Turnip Puff

Turnips are often overlooked, even though they grow easily and keep well. Most people probably ignore them because they have a robust flavor, and older ones can overpower other ingredients. But prepare them on their own as a turnip puff, and their spicy notes and creamy mashed texture stand up well to just about any main dish you can think of, from roast chicken to Instant Pot brisket.

This simple baked turnip recipe is made with just this root vegetable and kitchen staples—including baking powder to help the mixture rise slightly. You cook the turnips twice: once on the stovetop for easy mashing and again in the oven with a crispy dusting of buttered bread crumbs.

What is a turnip puff?

Turnip puff is an old-fashioned dish resembling mashed potato casserole. To make it, you boil and mash cubed turnips, then mix them with egg, flour, spices and baking powder to puff it up lightly in the oven. Most root vegetable puffs include a dab of butter and sugar to turn the top and base brown and crispy in the oven. Some versions are sprinkled with sugar, while others are topped with bread crumbs or cheese for an au gratin effect.

Turnip Puff Ingredients

• Turnips: You need about 1-1/2 pounds of turnips to create 3 cups of peeled cubes. You may want to pick up an extra root; mature turnips might have woody bits that need removing. Turnips oxidize like apples or potatoes when the flesh is exposed to air, so cube them just before you cook them or use one of the same tricks that keep potatoes from turning brown.
• Butter: Butter adds flavor and keeps the turnips from getting too sticky. Softened butter will incorporate into the turnips better when it comes time to mash them.
• Egg: An egg enhances the flavor and helps to activate the baking powder. Room-temperature eggs beat more easily into warm mashed turnips than fridge-cold ones.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is the best thickener for mashed turnips. You need just a little flour to prevent them from becoming runny.
• Baking powder: Baking powder might seem like an odd ingredient in mashed root vegetables, but it’s key to creating the puff effect. This recipe doesn’t include a strongly acidic ingredient, so you need baking powder, not baking soda, to make the turnip puff rise.
• Brown sugar: Savory puffs typically include a touch of sugar to contrast the spicy earthiness of turnips. Brown sugar, with its molasses notes, pairs well with robust root vegetables.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper and nutmeg season this turnip puff simply but effectively. Instead of preground pepper and nutmeg, grind your own black peppercorns and grate from a whole nutmeg for the freshest taste and strongest aroma.
• Topping: Dry bread crumbs quickly absorb melted butter and then crisp in the oven. Make your own from a slice of day-old or toasted bread torn into pieces and pulsed in a food processor.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the turnips

Place the turnip cubes in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and cook the turnips for 10 to 15 minutes or until they’re tender.

Step 2: Mash in the butter

Drain the turnip cubes and mash them with the butter. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Step 3: Mix the puff ingredients

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Beat the egg into the turnip mash. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir the flour mixture into the turnip mixture.

Step 4: Add the topping and bake

Spoon the turnip mixture into a 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray. Toss the bread crumbs and melted butter, then sprinkle them over the casserole. Bake the turnip puff, uncovered, until it’s heated through and a thermometer inserted into the center reads 160°, 30 to 35 minutes.

Turnip Puff Variations

• Make it mellower: Tone down the strong turnip taste by combining them with celeriac for a subtle celery flavor and potatoes for added creaminess. Substitute yellow-fleshed rutabaga, carrots or parsnips for some or all the turnips for a vegetable puff with a sweeter, earthier taste.
• Make it bolder: Add garlic to the mash and smoked paprika to the bread crumbs to bring out the piquant spiciness of turnips. Seasoned bread crumbs incorporate herbs like rosemary and thyme into the topping, but you can mix dried or fresh ones into the turnips for a more savory filling. Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the eggs and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the flour mixture to build on the brown sugar sweetness.
• Add cheese: Sprinkle a layer of crumbled or grated cheese between the mashed turnips and the bread crumb topping. Intensely flavored cheeses that work well with turnips include goat cheese and some types of cheese you’ve been missing, like velvety yet stinky Taleggio and Parmigiano-Reggiano, a more complexly nutty cheese than Parmesan.
• Change the crumb topping: Double the amount of crumbs and butter for extra crunch, or replace the dry bread crumbs with airy, flaky panko. Sprinkle on brown sugar, perhaps with a pinch of cinnamon, instead of crumbs to give your turnip puff a classic sweet topping.

How to Store Turnip Puff

Cover and store the turnip puff in a baking dish or in an airtight container. Once it has cooled completely, put it in the refrigerator. The flavors of the turnip mixture will meld further as it sits, but the crumb topping will lose some of its crispiness.

How long does a turnip puff last?

Turnip puff lasts in the refrigerator for three to four days. If you’re baking it to serve later, leave off the crumb topping or add an extra layer of fresh butter-tossed bread crumbs when you reheat it.

How do you reheat turnip puff?

Reheat a full dish of turnip puff in a 350° oven. Let it return to room temperature while you preheat the oven, and then warm it, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the covering and let it reheat for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the topping becomes crispy and the turnip mixture is warmed through. To reheat individual portions, use a toaster oven if you want a crispy topping or a microwave in 30-second bursts if you don’t mind soft bread crumbs.

Turnip Puff Tips

How can you reduce bitterness in turnips?

Mature turnips have a strong flavor, so the best way to reduce bitterness is to choose young ones. The season’s first purple-top turnips are usually small but heavy for their size and have a sweeter, more delicate flavor—and you can cook the turnip greens too. By winter, full-grown turnips have developed a peppery bite and tough skins, so cook turnips that have been peeled for less bitterness. If the surface flesh is a little woody, cut it away until you get to the firm but smooth inner flesh.

What can you serve with a turnip puff?

Serve turnip puff alongside any entree that pairs nicely with mashed potatoes, like turkey, ham or roast beef. Cook chipotle citrus-glazed turkey tenderloins on the stovetop or head to the grill to fire off a zesty grilled ham while the turnip puff is baking. The mashed turnips make a delicious side for a hot roast beef sandwich or portobello mushroom sandwiches. With its crispy topping and fluffy center, there’s no need to top turnip puff with gravy, so you can skip that when serving it with chicken-fried steak or turkey cutlets.