Turnips are often roasted in the oven or boiled in a pot, but is there a quicker and easier way? Yes! Did you know they can be microwaved? Here’s how to microwave turnips with ease:
To microwave turnips, once clean, cube them, then add them to a dish with a splash of water. Cover and then microwave on high for 8 minutes, shaking them midway through.
How to Microwave Turnips
Microwaving turnips is an excellent way to prepare this root vegetable, as it is relatively quick and simple. Follow the instructions below to microwave your turnips correctly:
- Wash
As a root vegetable, turnips will likely come with dirt and debris attached, mainly if you’ve picked them yourself or bought them from greengrocers. Wash the turnips in cold water, removing any stubborn dirt with a sharp knife. - Prepare
Once washed, you will need to peel and then slice or cube your turnips. Ultimately, how you slice them is up to you, but it’s best to slice them relatively small, as this will speed up the cooking process. - Place in a Microwave-Safe Dish
Place your washed and sliced turnips in a shallow microwave-safe dish, and sprinkle some water on top of the turnips. - Cover
Cover the turnips with a paper towel, cling film, or a lid and place them in the microwave. - Heat
Turn your microwave on its highest setting and heat them for four minutes. Remove them from the microwave and give them a quick stir, checking their firmness, before returning them to the microwave for a further four minutes. - Season and Serve
After removing your turnips, check their tenderness and season with salt and pepper before serving.
How to Microwave Turnips Successfully
Below are our top 3 tips for microwaving turnips. If you want to have complete success then make sure you follow these:
- Use a Shallow Bowl With a Lid or Casserole Dish – When you’re heating turnips in the microwave, you need to cover them well to trap the steam during the cooking process. A shallow bowl with a sealable lid or a casserole dish with a glass lid works best and will ensure your turnips are nice and tender once cooked.
- Add Something to Bring Out the Sweetness – After cooking turnips, you can add certain ingredients to bring out their natural sweetness. You could opt for a knob of butter and nutmeg, or perhaps even Greek yoghurt, before mashing your turnips together. The latter creates a delicious mash.
- Use the Tops – If you bought or picked turnips with their green tops intact, don’t throw them out. Turnip tops are full of nutrients and can be cooked similarly to spinach, making another healthy addition to your meal.
Why You Should Microwave Turnips
There’s nothing overly complicated about microwaving turnips, and doing so also has the following advantages:
It Takes Less Time
Microwaving turnips is one of the quickest ways of softening turnips, which is ideal if you’re pressed for time when preparing your evening meal.
Using a microwave takes around 8 minutes in total. Whereas cooking turnips in the oven can take as long as 30 minutes. That’s quite the time-saving!
Less Cleaning
Cooking turnips in the microwave saves you from having to wash pots, pans, or baking trays, depending on how else you might prepare them, saving you time during the clean-up operation!
Why You Shouldn’t Microwave Turnips
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news. There are a few drawbacks to be aware of when cooking turnips in the microwave:
Prep Time
Preparing turnips takes a little longer than other veggies, as you need to wash, peel, and slice them. However, you can get around this by purchasing pre-prepared turnips that can be placed directly into the microwave.
Only Ideal for Small Portions
If you’re planning to cook large amounts of turnips or significant chunks, the microwave isn’t the best option. To microwave turnips efficiently you should cut them as small as possible, which isn’t ideal for everyone.
Limited Flavour
When cooking turnips in the oven, they take a little colour which brings out a nuttiness and sweetness. You’ll also add a subtle smokiness to the turnips.
The microwave, however, will not provide any of these benefits.
Microwaving Turnips FAQs
Do you have more questions about microwaving turnips successfully? Then have a look at these FAQs:
As each vegetable will need a different time to cook it properly in the microwave, it’s better to cook each root vegetable individually before combining them all with seasoning.
Although possible, it will take a long time and is far from convenient. Instead, it is far better to prepare a turnip before microwaving it.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
