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GET IT NOWWhy You Need My Roasted Turnips Recipe
These roasted turnips were one of those kitchen experiments that reminded me how much I love root vegetables. (That is to say, a lot.) Their texture is a bit like roasted potatoes — crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. But while they share similarities, these veggies bring their own unique flavor that’s sweet and peppery. Here’s why I think you’ll love my turnip recipe:
- Crispy outside, soft inside, and so much flavor – Turnips taste slightly sweet with a hint of spice. If you like roasted radishes and potatoes, they remind me of a cross between the two. In this recipe, I love the contrast of golden brown, caramelized outside with soft, fluffy inside, not to mention the flavorful herbs and garlic.
- Easy to make – You only need 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper), the prep is super fast (just 5 minutes), and they cook pretty fast, too.
- Goes with anything – I’ve served turnip recipes with chicken, pork, and steak. They always add something special to a fall or winter dinner.
If you’re unsure about cooking turnips, don’t be. Make my turnips recipe with me and you’ll see how easy it is!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for roasting turnips, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Turnips – A turnip is a round, fairly low carb root vegetable with a white or pale purple flesh (mine here were white). They are less sweet compared to rutabagas, milder than radishes, and more peppery than parsnips and kohlrabi. For the best roasted turnips, pick firm, smooth-skinned ones without blemishes or sprouts. You can also use Japanese turnips for this recipe.
- Oil – Cooking turnips with oil promotes browning, adds flavor, and helps the seasonings stick. I chose olive oil for its flavor, but avocado oil, coconut oil, or even ghee are good substitutes.
- Herbs – I used dried thyme leaves and dried rosemary. Feel free to experiment with fresh herbs (triple the amounts), or your favorite dried herbs. Italian seasoning works great!
- Spices – Garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
Peeling And Cutting
Cutting turnips is similar to other root veggies. The skin is bitter and can be hard, especially if they are large. There are two ways to peel:
- Whole – I usually opt for this option if the turnips are fresh and the skin is soft enough to peel using my favorite vegetable peeler.
- Sliced – If the skin is tough and you have trouble peeling, you can slice the turnips into discs first and then peel each one using a peeler or paring knife.
After peeling, cut the turnips in half and then cut into half moons, about an inch thick. (Skip this step if you used the sliced peeling method, where they are already in disc shapes.)
Next, stack the half moons or discs. Cut in one direction and then the other to make 1-inch cubes. Now you’re ready to cook my turnips recipe!
How To Cook Turnips
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season. Toss the turnip cubes with olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Roast. Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast turnips in the oven, tossing halfway through, until they are fork tender, browned, and a little caramelized.
My Recipe Tips
- Cut the pieces all the same size. That way, they cook at the same rate.
- Make sure each piece is touching the pan. Spreading the pieces in a single layer ensures that they cook evenly and brown nicely.
- A bare pan or foil lined gets you better browning than parchment paper. I use this baking sheet and don’t line it. It’s easy to clean, never sticks, and just lasts and lasts! I use it for all my roasted vegetable recipes.
- Roasting time will vary depending on the size of the pieces, your pan, and your oven. I recommend 1-inch pieces for quick roasting and lots of surface area (to brown and caramelize nicely). Larger pieces will take longer.
- These roast well with other root vegetables or winter squash. Sometimes I mix in carrots, butternut squash, or beets with this turnips recipe.
- Want darker browning? Pop the pan under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end.
- Add butter at the end for a buttery flavor. Butter is not great for roasting because it burns at high temperatures, but sometimes I toss the roasted turnips with a tablespoon of butter at the end for extra flavor. (I use the same method for my air fryer potatoes!)
Roasted Turnips Recipe
My easy roasted turnips recipe needs just olive oil, herbs, and spices. They cook fast, and come out perfectly fork tender and golden brown!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
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In a large bowl, toss the turnips with olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
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Arrange the turnips in a single layer on a baking sheet (this one is the perfect size), making sure each piece is touching the pan.
