Look no further for a simple low carb side dish! These PAN-FRIED TURNIPS are quick, easy, and they go great with anything you’d traditionally serve with potatoes.
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Ever had turnips before?
I avoided them my entire life (picky kid who grew up to have picky kids of her own) until I started eating low carb.
I had to start branching out with veggies or we’d be stuck eating broccoli and salad every night of our lives.
Enter the turnip! They’re low carb, keto-friendly, and easy to prepare.
Do turnips taste like potatoes?
Honestly, it depends on how you cook them!
Turnips cooked in my keto beef stew and keto zuppa toscana will usually fool people. It’s rare that someone recognizes they’re eating turnips in those recipes.
This recipe, however, will NOT produce a plate of fluffy potatoes that you can sit in front of your kids and fool them. Sorry, but I gotta be real with you. 😉
These are turnips. They taste like turnips. Don’t try to wish they were potatoes or you’ll be disappointed. Love them for being turnips and you just might find you like them!
How to cook turnips:
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First off, you want to pick the right turnip for the job. Smaller turnips tend to be sweeter and larger turnips have a more robust flavor. I prefer the smaller turnips, but either work for this recipe depending on your preferences.
Peel the outer skin from the turnips and slice into wedges.
Heat up a skillet and add in some ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil (I buy avocado oil at Costco – much cheaper). I strongly prefer ghee – that rich buttery flavor takes these over the top!
Ghee vs. Butter: Wondering why to use ghee instead of butter? Ghee is just butter than has been melted and separated. The milk solids are removed and you’re left with the liquid fat. It has a higher smoke point than regular butter and less lactose. We’re using it here because of the higher smoke point.
Toss your turnips into the hot fat and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. We like these to get a little crisp on the outsides and soft on the insides.
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives before serving.
Are turnips keto friendly?
The short answer: YES!
A medium turnip has 8 carbs and 2.2 grams of fiber.
They’re a good source of potassium, vitamin c, and other nutrients.
What to serve with fried turnips:
My pork tenderloin is the perfect dish for a low carb diet and goes great with a pile of turnip wedges!
This stuffed chicken breast would be great paired with turnips and a salad with homemade ranch dressing.
Keto meatloaf, turnips, and cauliflower mac and cheese would be a hit with my kids!
Pan-Fried Turnip Wedges
Ingredients
- 1 pound turnips
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Minced chives for serving
Instructions
- Peel the turnips and cut into wedges.
- Heat the ghee in a large heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast iron) over medium heat.
- Add the turnips to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Let cook for 5-8 minutes or until the bottoms of the turnips are browned and crisp. Flip and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes or until the turnips are fork tender.
- Season with additional salt and pepper, as desired and sprinkle with chives.
Gee Green says
STOP promoting Amazon products! That company alone is killing the planet and its peoples
Karly Campbell says
While I love to shop locally as often as possible, Amazon is still a company that I use and it’s a popular place for others as well. If you choose not to support Amazon, you’re welcome to click over and find the product on other sites that you do support. 🙂
Marlene says
My husband I made the fried turnips and just loved them. We had not eaten turnips in many years. My grandmother use to make them. Brought bake a lot of memories. We cook these weekly at my house. Thanks for the awesome recipes !!
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoy them! Turnips seem to be much less popular than they were back when our grandparent’s were cooking for their families. I’m happy to bring them back! 🙂
Land says
Can anyone tell me what turnips taste like? I have added it to my list of vegetables to try along with brussell sprouts and radishes. Things I have tried to eat before but did not like the taste. Willing to try again to get more variety, will probably grate them and make a fritter!! Frying with help the taste along with lots of spices.
Karly Campbell says
My favorite way to eat turnips is in a pot roast or a soup. They take on the flavor of the meat and taste a lot like a potato. On their own, they’re a bit peppery. The smaller ones are sweeter.
Heather says
What can be used in place of the Ghee??
Karly Campbell says
Coconut oil or avocado oil.
HEATHER says
Thank You 🙂
Pat says
Can turnips be mashed like potatoes? Maybe as a replacement for grits?
Karly Campbell says
Yep, they can be mashed, but they won’t taste like mashed potatoes. You can see my recipe here: https://thatlowcarblife.com/mashed-turnips/
Par says
Thanks so much! My first try will be with serving Shrimp Creole or Shrimp Delicate over the top. Will let you know after the weekend.
morgan levy says
They are also very wattery. I have found that you need to boil them for a lot longer.