Roast Turnips For A Simple Side With Rich Flavors

If you find yourself getting tired of preparing the same side dishes night after night, it might be time to change up your routine. An easy way to do this is to experiment with a vegetable you might not cook often, such as turnips. Turnips are root vegetables like carrots, and potatoes, but aren't quite as popular. Turnips have a mild sweet and earthy flavor, making them adept at being able to take on any other flavor you want. One of the easiest ways to infuse turnips with rich flavor is by roasting them. Tasting Table recipe developer Michelle Bottalico shows off this technique excellently in their simple herby roasted turnip recipe.

Roasting turnips not only develops great flavor, but it's an easy and mostly hands-free way to prepare them. Bottalico starts the recipe by peeling the skin from the turnips, turnip skin is safe to eat but may not provide the best textural experience; this step is completely optional. You can then dress your turnips in olive oil and season how you'd like. Bottalico uses marjoram, thyme, and salt to compliment the earthy flavors of the turnip, but you can get creative in your choices to find a seasoning combo you enjoy best.

As mentioned before turnips are mild enough in flavor that you can go for any flavor combination you want. But if you're looking for flavors that complement the vegetable and highlight the existing flavors, you'll want to lean towards herbs and spices with earthy flavors. Spices such as nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom are excellent for deepening the existing flavors of the turnips and creating a comforting, gently spiced bite. You could also opt to sweeten the turnips by topping them with brown sugar and butter, similar to sweet potatoes.

If you want to make your turnips more savory, you could think of them as a potato substitute. Fresh dill and oregano give your turnips a Mediterranean flair; top them off with a creamy, classic tzatziki sauce to tie it all together. You could also season your turnips with cumin, Mexican oregano, paprika, and chili powder for an easy vegetable taco ingredient. Or, you can infuse your turnips with different flavors by adding a small amount of infused oil before roasting. Infused oils such as truffle oil or chili oil bring powerful flavors to your dish, just be mindful that a little goes a long way for these products.