Mashed Turnips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make mashed turnips not bitter? ›

Add fat – Adding butter and heavy cream to the mashed turnips helps to counteract the bitter flavor from the turnips. If you find your turnip mash still tastes bitter, add more fat. Add sweetness – A tablespoon or two of sweetener will decrease the bitterness from the turnips.

A potato has a water content of 80%, while turnips have a water content of 94%, so it's not uncommon for your mashed turnips to be a bit thinner than mashed potatoes. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. You'll experience the same thing with mashed cauliflower (92% water content). It's just the nature of the vegetable.

As a product of this group, the turnip is known for its high nutrient count and its low calorie density, which makes it a perfect food to add to your healthy eating plan. In one medium-sized turnip there are just 34 calories, 4 grams of fiber when cooked and 1 gram of protein.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It's not essential to peel turnips before cooking. If this skin appears to be thin enough you can leave it on and cook as is. However if the skin feels thick and leathery, you can peel it off with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Both the roots and leaves, also known as turnip greens, are safe to eat.

My research revealed that turnips lower blood sugar levels and help correct other metabolic disorders associated with diabetes, such as high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Unlike potatoes, your blood glucose level doesn't spike after you consume turnips.

Turnips are a healthy alternative to potatoes; they're lower in calories and have fewer carbs. Smaller, sweeter turnips can be sliced into wedges and eaten raw like an apple.

Do turnips spike blood sugar? ›

Does Turnip Spike Insulin? Turnips have a low glycemic index and do not typically cause a significant spike in insulin levels. They are a root vegetable that is relatively low in carbohydrates and high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Try them baked or boiled in stews, soups and stir-fries, or lightly steamed with some butter, salt or lemon juice for flavor. homemade coleslaw.

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.

Place the turnips in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of salted water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer until the turnips are tender when pierced with a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Step three: Season and serve. Drain the turnips and season with salt and pepper.

If your turnips are more bitter than you care for, try a pinch of salt if you're salt is not optimized or try a tiny pinch of sugar, although salt is purported to be better at decreasing bitterness: http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/salt-trumps-bitter/?_r=0).

Add baking soda.

Salt is one of my favorite ways to cut the bitterness in turnip greens. I then add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the broth and simmer for the last 20 minutes.

Cook the rutabaga cubes in boiling salted water and the ½ teaspoon sugar. This will help take out some of the bitterness. Cook until the rutabaga is very tender.