Choosing the Best Turnips
Your journey to a delicious turnip soup starts in the produce aisle. Look for turnips that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth skin. Smaller, younger turnips are generally sweeter and more tender than their larger counterparts, which can sometimes
become woody and develop a sharper, more bitter taste. If you find turnips with their leafy greens still attached, that is a great sign of freshness. Don't discard those greens; they can be washed and sautéed separately or added to other dishes.
The Peeling Question: To Peel or Not?
One of the most common questions is whether turnips need to be peeled. The answer is: it depends. For small, young turnips with thin, smooth skin, a good scrub is often all that is needed, and leaving the skin on provides extra nutrients. However, for larger, older turnips, peeling is recommended. The skin on more mature turnips can be tough and contribute a slightly bitter aftertaste. For a creamy, puréed soup where a silky texture is desired, it is always best to peel the turnips, regardless of their size. A standard vegetable peeler works perfectly.
The Simplest Prep of All: Chopping
Once peeled (or scrubbed), preparing turnips for soup is incredibly straightforward. For most recipes, all you need to do is chop them. Simply trim the top and root ends, then cut the turnip into uniform cubes, about one-inch in size or smaller. This ensures they cook evenly alongside other vegetables in your soup pot. Whether you are making a chunky vegetable soup or a smooth, blended one, this basic chop is your starting point. You can add the raw, chopped turnips directly to your pot with aromatics like onion and garlic, and a liquid like broth.
A Simple Trick for Deeper Flavour
While you can add raw turnips directly to the soup, a simple, hands-off step can unlock a deeper, sweeter flavour: roasting. Tossing the chopped turnips with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper and roasting them in a hot oven for 25-30 minutes until tender and slightly browned will caramelize their natural sugars. This reduces any potential bitterness and adds a wonderful nutty dimension. Once roasted, you can add them to your soup base and proceed with the recipe. This method adds incredible flavour without requiring active, complicated prep work.
Effortless Soup Ideas
Turnips are versatile and pair well with many flavours. For an easy creamy soup, simply boil chopped turnips and a potato (for starchiness and body) in broth until tender. Then, use an immersion blender to purée the mixture until smooth, and finish with a splash of cream or milk. You can also add turnips to any mixed vegetable soup; they complement carrots, leeks, celery, and potatoes beautifully. For a touch of sweetness to balance the turnip's peppery notes, consider adding a chopped apple to the pot as it simmers.
