Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (2024)

Delicious pan fried turnips with onions and spinach make a scrumptious low carb side dish special enough for the holiday table but easy enough for weekdays.

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Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (1)

I’m a huge fan of turnips as a low carb side. My family can’t get enough of these pan fried turnips. If you had told me years ago that my kids would eat turnips, I wouldn’t have believed you!

But they do and for good reason.

These pan fried turnips are just simply delicious with a rich buttery finish and a little smokiness from the scallions. A hint of fresh thyme gives them an earthy slightly lemony flavor.

Pan fried turnips sound great but what do turnips taste like?

Turnips are earthy with a slight sharpness not unlike radishes, however they are less watery than radishes. Turnips are similar to rutabagas in flavor although not as sweet. At times, raw turnips have a mildly bitter undertone or may taste a bit peppery and sharp. However, they mellow in flavor as they cook.

With this pan fried turnip recipe, your turnips will be sweet and caramelized with a rich buttery finish. You won’t be able to get enough of them!

Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (2)

Turnips, a great low carb potato substitute!

Turnips are low in carbs, making them a perfect low carb potato substitute for those watching starches and sugars. They are delicious roasted in the oven, boiled and mashed, or pan fried. And, perfect in low carb soups and stews. When turnips are roasted in the oven or fried in a pan, they become mellow and sweet.

Generally, Low Carbers use cauliflower as a potato substitute. And while roasted cauliflower with bacon and caramelized onions is one of my favorite easy side dishes, the earthiness of root vegetables compliments Fall so well. You can even mash them like my friend Carol from A Chef’s Kitchen does with her parmesan crusted crushed turnips. It's nice to have delicious low carb potato substitute options available for keto diets.

Rutabagas vs Turnips: Can you substitute one for the other?

Turnips and rutabagas are very similar to each other. Both are members of the cabbage family. In fact, rutabagas are technically a hybrid between cabbages and turnips.

Rutabagas are bigger than turnips and have yellow flesh under a yellow, slightly purple thick skin. Turnips have thinner, white and purple skin and white flesh.

Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (3)

While they are similar in taste, rutabagas are less sharp than turnips and have a lower water content. In most recipes, including this one, you can substitute rutabagas for turnips. If you do, you may need to adjustment cooking time.

Be aware though, if you do substitute rutabagas for turnips, rutabagas are higher in carbs than turnips. If you can't find turnips in your local store, substitute with radishes.

Do I have to peel turnips?

Small turnips typically don’t need to be peeled. If the skins are thin enough, just wash them and leave them on. If the turnips are larger or the skin looks leathery, peel them. I just use a regular vegetable peeler.

I peeled the turnips I used for this pan fried turnips recipe as they were larger. Since much of the bitterness of turnips resides in its skin, peeling the turnips will result in a mellower flavor.

How to pan fry turnips.

To pan fry turnips, cut them into fourths or possibly sixths if they are larger. Then, cook them in large pan in olive oil until one side browns. Give them a flip, then add the onions and continue cooking the turnips until fork tender. Lastly, add the spinach and butter and keep cooking until your spinach just wilts.

Then you’re ready to serve this delicious low carb side dish to complete any dinner. I like to serve these turnips with herb crusted eye round roast beef or lamb chops.

What other vegetables can I pan fry or saute in a pan?

A quick vegetable saute is a great accompaniment to any meat side. Most pan fried vegetable sides come together in a few minutes. These are a few of my favorites.

  1. Cabbage Noodles
  2. Easy Mexican Green Beans
  3. Sweet and Sour German Green Beans
  4. Easy Green Beans Almondine
  5. Green Bean Mushroom Saute
  6. Easy Sauteed Mushrooms in Wine
  7. Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (4)

Pan Fired Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach

Pan fried turnips make a great low carb potato substitute for keto diets. Their earthy flavor combined with caramelized onions and lemon thyme transcend the mundane.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 84kcal

Author: Kim Hardesty

Ingredients

  • 1 pound turnips
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter (or more olive oil)
  • 1 sprig lemon thyme (or regular)
  • 2 tablespoon scallions
  • 1 cup fresh spinach loosely packed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Peel turnips and cut into quarters or into sixths, if large.

