Roasted Baby Turnips with Sauteed Turnip Greens

Home » Side Dish Recipes » Roasted Baby Turnips with Sauteed Turnip Greens
Sweet and tender baby turnips are roasted in olive oil and garlic then tossed with turnip greens for a delicious spring side dish.

Sweet and tender baby turnips are roasted in olive oil and garlic then tossed with turnip greens for a delicious side dish.

The compltetd recipe on a platter.

Unlike large turnips that can have a strong bitter taste, baby turnips are more delicate and sweet. When they are roasted in the oven with garlic and oil, they caramelize and transform into a delicious melt-in-your-mouth vegetable.

Roasting mellows out the flavor in most vegetables as it does with baby turnips and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Why this Recipe Works

  • It’s a simple recipe that’s made in one pan with a few ingredients.
  • Baby turnips have a thin skin and don’t need to be peeled.
  • Roasted turnips with sauteed leafy greens is a delicious and healthy side dish!
The ingredients: chopped garlic, baby turnips, olive oil and turnip greens

Here is What You Will Need

This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe, scroll down to see ingredient notes and substitutions as well as a printable recipe card with exact measurements and complete cooking instructions.

Ingredients

  • Baby Turnips with Greens
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic
  • Sea Salt

Equipment

Here is How To Make Roasted Baby Turnips With Sauteed Greens

Prepare the ingredients: Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the green tops off of the baby turnips.

Wash turnips and greens, trim the root ends off of the baby turnips and cut them in half. Chop the garlic, and roughly chop the turnip greens.

roasted turnips in a cast iron pan

Step 1. Prepare the turnips

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 clove of chopped garlic, and baby turnips to the skillet; toss the ingredients together making sure the turnips are evenly coated in the oil and arranged in a single layer in the skillet.

browned turnips in a skillet

Step 2. Roast turnips

Place the skillet with the turnips and garlic into the oven and roast the turnips for 10 minutes. Give them a quick stir and roast them for 10 minutes longer until they have a caramelized exterior nad are turn golden brown.

turnip greens in a pan

Step 3. Saute the greens

Remove the turnips from the oven and place them in a dish. Add the turnip greens, remaining oil, and garlic to the pan on the stove over medium heat; stir the turnip greens until they begin to wilt.

turnips and greens in a skillet

Step 4. Toss the turnips with greens

Add the roasted turnips back to the skillet and toss them with the greens until everything is heated through.

Tip! A cast-iron skillet works best in this recipe and it can go from the oven to the stovetop with very little effort.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Baby Turnips are in season in the spring and early fall. They are sweet and tender with a slight peppery bite. They are similar in size to radishes and taste nothing like the bitter-tasting larger turnips that are available in the late fall.

You can find baby turnips in the supermarket or at your local farmer’s market.

Substitute the turnips with radishes & radish greens for a more peppery flavor.

Substitute fresh garlic for 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder for each clove.

Olive Oil I like to use good olive oil in recipes like this because it’s made with fresh and simple ingredients.

Olive oil can be substituted with avocado oil or you can use a combination of olive oil and butter.

An overhead view of the the turnips, greens with a spoon on a white plate

Serving Suggestions

Roasted baby turnips are a perfect side dish to serve with your favorite grilled or roasted meat such as jerk chicken breasts, coffee-rubbed pork chops or hasselback pork tenderloin.

a close up of the greens and turnips in a cast iron pan

Storing and Using Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Reheat the leftover turnips in a skillet with a little bit of oil or butter.

Recipe Variations

Add umami flavor – stir in a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or tamari sauce to the pan with the turnip greens.

Add crunch – top the baby turnips with sauteed greens with toasted sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds for a little bit of crunch.

Cheese – sprinkle the turnips with grated parmesan cheese.

Baby turnips with the greens attached on a cutting board
How do I Choose baby turnips?

Look for turnips that are smooth without any blemishes, and the greens should be bright green and free of yellow spots.

Why don’t I need to peel baby turnips for this recipe?

Unlike the heartier fall turnips, baby turnips don’t need to be peeled. If the skin is tender, simply wash them off and cut off the root and the greens when it’s time to eat them.

For more simple and delicious recipes like this, subscribe to our newsletter and receive a free e-book and meal suggestions straight in your inbox!

You might also like these recipes

If you like this recipe, please comment and rate it below!

Roasted Baby Turnips with Sauteed Turnip Greens

Sweet and tender baby turnips are roasted in olive oil and garlic then tossed with turnip greens for a delicious spring side dish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Click on serving size to scale this recipe

Cuisine: American
Keyword: baby turnips, roasted turnips, sauteed turnip greens
Servings: 4
Calories: 76kcal
Author: Anne
Scale this Recipe 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 bunches of baby turnips with greens
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400
  • Rinse the turnips, cut off the tops, and set them aside
  • Rough chop the garlic cloves and keep each chopped clove separate
  • Trim the root ends off of the turnips. slice them in half and add them to a cast iron pan along with one clove of chopped garlic.
  • Add the olive oil to the turnips and stir making sure the turnips are coated in oil.
  • Place the pan in the oven and  roast the turnips for 10 minutes
  • Take the turnips out of the oven and give them a quick stir. Place them back in the oven and roast for 10 minutes longer or until the turnips begin to turn golden in color.
  • Remove the pan from the oven, and place the turnips in a dish.
  • Place the pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add the remaining garlic and the greens; stir until they begin to wilt (about 3 to 5 minutes).
  • Turn off the heat and toss in the turnips from the platter to heat them through and serve.

Notes

Store leftover turnips in the refrigerator for up to three days.
See the blog post above for serving suggestions and tips

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 50mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Check out our Plant-Based Recipes here!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

9 Comments

  1. There’s nothing better than a roasted vegetable! These delicious turnips and the tender sauteed greens are so good!

  2. I’m growing turnips in my garden for the first time this year, the small white Japanese variety, and was looking for a recipe. This one is so simple and perfect. It highlights the delicious sweetness of the turnips and tangy greens without any extra flavors to get in the way. My husband and I couldn’t get enough.

  3. This came out really good. Was searching for a recipe to use my CSA turnips and greens and came across this. Came out perfect. Served with some rice…easy vegan dinner

  4. 5 stars
    I roasted some small red skinned potatoes and made myself a turkey meatloaf. With that I roasted my spring small white turnips with your recipe. I’ve never had them before and did not know how to prepare. Thanks so much for your detailed easy to follow recipe. They were so delicious-truly awesome. Many thanks for sharing your recipe. I’m looking forward to making them again and again.

  5. 5 stars
    I bought small Japanese turnips for the first time today, and was not sure how to prepare them. Through a search I came across your simple and healthy recipe.
    I followed your directions and after roasting the turnips, I added some cherry tomatoes to the pan, and Calabrian whole chilies, before mixing in the turnip greens. The dish was delicious!