Salad Turnips, the Unsung Heroes of Fall

In season now and for sale in our Farm Market are salad turnips, one of our absolute favorites (but we say that about every vegetable, don’t we?). Our crop production manager Abby explains why we love this particular class of turnip, and shares her favorite ways to enjoy them.

Turnips are among the humblest of root crops.  They usually don’t have the vibrant colors of carrots and beets, and they don’t share their characteristic sweetness … or their loyal following. And while I also love radishes and look forward to their triumphant return in the fall, I believe humble turnips, and in particular a class of turnips known as “salad turnips,” belong among the ranks of the already-celebrated radishes, carrots, and beets.  

For many people, the familiarity they have with turnips is limited to the oversized white and purple root common in grocery stores. These purple-top turnips are great roasted, in a soup or stew, or in many other classic turnip preparations. In the past few years however, we’ve introduced the smaller and less-familiar “salad turnips” into our family of fall root crops. 

The salad turnips we currently grow at Turner Farm are “Hakurei,” a Japanese variety. They are amazingly versatile, and I always encourage customers to try them raw before cooking them the way they would their purple-topped counterparts. 

Although salad turnips are good lightly sautéed or roasted, I cringe at the thought of overcooking them! They are less starchy than an average turnip, with a texture that deserves to be eaten raw or barely cooked. Hakurei turnips have the tender, almost creamy texture of a spring radish. With none of the sharp heat of a radish, their more mellow turnip flavor shines through. They are crisp and tender; my favorite way to eat them is sliced thinly and piled on top of a slice of  toast with plenty of good butter and a sprinkle of salt. They are also excellent in salads and make a unique addition to crudités platter. 

And don’t forget the greens! Salad turnip greens are less tough than typical turnip greens, and don’t have their characteristic “hairiness.” They can be added to salads or sautéed lightly in a stir fry. 

Last but not least, salad turnips are delightful pickled.

So, before you get too sad about saying goodbye to tomatoes, peppers, and the rest of summer’s bounty, give salad turnips a try!