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Rounded white turnips with short green leaf bases.

White turnip

White turnips are edible roots with white-skinned varieties such as crisp Tokyo Cross and semi-globe Oasis.

What you eat
Root; young leaves are also edible
Variety examples
Tokyo Cross and Oasis

Types and forms

Tokyo Cross

Characteristics
White, crisp roots

Oasis

Characteristics
White, semi-globe roots
Tokyo CrossOasis
CharacteristicsWhite, crisp rootsWhite, semi-globe roots

Try it in the kitchen

The RHS describes young turnips eaten raw, roasted or in stews. Our suggestion: roast pieces of white turnip with olive oil and serve them with cooked chickpeas and parsley, or slice young roots for a salad.

In Salvatore Tassa’s vegetable dish Segni e gesti: radici e orto, white turnips are grilled before joining the other cooked vegetables. Our suggestion: explore the root through this technique.

Choose the white-root type

Ask for white turnips and use the variety name to refine your choice. Turnips also come in other colours, and the English name can be used for swedes in some places; confirm which root is being sold.

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