Summer Turnip Salad With Lemon-Herb Dressing Recipe

Turnips might not always be included in your weekly produce haul, but this underappreciated veggie deserves some front and center attention. As a root vegetable and part of the Brassicaceae family, turnips are incredibly very versatile, budget friendly, and refreshing. Plus, when eaten raw they add a crisp and crunchy element with a peppery bite that will certainly switch things up from the typical leafy green salad. Here we're pairing sliced turnips with fresh cucumber, juicy tomatoes, and tangy red onion along with a zesty lemon dressing packed with fresh herbs.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Salads are a great way to incorporate a wide variety of vegetables. I encourage my clients to go out of the box when it comes to produce and try new things each week. Since each vegetable offers different vitamins and minerals, eating the rainbow ensures you are maximizing your vitamin and mineral intake." And you certainly will be eating the rainbow when biting into this summery salad — enjoy it at lunch time or as a side dish at dinner for a simple but satisfying veggie boost.

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and pick up turnips, red onion, English cucumber, grape tomatoes, Italian parsley, lemon, shallot, garlic, fresh dill, and chives. For the dressing, along with some of the produce mentioned, you'll need olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

Peel the turnips and cut off the ends.

Thinly slice the peeled turnips by hand or with a mandoline.

In a large bowl combine the sliced turnips, cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley.

Zest and juice the lemon.

In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, shallot, garlic, maple syrup, mustard, dill, and chives.

Toss the salad with dressing and serve.

As with all produce, it's helpful to know how to select it so it's fresh and offering prime taste. Turnips are typically round, white in color with patches of purple. You'll want to look for turnips that are firm and heavy. If they feel light and spongy, they are no longer fresh. If you find turnips with leaves attached, look for vibrant fresh leaves that indicate the vegetable has just been picked. The green leaves of the turnip are edible and can be chopped and steamed or eaten raw, so while you won't need them for this recipe, they might be worth holding onto if you want to experiment even further.

For preparing the turnips for the salad you have a few options. In this recipe, we've used a mandoline slicer to cut the turnip slices very thin and even. Naturally, take care when using a mandoline so that you don't cut your hand, and if it comes with a protective glove, be sure to wear it to avoid injuries. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife to slice by hand, or you can use a "Y" vegetable peeler and peel thin slices. You can also opt for diced turnip or julienne cut pieces.

Like most salads, it's easy to add in other items based on what you like or what you have on hand. In this salad feel free to add chopped red peppers, shredded carrots, sliced radishes, chopped celery, or shredded purple cabbage. If you want to add a base of greens try spinach, arugula, romaine, or red leaf lettuce.

A touch of sweetness is also a nice addition to the salad. Freshly diced apples or pears complement the peppery flavor of the turnips. Any type of dried fruit works well also like dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins.

If you want to add some protein to the salad, white beans or chickpeas work well. A hearty grain like quinoa will add protein and fiber as well. Of course, you can add cooked chicken or shrimp if you don't wish to keep the salad vegan.

We've used fresh herbs in the salad but there's always room for more. Toss is fresh oregano, basil, cilantro, or mint for added earthy freshness.