If you’re looking for a low carb alternative to potatoes or rice, look no further than turnips.  Yes, turnips! While they may be mildly bitter, roasting them will reduce that bitterness and add rich caramelized flavor.

Note:  One medium turnip (red or white) has about 8 grams of carbs while the same sized potato has over 35 grams.

The turnip roots and the greens are edible. Most grocery stores carry turnips with their greens removed. Often, we sell ours with the greens still attached. We cook them just like we would mustard greens. One of our favorite ways to cook them is to sauté them with a little olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time:  30 minutes (roasting the turnip root); 5 minutes (sauteeing the greens)

Serves:  4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

• Oven roasted turnips:
  • 1 bunch of turnips with greens (about 4 red, which are usually larger; or 6 of the smaller white turnips)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 whole garlic whole
  • A pinch of kosher salt
  • A couple turns of a black pepper
  • Butter (optional, add to the finished turnips for added flavor)
• Sautéed greens:
  • Greens from 1 bunch of turnips (or if turnips do not have greens, then use other greens, like kale)
    • Note:  Red turnips have much larger and longer leaves than white turnips so adjust the portions accordingly if you are cooking white turnips and not red).
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic sliced
  • A pinch of kosher salt
  • A couple turns of a black pepper mill

Preparation:

• Roasted turnips:
  • Preheat the oven to 400F, place the rack on the second from the bottom level.
  • Wash the turnips with the greens well as they may be sandy.
  • Cut off the root stem and any roots, remove any discolored skin, discard the roots and set the stems/leaves aside.
  • Cut the turnip into large dice (about 1-inch cubes); set aside.
  • Peel the garlic, leave whole; set aside.
• Sauteed greens:
  • Wash the leaves and stems once again, shake then pat dry.
  • Cut the stems into 1 inch long pieces and the leaves crosswise into 1 to 2 inch wide pieces (see above photo); set aside.
  • Peel and slice the garlic; set aside.

Cooking:

• Place the diced turnips and whole garlic cloves onto a baking tray, add the oil (or butter), salt, and black pepper, mix well to get all the turnips coated in the oil and seasonings.
• Place the baking tray on the second from the bottom rack in the preheated oven; cook for 15 minutes, remove the garlic and set them aside.
• Give the turnips a stir and finish roasting another 15 minutes.
• The turnips are done when they are soft to the touch and nicely browned.
  • Optional – add a tbsp of butter to the tray and stir to coat.
• Remove the tray from the oven and place the roasted turnips into a serving bowl; keep warm.

Note:  You need not throw away the roasted garlic.  They’re soft at this point so spread them on a slice of crusty bread for a tasty snack.

 

• To cook the greens:
  • Place a large saute pan on a burner set to medium-high heat, wait a couple of minutes for the pan to heat up, add the oil, wait another minute then add the garlic, cook for 1 minute then add the chopped turnip greens and stems.
  • Saute for 5 minutes.
  • Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

 

Serve the roots and greens side by side. The flavors and textures compliment one another.