  • Place a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot add the olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add the turnips when the oil shimmers.

  • Cook the turnips until browned on one side. Turn them over and add scallions and thyme to the pan. The turnips are ready when a fork piercing the thickest part slides easily through.

  • Add the spinach and butter to the pan, sautéing until the spinach wilts. Remove the thyme sprig.

  • Season with salt and pepper, taste to adjust seasoning, and serve.

  • Serves 4 at 4.5 g net carbs per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.52g | Protein: 1.06g | Fat: 6.25g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3.65g

Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (5)

Green Bean Mushroom Saute

Pan Fried Turnips Recipe with Onions and Spinach (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook and eat turnips? ›

Baked, Boiled or Steamed. Use turnips any way you would use a potato, and then some. 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.

What makes turnips taste better? ›

Adding a little sugar to your turnips after cooking can also help to counteract any bitterness.

Why put baking soda in turnips? ›

Wash greens and roots well. Some suggest soaking the greens in a little salty water. 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.

How are turnips usually cooked? ›

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.

Do you have to peel turnips before cooking? ›

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.

How to enhance turnips? ›

A small amount of sugar is often added to help smooth out any rough flavour edges, but when working with garden-grown turnips that mature in cool soil, taste before adding sugar. Or here's another idea: add a finely chopped apple to the hot drained vegetables along with a pinch of cinnamon.

What is the best season for turnips? ›

Early turnips – sow March to June, for harvesting throughout summer. Some early varieties, such as 'Atlantic' and 'Purple Top Milan', can also be sown under cloches in February. Maincrop turnips – sow July to mid-August, for harvesting in autumn.

What is the healthiest way to eat turnips? ›

Boil or steam turnips and add them to mashed potatoes for extra vitamins and minerals. Grate them raw into salads or slaws. Roast them with other root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, and bring out their natural sweetness.

What is the disadvantage of using baking soda to vegetables? ›

This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable. It has various unwelcome effects, such as softening the vegetable, altering the vegetable's flavor, destroying thiamine content, and hastening the loss of vitamin C.

Can you eat turnips raw? ›

Yes, turnips can be eaten raw. However, they generally taste better raw when they're younger and smaller. Cooked turnips of any age or size can be used in various dishes and prepared in many ways. Cooking turnips can also give them more flavor.

How do you keep turnips from getting soft? ›

Keep them in the vegetable crisper drawer to keep them in a more humid environment, which maintains the root's flesh and texture more effectively. If your fridge has the capability, turn the humidity up to 95 percent and the temperature to 32–40 °F (0–4 °C) to create conditions that let turnips last up to 6 months!

What is the best way to prepare a turnip? ›

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add turnips; cook in boiling water until tender but still firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl to cool.

How do you know when turnips are done? ›

If harvesting for both the root and the leaves, the turnip should be about 2 inches in diameter, but if the leaves have been harvested first, the turnip should be 3 inches in diameter when it is ready to be pulled. Pick turnips when they are smaller for a milder, sweeter flavor.

What makes turnips taste good? ›

Oven-roasted turnips are the perfect side dish to any meal! This recipe is simple with just turnips, salt & pepper and a bit of olive oil/butter. Turnips are white and pale purple in color with a flavor like a mild radish. Roasting brings out great flavor and they're so easy to make!

Is it better to eat turnips raw or cooked? ›

Turnips have a crisp, white inner flesh and a zesty, peppery flavor. People can eat them raw or cooked. However, roasting turnips tends to bring out their best flavors and qualities.

Are turnips healthier than potatoes? ›

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.

What do boiled turnips taste like? ›

Turnips are a part of the Brassica family, which also includes cabbage, rutabaga, and radish, and shares many flavor notes with these cousins. When properly prepared, it has a refreshing, slightly sweet taste with a delicate bitterness. If overcooked, it smells like something you would blame on the dog.

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