The best substitutes for turnips

Don’t you love winter? Especially all the winter vegetables that come with it. Turnips are one of our favorites for their versatility and unique flavor. But sometimes even our favorite ingredients have to be substituted.

Whether it’s out of stock or someone you don’t like is coming to dinner, it can be frustrating having to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

So what are the best substitutes for turnips? The best substitutes for turnips are rutabagas, celery, parsnips, and carrots. All of them are similar to turnips both in taste and texture. You can likely find at least one of these at your local grocery store if there are no turnips.

In this article, we’ll look more specifically at what a turnip is and what it tastes like. We will also talk about the 4 best substitutes for turnip roots and substitutes for turnip greens.

What do turnips taste like?

Let’s start with what a turnip is. A turnip is a root vegetable that is mostly white, apart from the top, which is light purple, red, pink, or green.

The root is mostly round and its size ranges from 5 to 20 cm in diameter. The upper parts (stems and leaves) are called turnip tops, which are also edible.

Some people confuse this root vegetable with many similar-looking ones, such as beets, radishes, rutabaga, or celery. They are not necessarily a good substitute just because they look alike.

That’s why it’s important to know what turnips taste like , so you can choose a substitute.

The variety of turnip, as well as its age, will affect the flavor of the root and turnip tops, but in general, the flavor of both is best described as a cross between a cabbage and a radish.

It has a very strong flavor that leans more to the sweet side and has a slight peppery tang to it. The flavor of both the roots and the vegetables is diluted after subjecting them to any cooking process.

It’s one of those vegetables that either you like or you don’t like.

Turnip Substitutes

Due to the strong and uniquely peppery flavor of turnips, it is not as easy to substitute for just any root vegetable as some may think.

You can of course substitute regular root vegetables like carrots, which we’ll take a look at, but if you want to better mimic the flavor and texture, you’ll need to use more of the same ingredients.

Here’s a ranked list of what we think are the best substitutes for turnips, but of course, in the end, it all depends on your preferences.

1. Kohlrabi

Some of you may have never heard of this vegetable, but I guarantee you have probably confused it with a turnip in the supermarket.

They originated as a cross between a turnip and a cabbage, giving them a very similar look.

Rutabagas look like big, dirty turnips. The color of a kohlrabi is either a very dark purple all over or a deep yellow-brown and cream.

Flavor-wise, rutabagas are slightly sweeter than turnips, but other than that minor difference, they have pretty much the same flavor profile.

Both vegetables are interchangeable and can be used in various ways. They are excellent for grilling, making soups, stews, and casseroles. They also have the same cooking times, which takes the guesswork out of other substitutes.

You will need to remove the skin of the kohlrabi with a small paring knife to remove the wax coating; this wax is harmless, it only prevents the root from drying out.

This is undoubtedly the best substitute for turnips, due to its similarities in flavor and texture.

2. Parsnips

Parsnips are almost like a pale carrot, although the flavor and texture differ.

Parsnips have a more earthy and nutty flavor (almost like nutmeg) than carrots.

However, parsnips are not as spicy as turnips and are much sweeter.

That being said, they are still a great substitute due to their texture similarities when cooked.

You can substitute the turnips for an equal amount of parsnips. The cooking times for turnips and parsnips are the same, so they can be easily substituted without adding any new steps.

Using parsnips instead of turnips works great in roasts, stews, and soups. We love using parsnips as it adds a new layer of flavor (the nutty element) that other vegetable substitutions don’t.

3. Celery (celery root)

Celery, also known as celery root or celery knobs, may not be the most attractive-looking vegetable, but it makes a great-tasting turnip substitute.

It is the lower part (root) of celery shoots and leaves, which are used most often.

Its flavor is very similar to turnip, except for the hints of celery (spicy flavor) it contains.

To prepare celery, the thick, tough skin must be removed with a peeler or paring knife. Also, celery discolors quickly, so use it immediately after cutting.

Using this vegetable involves a bit more steps, but it’s definitely worth the effort.

You can substitute the two vegetables in equal parts and cook them in the same way as the recipe indicates. Celery is undoubtedly the best substitute for turnips when used in smoothies or juices.

4. Carrots

Turnips and some of their other substitutes are not as readily available around the world, so carrots have the upper hand here.

Carrots also lean towards the sweeter side of the flavor spectrum, but most varieties. Once peeled, they do not have a bitter or earthy taste.

That’s why carrots are on this list. Although they don’t taste exactly like turnips, they are a great substitute for people who don’t like bitter-tasting foods.

Its texture, when used in a recipe, is very similar to that of turnips and we have yet to find a recipe where you can’t use this substitution. You can use them in roasts, stews, soups, or even smoothies that call for turnips.

You can substitute 1 cup of chopped turnips for 1 cup of chopped carrots (equal parts substitution).

The preparation methods in the recipe should be the same, although the cooking time could differ slightly depending on the thickness of your slices.

Substitutes for turnip tops

Turnip tops are the stem and leafy part of the turnip. They are high in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.

Like its root, they have a markedly spicy flavor.

The best substitutes would be kale or Swiss chard. Both ingredients were hard to find when they first appeared on the market, but today they are much more accessible.

Both also require a little more preparation, since they have thick stems that will have to be removed so that they cook a little longer than the leaves.

Kale has an earthy, spicy flavor, very similar to turnip tops. There are several different varieties of kale, but each one will work great as a substitution.

Kale can be eaten raw, just like turnip tops. If used in recipes, they take longer to cook as they are much thicker.

Swiss chard is another great substitute for people who want a milder flavor. It still has some bitterness, but much less than turnip tops.

Extra Substitution! If you can’t find any of these substitutes, use spinach or baby spinach, which is also close to turnip tops in flavor and texture.

However, spinach cooks much faster, so keep that in mind during the cooking process.

Nutritional Content - Substitutions Comparison

Both the roots and the turnip tops are very healthy. They have very few calories (much less than their substitutes) and are very rich in vitamins and minerals.

The table below compares the nutritional value of 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of each vegetable.

For those of you who don’t care too much about all these numbers, they show that turnips are healthy and so are their substitutes, especially kohlrabi.

All of these ingredients are high in most important vitamins and minerals, which means that consuming them (as a substitute or not) has many health benefits.

Nutritional Value Comparison (per 3.5 oz)

Vitamin Comparison (per 3.5 oz)

Mineral Content (per 3.5 oz)

If you’re not already doing this, be sure to try incorporating more of these root vegetables into your diet—your body will thank you.