Looking for a delicious turnip recipe? This vegetarian Turnip Stir Fry is made with diced turnips, white beans, spinach, and a honey sauce spiked with ginger and garlic. It will make you love under-appreciated turnips!
More turnips, please! Have you ever muttered that at the dinner table? Probably not.
But after you try this turnip stir fry, I think your feelings towards this vegetable will change! This dish reminds me of my Baby Portobello Mushroom Stir Fry, but the addition of turnips makes it a little more unique.
Cooked turnips are equal parts bitter and sweet. So when they’re combined with Asian flavors, like soy, ginger, and garlic, the result is a surprisingly delicious dish.
I also added spinach for some color, and white beans for some protein. All in all, turnip stir fry is a tasty, quick (only 30 minutes of prep/cook time!), and balanced dish. I know you’ll love it!
How to Make Turnip Stir Fry
- Scrub, trim, and peel a couple of turnips. Add them to a skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Let them cook for a few minutes.
- Stir in the spinach, white beans, and stir fry sauce.
- Serve over rice or another whole grain!
If you purchase turnips with their green leaves, you can also chop them up and add them to the stir fry. It’s really that easy! Who said eating veggies has to be difficult?!
FAQ for Eating and Cooking Turnips
If this turnip stir fry is your first turnip recipe, you may have a few questions about preparing this vegetable! I rounded them up for you here.
Are turnips healthy for you?
Turnips are rich in vitamin C, a water-soluble nutrient that’s vital for collagen production in the body. Collagen gives structure to your skin, hair, and nails.
As a member of the cruciferous family, turnips are also high in glucosinolates that act as antioxidants in the body. These compounds help fight free radicals that contribute to disease development.
How do you cut and cook turnips?
First, scrub the turnips with a veggie brush. Turnip skin is edible (and very nutritious), so you don’t need to peel them. Use a knife to trim off the bottom and top.
To cut a turnip into cubes, slice the turnip in half and then cut each half into 1-inch thick slices. Dice those up, and you’re good to go!
You can roast turnips with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until tender. You can also boil turnips in salted water for 10-15 minutes, or saute turnips over medium heat for 8-12 minutes (like you do in this turnip stir fry).
More Turnip Recipes
If you like turnip stir fry, you should check out:
📖 Recipe
Turnip Stir Fry with White Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 purple top turnips - scrubbed, trimmed, and diced
- 3 cups spinach
- 1 15.5 oz can white beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce - use tamari for gluten free
- 1 cup brown rice - cooked, for serving
Instructions
- If you need to prepare rice or a whole grain for the meal, start that before making the stir fry.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turnips and cook, stirring/flipping occasionally, for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.
- While the turnips are cooking, whisk together the ginger, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Add the spinach, white beans, and sauce to the skillet. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the stir fry is heated through.
- Serve warm over rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rice is optional. You can serve it without any grain or on top of farro or barley instead.
- For more protein, add chicken or beef in addition to or in place of the white beans.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.
- If you buy turnips with their greens, you can chop those up and add them to the stir fry too.
Alison Delaney
Delicious and easy to make!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yay! Thanks for your review, Alison!
DM
Wow! Yummy and easy! I replaced the wine vinegar w apple cider vinegar. And the spinach w Chinese broccoli/choi sam
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yum! Sounds like you made some great adjustments. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Jana
I made this with dried rosemary and found my turnips to be a bit bland. So at the end I added about 1.5 Tbsp balsamic glaze. I will definitely make this again but will use fresh rosemary. (I just didn’t have it in the house at the time.) This is a great recipe to change up the flavour profile of beans and add some turnip to my diet (which is reported to be good for NAFLD). It was delish!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Jana, thanks for your comment and feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and plan to make it again.
Lesley Meakin
Really tasty!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!