Turnip Greens – Immaculate Bites

Turnip Greens with Bacon

This recipe is a simple veggie dish but certainly offers soul-satisfying deliciousness. It’s oozing with fantastic flavors from bacon, beef broth, and Creole seasoning kickstarted by sauteing.

No extravagant ingredients nor complicated cooking techniques are needed. But it’s so deliciously phenomenal that you’ll definitely expand your veggie favorites with this recipe. 😉

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is perfect on a weekly rotation because it’s easy to make, and the ingredients are mostly pantry staples. Well, except for turnips, which you might start stocking up on once you try this recipe. 😉

1. Turnips and Greens – They have low calories but are exceptionally nutrient-rich. When eaten raw, the root has a crunchy texture with a sweet and nutty flavor. However, it loses its crunchiness once cooked, but the flavor deepens. Turnip greens, on the other hand, are mildly sweet, peppery, and slightly bitter. If turnip greens are unavailable in your area, you can always replace them with collard greens.
2. Bacon – I suggest frying the bacon and using the grease to saute the other ingredients for the best results. For a quick bacon substitute, you can also use ham or any leftover meat, such as roasted turkey or chicken.
3. Aromatics – The savory flavors from caramelized garlic and onions make the whole dish highly delectable.
4. Seasonings – Getting rid of the bitter and earthy flavors of turnip greens is undeniably easy with Creole seasoning, pepper flakes, and brown sugar. They magically give this dish a quick revamp. And the beef broth tenderizes the turnip greens while adding savory and umami flavors in the process. Of course, if you’re watching your sugar intake or on a paleo diet, you can omit the sugar.
5. White Wine Vinegar – It balances the overall flavor of our turnip greens by adding a little zing to our dish.

How to Cook Turnip Greens

Prep the Ingredients

• Cut the Greens – Chop the tough ends of the stems off each bunch of turnip greens and discard. Chop each bunch by bundling them together and chopping them into about 1-inch sections.
• Wash Greens – Transfer chopped greens to the basin or a clean, large, deep sink. Cover them with water, then, using both hands, toss the greens in water to remove dirt and grit. Drain the water and repeat the process 3-5 times until the greens are clean and no dirt is evident in the water. (Photo 1)
• Fry the Bacon – Dice bacon into 1-inch pieces. Then, in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, and some of the fat has rendered. Transfer your bacon to a plate and set it aside. (Photo 2)

Simmer Away

• Saute It All – Add the onion, minced garlic, and turnips, and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. (Photos 3-4)
• Add the Greens – Add the chopped turnip greens a handful at a time, letting each addition wilt a bit before adding more. Once all the turnip greens have wilted, add the Creole seasoning, brown sugar, pepper flakes, beef broth, and vinegar. Stir until all ingredients are fully combined. Adjust the salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and cook for about 30-45 minutes until the greens are tender. Add more water if required. (Photos 5-7)
• Serve – Once the greens reach your preferred level of tenderness, transfer them to a serving bowl with some of the cooking liquid. Enjoy! (Photo 8)

Recipe Variations

1. Vegan Version – Ditch the bacon and opt for vegetable broth, easy peasy!
2. Meat-Lover’s Delight – The more, the merrier (or should I say meatier?) by adding ham, shredded chicken, or roasted pork tenderloin. Yum!
3. More Veggies – You can’t go wrong with adding more veggies to make this dish heartier. Tomatoes, bell pepper, broccoli, and other greens are great additions to this dish to make it even more nutrient-packed.
4. Seasoning Swap – Feel free to shake things up and add your personal touch by customizing this dish with your favorite seasonings, like Italian, taco, and all-purpose seasoning. 😉

Tips and Tricks

1. Turnip greens can have quite a bit of sand clinging to the leaves, so don’t skip the washing or rinsing process.
2. Cooking time rides on your preferred level of leaf tenderness. Please also note that young turnip greens cook more quickly than fully grown ones.
3. Seasonings help reduce the greens’ bitter taste. Some enjoy the bitterness but feel free to adjust the seasoning to suit your palate. About a half teaspoon of baking soda added to the broth 20 minutes before the cooking time also helps.

Make Ahead Instructions

Making Southern turnip greens ahead gives you an advantage. Not only does it save time, but these guys taste better the next day after the flavors have melded wonderfully. Cook it as instructed, let it cool, then store it covered in the fridge.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serving – You can’t beat the ultimate soul food combo – turnip greens and cornbread because these guys complement each other like peanut butter and jelly, cupcake and frosting, aah! You get the idea. Although I must admit, it also pairs well with biscuits.

Storing – Keep leftover greens in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

Reheating – If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm it up again by heating the leftovers in a skillet. You can add more broth if it gets too dry.

FAQs

What to Serve with Turnip Greens

Enjoy this fabulous sauteed vegetable as a side dish to any of these mouthwatering main entrees to have a healthy, balanced meal.

More Delicious Greens Recipes to Try

Conclusion

Who knew that a vegetable most people throw away is surprisingly delicious? What veggie do you enjoy that may not be sold in the store? Let me know in the comments. ❤️