Healthy Turnip Recipes

The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.

The turnip often gets a bad rap as boring, common or bland, but Chef Steven Satterfield is always looking for new ways to make this underappreciated vegetable shine. In this healthy turnip recipe, they're roasted with bright-flavored orange and lemon juice and rich, nutty miso, both of which balance the earthy taste of turnips.

Larger turnips or those that have been stored for a while can have a bitter aftertaste. A bit of sugar fixes that in this healthy vegetable recipe, but if you have small, young turnips, you can omit the sugar. This recipe makes about 1 cup of arugula pesto; use the extra as a spread on sandwiches or to dress up any roasted vegetable, pasta dish or soup.

Pickled turnips are a popular Middle Eastern mezes. Adding a beet slice to each jar turns the turnips pink; you can omit this step if you like.

Here, a medley of root vegetables and winter squash are roasted with chermoula (also spelled charmoula), a quintessential Moroccan spice combination. (Any combination will work in this dish; start with about 12 cups of peeled vegetable pieces.) Be sure to peel turnips well; their skin is thicker and more fibrous than other root vegetables'.

This spring stew, known as a navarin or ragoût in France, features seasonal lamb and uses tender young vegetables that add a fresh flavor to the hearty mix. While a braised dish like this takes a little time, it can be prepared entirely in advance, making it perfect for entertaining.

This cast-iron steak recipe has what it takes to transform beef and vegetables from basic to brilliant--a pop of rosemary on the steak, an intense sear in a hot skillet and a sweet-and-sour glaze on the vegetables. Serve with sautéed spinach and a glass of red wine.

In this recipe, the humble turnip is transformed into a rich turnip soup made creamy with just 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve it as a starter or side soup. The mini salad on top is optional, but we love the bit of texture from the greens and pop of flavor from the vinaigrette.

Roasted chicken in 45 minutes? No problem. This technique of starting bone-in chicken breasts on the stovetop and finishing them in a hot oven with vegetables gets a hearty dinner on the table in a hurry. While everything roasts, you still have time to make a quick pan sauce with shallot and Dijon mustard. Serve with a spinach salad.

This root vegetable stew is flecked with sausage and topped with whole-wheat herbed dumplings. Turn up the heat by using hot Italian sausage or make it crowd-pleasing with sweet sausage. If you find beets or turnips with their greens still attached, the greens of one bunch should yield just enough for this dish. Otherwise use whatever dark leafy greens look fresh at the market.

When you season roast chicken under the skin, as in this recipe, the meat itself gets flavored and the skin becomes nicely browned and crisp. Here, the chicken is roasted on a bed of carrots, turnips and celeriac--but any mixture of root vegetables will work. You'll need about 8 cups of chopped or cubed vegetables.

Ramen gets a healthy makeover in this “spiralized” vegetable noodle recipe. We swap noodles made from mild turnips for ramen noodles, but other vegetables, such as zucchini or yellow squash, would also make noodles perfect for this Asian-inspired recipe. Serve with sriracha hot sauce for a kick.

In this French-style healthy soup recipe, sausage, cabbage and root vegetables simmer together to make a comforting and healthy meal. Serve the soup piping hot with grated Parmesan cheese on the side. Like most soups, the flavors are even better if it's made a day ahead.

In this healthy chicken stew recipe, we save prep time by using pre-sliced mushrooms and pre-chopped kale (found near packaged fresh greens). If you don't like turnips, potatoes are an easy substitution.

Zesty orange and fragrant bay leaves flavor this healthy, saucy slow-cooker pot roast recipe. Stir in the olives at the end so they don't lose their brininess as this slow-cooker pot roast recipe cooks. Serve with a green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette.

You don't need much beef in this homey mushroom-beef noodle soup recipe, since mushrooms and a little Worcestershire sauce give it plenty of savory flavor.

In this delicious side dish recipe, turnips and butternut squash are glazed with a mixture of molasses and flavorful five-spice powder. Try the dish with garlic-rubbed roasted chicken or pork.

Perk up your cheese plate or crudités platter with these crunchy, zesty pickled turnips or try them on a sandwich instead of cucumber pickles.

Slowly braising turnips in savory miso-spiked broth and butter gives them a sweet flavor and velvety texture in this side dish recipe. The addition of turnip greens (which are sometimes sold separately in bunches) adds a peppery bite. For a mellower flavor, use spinach.

Steaks are often served with hearty accompaniments like mashed potatoes, which can make the whole meal seem heavy. Here we lighten things up by topping pan-seared steaks with a raw slaw dressed with pungent horseradish vinaigrette. We use shredded beets, turnips and carrots, but feel free to change up the combination of vegetables based on what you're pulling from the garden.