Roasted Turnips and Carrots

When I was growing up, turnips never made an appearance on our holiday table. We could definitely count on some form of pasta, but root vegetables? Not so much. In fact, when my cousin’s girlfriend asked where the turnips were one Thanksgiving, my aunt looked at her like she had killed the dog. Johnny’s family, however, always ate turnips on Turkey Day, so when my mother-in-law offered to start bringing them to our Thanksgiving dinner, I agreed, but wasn’t surprised when they sat largely untouched among the other yummy side dishes. (Johnny isn’t much of a fan either). There’s just something about turnips that isn’t very appetizing. They are good for you though, so I wondered if maybe there was a better way to prepare them. I’ve been on a roasting vegetables kick of late (it’s easy and the results are delicious) so I wanted to put turnips to the test.  I added some carrots to round out the root veggie dish.

It turns out that roasted turnips are quite tasty! (Almost as good as potatoes. Almost.) Charlie agreed and happily ate some of the turnips with his dinner.  I never thought I’d say this, but it looks like turnips will be a welcome addition to this year’s holiday feast!

Roasted Turnips and Carrots

(Serves 2)

2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss the turnips and carrots in olive oil. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bakes for 40-45 minutes or until the veggies are tender, tossing occasionally.

This post is part of Food Network’s Fall Fest, a weekly collection of delicious recipes starring the season’s best bounty. For more ideas on how to prepare turnips, check out the blogs below!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Chinese Turnip Cake

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mashed Turnips With Caramelized Onions and Balsamic

Cooking With Elise: Balsamic Roasted Turnips and Thyme

Virtually Homemade: Roasted Vegetable Soup With Chimichurri

Feed Me Phoebe: Turnip Hash With Basil Vinaigrette

Thursday Night Dinner: Honey Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Turnips

FN Dish: Fall Into Turnips