Air fryer Turnips make a perfect side dish for holiday meals. This easy recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and quick to prepare in the air fryer.
Side dishes are really important on any holiday table. Take a look at many more in our Christmas collection.
If you're a fan of air fryer veggies like I am, you're going to love this easy air fryer turnip cubes recipe, too! This root veggie side dish is perfect to enjoy every day with Indian curries as well as for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Just like my other go-to air fryer recipes for air fryer roast Indian potatoes, roast carrots(air fryer), air fryer green beans, and air fryer roasted broccoli, this one is fuss-free and super simple to make.
Jump to:
- Sandhya's Top Tips for the Best Air Fryer Turnips
- Ingredients
- How to Make Air Fryer Turnips?
- Make Roasted Turnips In a Conventional Oven Method
- How to Serve Air Fryer Roasted Turnip?
- Storing Leftovers
- Make Ahead Roasted Turnips in the Air Fryer for Christmas
- Recipe FAQ's
- More Easy Vegetarian Side Dish Recipes
- Air fryer Turnips Recipe
Sandhya's Top Tips for the Best Air Fryer Turnips
- Secret Tip to Reduce the Bitterness of Turnip: This always works. Soak the mature turnip in cold water for 30 minutes to reduce bitterness (optional step)
- Flavor of the Turnip depends upon the size: Smaller turnips are sweeter and milder, while bigger ones taste stronger and a bit more intense.
- Cut Evenly: Make sure the turnips are cut into equal-sized cubes so they cook evenly.
- Skip the Boil: No need to boil the turnips before air frying. It’s quicker and still gives great results!
- Cooking Time: The time I’ve given works for in-season turnips, but feel free to adjust depending on how tender they are.
- Always Avoid Overcrowding the air fryer basket: If needed, cook in two batches for perfectly crispy turnips.
Ingredients
- Turnips – Go for small to medium-sized turnips, as they’re sweeter and less bitter. Peel and cube them for roasting. You can use purple-top turnips, which are the most common, or try golden turnips for a slightly milder flavor.
- Seasoning – I like to keep it simple with salt, pepper, medium paprika, and garlic powder to enhance the natural flavor.
- Sunflower Oil or Olive Oil – Either works well; just use whichever you have on hand.
- Optional – A little butter for extra richness, if you want to make them extra indulgent.
How to Make Air Fryer Turnips?
Step 1: Prep the Turnips: I start by washing and drying the turnips. Then, I top and tail, peel turnips, and chop them into even cubes.
Tip: If you find turnip bitter, soak it in cold water for at least 15- 30 minutes. If you are using young turnips, skip this step.
Step 2: Next, I toss the cubed turnips with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and a drizzle of oil to give them that extra crispy edge.
Step 3: I transfer the seasoned turnips into the air fryer basket.
Step 4: Air fry at 375°F (190 °C) for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. Shake the basket in between. If needed, add another 2-3 minutes.
Once they’re done, I take them out of the air fryer, garnish with some fresh herbs, and serve them up!
Make Roasted Turnips In a Conventional Oven Method
No Air Fryer? No Problem! Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 °C). Simply arrange the spice-coated turnip cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25-30 minutes or until they are fork-tender and slightly golden and tender.
How to Serve Air Fryer Roasted Turnip?
I love serving these crispy air fryer turnip cubes with my Thanksgiving or Christmas mains like whole roasted cauliflower or cauliflower and broccoli cheese. On regular days, I just love serving with tarka red lentil dal and ragi roti.
When I want to serve as an appetiser, I serve them with some boom boom sauce or vegan burger sauce.
Storing Leftovers
- In the fridge: Allow to cool and store the air-fried turnips in an air-tight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them back in the air fryer basket and heat thoroughly before serving.
- In the freezer: Store in freezer-safe containers or plastic bags, label them and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Make Ahead Roasted Turnips in the Air Fryer for Christmas
I prepare roasted turnips in air fryer up to 2 days in advance and keep them in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat them in the air fryer, and they’re good to go. It’s the perfect way to save time while still offering a delicious, warm side dish.
I love prepping ahead for Christmas. It makes everything so much easier, just like some of our other Christmas favorites like Christmas Red Cabbage Coleslaw, Air fryer Dauphinoise potatoes, Christmas Vegetable gratin and Air fryer smashed potatoes.
Recipe FAQ's
Turnips are root vegetables, similar to parsnips and swedes. They have a creamy white color with a hint of purple and belong to the cabbage family. When cooked, they turn soft and velvety, much like parsnips.
Baby turnips are in season from June to July, while winter turnips are at their peak between October and February.
You don’t need to peel baby turnips, but winter turnips have thicker, tougher skin, so it’s best to peel with them with a vegetable peeler before cooking.
Raw baby turnips are mildly sweet, while winter turnips have a more peppery, pungent taste. When cooked, turnips develop a sweet, nutty, and earthy flavor.
You can tell a turnip is bad if it feels soft or mushy instead of firm, has dark spots or discolouration, or gives off a sour or unpleasant smell. The skin may look wrinkled or shrivelled, and if you cut it open, the inside might be brown or dry. Fresh turnips should be firm, smooth, and have a mild, fresh scent.
More Easy Vegetarian Side Dish Recipes
Ingredients
- 450 g turnips peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Optional
- 2 teaspoon butter optional
- 2 teaspoon parsley optional
Instructions
- Prep the turnips: Wash, dry, top, tail, and peel the turnips into cubes.
- Seasoning: Toss the turnips with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and oil.
- Air fry: Transfer the turnips to the air fryer basket and air fry at 375°F (190 °C) for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. Shake the basket in between. If needed, add another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from the air fryer, toss with butter, season to taste and garnish with herbs.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Cut the turnips to the same size to cook more evenly.
- Skip boiling: No need at all. Air frying works perfectly.
- Adjust time: Cooking times vary depending on the size of turnip cubes and season.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer: Cook in batches for extra crispiness.
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