, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower) which is thought by many to lower the risks of and prevent cancer.

Most recipes I found used these winter root vegetables like potatoes: mashed, roasted, boiled, grilled and in stews or soups.


Just about every part of the turnip is edible, including the leaves and stems ("turnip greens"), which are said to taste a lot like mustard or collard greens.

One cup of raw turnips has 36 calories, a negligible amount of fat and 2.3 grams of fiber.


Step 2: Raw

After rinsing the turnip, I used a potato peeler to peel the skin (which is thick and bitter tasting). With some trepidation, I tried it.

It's actually pretty good. It has a mild flavor, tasting some what like raw cabbage or cauliflower. The consistency is crunchy and a little bit watery, almost like an unripe pear or a radish.

I chopped up the remaining turnip and added it to a salad with chicken, cucumbers and red peppers. Pretty tasty!

This would be a nice vegetable in a vegetable tray served with ranch.

The verdict: I approve of it in its raw form. A nice crunchy addition to a salad.

Step 3: Grilled

As far as I'm concerned, everything is better when grilled. Throw it on a grill and I will eat it.

For this step, I again rinsed and peeled the turnip and then cut it into thinly sliced disks, like a potato. I grilled them for about ten to fifteen minutes on medium/high heat with some asparagus, flipping once.

I didn't season them because I wanted to see what it tasted like naturally, but after eating them I wished I would have. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty tasty grilled, just plain. They needed a little garlic salt or something to punch it up a little. The boyfriend completely disagreed with me and gobbled them up before I could finish one.

They had the same consistency as grilled potatoes, soft and a little starchy. 

The verdict: Pretty good, but needs some seasoning.

Step 4: Roasted

I also love roasted vegetables. Roasting veggies always brings out a pleasant, slightly sweet taste that is hard to beat. Roasting also preserves the nutrients of vegetables and makes for a healthful and satisfying alternative to deep fried greasiness.

To prepare roasted turnips I rinsed and peeled them, then cut them into thinly sliced disks. I put them in a roasting pan sprayed with some olive oil spay and cooked them for about 30-40 minutes at 350, flipping once.

I again didn't season them, and again I wished I would have. They tasted almost the same as the grilled turnips, but maybe a little sweeter. 

Next time I think I'll add some onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots and yams for a nutritious autumn meal.

The verdict: Tastes like grilled turnips, only sweeter. Needs some seasoning.

Overall, these little buggers are pretty good in just about every form.