Cheese Turnip Puff
Gluten Free Living – 2025
Cheese Turnip Puff is an excellent way to enjoy turnips! This much maligned vegetable has many health benefits. Those include cancer prevention, bone health, boosts immunity, weight loss, digestive health, heart health, and as an antioxidant. Since it’s loaded with lutein it’s an excellent preventative to ward off macular degeneration, cataracts and other diseases of the eye. It’s one of those vegetables that has a lot of potential in casseroles, soups and even by itself.
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The thing about turnips is that they have a very sharp flavor, much like radishes and parsnips. If you didn’t grow up eating them, you have to find creative ways to enjoy them. One of my favorites is Garlic Mashed Turnips. These are made like Garlic Mashed Potatoes except they include bacon and the bacon grease is included in the recipe. It is a lip-smacking recipe that’s so satisfying that you won’t even believe you’re eating turnips!
Turnips need a lot of flavoring to counteract the bitterness from the vegetable. Plus, you really need to choose small turnips as the larger the turnip the more bitter the taste. Certainly, bacon is one way. Ham is another. Adding a few tablespoons of sugar to the water while boiling the turnips will also cut down on the bitter, sharp pungency of this vegetable. Herbs like marjoram, chives, parsley, basil, oregano and dill are good choices–along with garlic, onions, leeks, and cheese–the sharper the cheese, the better! What I’m trying to say is this vegetable needs to be surrounded with other flavors for most people to tolerate and enjoy it.
Cheese Turnip Puff uses a sharp cheddar cheese, chives, garlic powder and parsley. But you can certainly add more seasonings like dill weed in the casserole and paprika on top before baking. You can also stir in cooked bacon or ham and grilled onions, garlic or leeks before baking. All of those are excellent choices to amp up the desirability of this fibrous vegetable.
I served Cheese Turnip Puff with a steak, Partytime Beans and Nutty Apple Salad when I made it. It was terrific with all of those well-seasoned foods. I am determined to find ways to enjoy this cruciferous vegetable and hope you enjoy some of my suggestions.
Cheese Turnip Puff is a great way to enjoy turnips.
Adding chives, garlic powder, and parsley is a great way to amp up the flavors.
This casserole makes a lot, making it a great choice for holidays or company meals.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients. Try to purchase the SMALLEST turnips available.
Peel and chunk turnips and place in a large, heavy saucepan.
Add salt, and if desired, two to three tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until turnips are tender. Adding sugar to the water will help remove some of the bitterness from the vegetable.
Drain turnips in colander.
Return cooked turnips to large, heavy saucepan.
Mash turnips with a potato masher.
Here, the turnips are completely mashed.
While the turnips are boiling, prepare cheese sauce: Place butter, half and half and sharp Cheddar cheese in a medium bowl over low to medium heat.
Add salt, garlic powder, chives and parsley. If desired, consider trying black pepper, dill weed or marjoram.
Continue stirring sauce until the cheese melts. Remove from heat; set aside.
When turnips are mashed, add cheese sauce.
Scrape all of the cheese sauce out of the saucepan. Stir well to combine.
Beat two eggs in a small bowl.
Add eggs to turnip mixture. (Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and get out all of the eggs!)
Stir well to combine.
Pour turnip mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Sprinkle fresh chives over top before serving.
Cheese Turnip Puff pairs well with Partytime Beans, Nutty Apple Salad and steaks!
Cooking turnips in a little sugared water while boiling helps remove some of the bitter taste to the turnips. This works for Brussels sprouts, and parsnips as well.
This casserole puffs up soufflé-style while baking. It’s best to serve it hot out of the oven.
Here’s the recipe.
CHEESE TURNIP PUFF
(My own concoction)
Cheese Turnip Puff
Equipment
- 1 large heavy stock pot with lid
- 1 potato masher
- 1 colander
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 paring knife
- 1 cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 small bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 3-quart casserole dish
- 1 medium sauce pan
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. small turnips ends sliced off, peeled and quartered
- 2 tsp. sea salt divided use
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 8 oz. pkg. sharp cheddar cheese shredded (2 cups)
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or more, to taste
- 1 tsp. dried parsley divided use
- 2 tsp. fresh chives minced, divided use
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- additional seasonings if desired
Instructions
- Peel turnips and quarter or chunk.
- Place turnips in a large kettle or stock pot; cover with water.
- Add a teaspoon of salt and if desired, 2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. (See note below).
- Cover with lid and bring turnips to a boil.
- Boil turnips until tender – about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain turnips in colander then mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook and stir the butter, cheddar cheese, half-and-half, remaining one teaspoon of salt, garlic powder and parsley and if desired ½ tsp. fresh chives until smooth.
- Remove from heat; set aside.
- Once turnips are mashed, stir cheese mixture into the drained, mashed turnips.
- Fold beaten eggs into the turnip mixture.
- Use a rubber spatula to get all of the beaten eggs into the turnip mixture.
- Pour mixture into a greased 3-qt. casserole dish.
- Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.
- Sprinkle with fresh chives, and if desired, additional dried parsley or other seasonings.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
I served Cheese Potato Puff with steaks, Partytime Beans and Nutty Apple Salad.
Cheese Turnip Puff is a terrific way to enjoy this healthy vegetable.
If you enjoy turnips, this is a wonderful way to serve them.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