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Roast turnips in the oven for about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until fork tender, browned, and a little caramelized. (This is the approximate time for 1-inch pieces. It will take longer if yours are larger, less time if they are smaller.)
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get golden, even browning and a variation for extra flavor.
- Storage: Store cooked turnips in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or raw ones in the vegetable crisper drawer for a few weeks.
- Meal prep: I often wash, peel, and dice these in advance, and store them submerged in cold water for a day or two. The water prevents them from drying out.
- Reheat: The fastest way to reheat is in the microwave, but they do lose their crisp outside. I prefer reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F, as the texture is better.
- Freeze: You can freeze roasted turnips, or just blanch raw cubes briefly for 2 minutes before freezing (this preserves their texture). Cool completely, spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then you can transfer to zip lock bags and keep in the freezer for up to 8-10 months.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Roasted Turnips Recipe
Serving Ideas
This easy, healthy side dish can pair with just about any protein, and I love turnip recipes like this as a lighter potato swap! Serve them with:
- Chicken – If you want a complete meal that’s done all at once, consider cooking turnips in the oven together with my chicken breast recipe. You can also simply add them to my sheet pan chicken thighs recipe, or toss them in the pan halfway through roasting chicken halves.
- Steak & Pork – The sauce from my honey garlic pork chops is delicious over this turnips recipe. For something more savory, try my most popular sirloin steak recipe or stuffed pork chops.
- Green Veggies – I always add something green to my plate! You can roast brussels sprouts or roast broccoli together with the roasted turnips — just rotate the pans halfway through. If you prefer to cook on the stovetop in parallel, try my sauteed kale or sauteed cabbage.
16 Comments
Valerie Varga
1Delicious! I added butternut with the turnips, I almost couldn’t stop eating this!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad to hear that, Valerie! That’s a great combination.
Sheila Sparr
1These were amazing, I also put them into the broiler from center oven until the edges were dark brown. Amazing replacement for fried potatoes, maybe even better! Thanks.
Fern
1These were delicious and a great alternative to potatoes. I loved the light spice mixture added to them. We served with a roast chicken and they paired perfectly!
loriurey1
0I’m sorry i missed cover the vegetables with water and put on the stove to boil
loriurey1
0For the holidays it has been a family tradition to make what we call carrots and turnips but you use rutabages. I’m not a big cooked carrot person so i use less carrots in the ratio i make. I usually use 2 or 3 large rutabagas to 2 pound of ling carrots. You peel them and cut them into medium size pieces and put them in a large pot of water and cover the vegetables. Add salt and pepper and a stick of butter. This takes a good hour or more for the vegetables to become soft. Drain the water but keep it so you can add it to your mix. Put the vegetables in a large bowl add another stick of butter and salt and pepper to taste and use a potato masher and mash them up fine. You will need to add some of the water from what you saved but not a lot. Make it the consistency you prefer and enjoy!!!!
betty
0These are to die for…..Sooooo Good!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked them, Betty! Enjoy!
TJ
0You didn’t mention the roasting temperature, but I’m guessing 425 F
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi TJ, I did, on the recipe card above. It’s 450 degrees F. Make sure you scroll up to the recipe card to make sure you don’t miss a step.
Athena
0Can’t believe turnips can taste this good! Love that this is super easy to make and the flavors are just amazing. I also paired it with some steak and it was just perfect. Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Melody
0I’ve always been a bit hesitant to cook turnips but this recipe made it so simple yet super delicious. And the addition of butter at the end added a rich, buttery flavor that we all loved. Such a tasty side dish!
Atasha
0The turnips turned out perfectly crispy on the outside and so tender on the inside. And the herbs and olive oil added such a delicious flavor. I served it with roasted broccoli and it made a perfect dinner.
Delia
0The turnips were so flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness and peppery taste. And it paired perfectly with the chicken. So delicious! Definitely adding this recipe to my regular rotation!
Nancy Hill
0This was a great recipe. It seemed to be like eating roasted potatoes.
Julie
0Really delicious! The perfect substitute for french fries. I sometimes cut mine into French fry shapes.A nice side dish with grilled hamburgers.