5 Ingredients or Fewer

Roasted Baby Turnips with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette and Tarragon

by:
March 10, 2014
4
7 Ratings
Roasted Baby Turnips with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette and Tarragon
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Oftentimes at brunch, I'm so underwhelmed by the side dishes: usually just some overdressed frisée or a bad biscuit (hey, I may live in Brooklyn, but this Southern girl knows what a real biscuit is supposed to taste like). This delicious side dish is easy to pull together at the last minute, but your guests will never know! It's a great compliment to any brunch table. —Ty Ryavec

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Ty Ryavec is a photographer who grew up in Baltimore.
WHAT: Earthy roasted turnips, dressed up in a perky vinaigrette.
HOW: Roast your turnips; whisk together your dressing; toss; sprinkle with tarragon.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We love how elegant Ty's recipe is -- it's just a few ingredients, but we'd happily serve it at a dinner party.Turnips are one of those vegetables that are easy to overlook; this recipe, for those who rarely buy them, is revelatory. We love the kick of the mustard and shallots, as well as the springy freshness of the tarragon. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Roasted Baby Turnips
  • 2 bunches baby turnips, peeled and chopped into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Pinch of salt, to taste
  • Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • Pinch of salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon tarragon, chiffonade
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Toss baby turnips in olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  2. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft on the inside, with a slightly caramelized exterior.
  3. While the turnips are roasting, whisk together the white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.
  4. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, taking care not to add too much at a time. Whisk until emulsified, then whisk in the shallots.
  5. Note: These are best served at room temperature.
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17 Reviews

eveross
eveross September 12, 2020
This was wonderful!!! Followed the recipe, used dried tarragon instead of fresh, tasted fresh and different and all of it was eaten pretty much immediately! Great - we will make this one again!
 
Susan P.
Susan P. September 5, 2019
This was delicious with duck. It is also good made with radishes instead of turnips.
 
Gregg
Gregg November 23, 2015
Our turnips are loose - no bunches. Any idea the weight of "one bunch"?
 
Brenda
Brenda October 17, 2016
about six, that is usually what is in the bunches I pick up at farmers market.
 
Megan R.
Megan R. July 14, 2015
I tried this and found it was god to roast mature turnips with sweet potato because they caramelize well and take away the bitter taste. I also found the amount of white wine vinegar to be a bit overpowering so I cut back the next time. Umeboshi vinegar is nice to use instead of salt because it is a bit sweet and adds another dimension of flavour.
 
Erin
Erin February 22, 2015
Plate-licking delicious! Just made this with some turnips from our CSA box and it was divine. A couple deviations: we used large turnips cut up into smaller pieces and roasted for about 20 minutes, until caramelized around the edges. We also substituted scallions in for the shallot and fresh thyme for the tarragon.
 
Nancy
Nancy February 15, 2015
Hello! This looks delicious and bright. I was wondering if you roast the turnips briefly in the vinaigrette after they're dressed? Or do you just dress them in it when they're just warm out of the roasting oven? Thank you!
 
Wendy K.
Wendy K. November 21, 2014
If you can't find baby turnips, only the larger, more mature ones, how will this change the dish?
 
Ty R.
Ty R. November 21, 2014
Baby turnips are a bit sweeter and more mild than more mature turnips. However, if you are using mature turnips, cut them into a smaller size and just roast them for a bit longer, until a little more caramelization occurs. That should help balance the sweetness! Hope this works for you!
 
Ronnie F.
Ronnie F. October 13, 2014
I made this tonight (using a mixture of baby purple and Japanese turnips) and it was wonderful! I added some ground husk cherries just before serving the dish and I thought they went really well with the turnips!
 
Nyborg
Nyborg July 4, 2014
looks great. thank you. just bought some incredibly beautiful baby turnips in the union square (rainy) market today.
 
thefolia
thefolia April 27, 2014
I'm loving this simple, beautiful recipe yet can't wait to try it! Happy Nesting.
 
ChefJune
ChefJune April 24, 2014
Well this is a wow! Congrats on the WC win. I can already taste that vinaigrette on roasted salmon. Did you use the white Japanese turnips or little purple tops? Just curious.
 
Ty R.
Ty R. April 25, 2014
I do this on roasted salmon all the time! It works really well! I used the white, but only because that's what was available.
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen April 23, 2014
Love baby turnips. Love roasting baby turnips. Will love them roasted with this vinaigrette!
 
aargersi
aargersi April 23, 2014
I am so glad to see this as a wild card! I tested it and loved it and am making it again ASAP (in fact possibly tonight)
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx March 15, 2014
The Vinaigrette reads deliciously and bet it could be used for other vegetables. Good luck!