Last updated on November 23rd, 2014
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, these Turnip Fritters are frickin’ fantastic — bronze and crisp on the outside, tender and creamy on the inside. Serve them with ketchup for an after-school snack, or use them, as I do, as a superior substitute for a hamburger patty. They are fun to make:
A True Story: Yesterday, after I decided to prepare this recipe for you, I traveled to three different markets in search of turnips. They were not to be had.
I gnashed my teeth.
I cursed the store managers.
And then…
I remembered I had 18 turnips growing in my very own garden.
Oops.
Here’s the step-by-step recipe:
Peel 2-3 large turnips (you’ll need 1 1/2 pounds total), and cut them in half.
Then shred ’em up. This will take all of 10 seconds if you have a food processor.
No food processor in your batterie de cuisine?
Get thee one.
Or, just shred the veggies on the large holes of a box grater.
Scoop the shreddings into a big bowl…
And add a large, well-beaten egg.
Also add 3/4 cup flour…
A big handful of coarsely-chopped, flat-leaved parsley…
And some kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper. You could add other seasonings, too, but honestly, turnips don’t need red pepper flakes or any other special enhancement. They are naturally flavorful.
I suspect you’re going to add other seasonings just to spite me.
And that’s fine.
I am not the boss of you.
Mix everything together with a big spoon. As you can see, my spoon is shaped like a human hand.
Now tip some vegetable oil into a skillet, and heat it over a medium flame. (I used my electric skillet, heated to 325°F.) Be sure to use enough oil to reach half-way up the sides of the patties.
Now form the patties. You can make them small, for cocktail fritters or after-school treats, or large, for veggie burgers. I achieved 4 burger-size patties from my 2 turnips.
Fry until bronzed and beautiful — 4-5 minutes per side. Drain briefly on paper towels.
The fritters are fabulous as is, although you can certainly dress them with a dollop of ketchup. Your kids will love ’em this way.
And are you thinking what I’m thinking?
You could top the patties with pesto made from turnip greens. I’ll write up that recipe for my next cooking post. Maybe.
For veggie burgers, proceed this way:
Split an English Muffin (I never use hamburger buns), and spread both halves with mayonnaise.
Add a turnip patty…
And the glorious slice of an in-season tomato.
Then add a slice of onion…
And a squirt of ketchup…
And a big handful of baby arugula leaves.
Delicious, delicious, delicious.
Folks, these Turnip Fritters are fabulous in every way imaginable. I hope you’ll try them some day.
As promised, here’s a printer-friendly, copy-and-paste version of the above:
Turnip Fritters
Kevin Lee Jacobs (www.kevinleejacobs.com)
Ingredients for 4 hamburger-size patties (or 8 cocktail-size fritters)
2 turnips (about 2 pounds), peeled and shredded
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup all-purpose (“plain”) flour
1/2 cup coarsely-chopped flat-leaf parsley
Seasonings: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds of black pepper
Vegetable oil — enough to reach half-way up the sides of the patties as they fryPut the turnips, egg, flour and parsley into a large bowl, and mix with hands.
Heat a generous amount of oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Form the turnip mixture into patties, and fry until bronzed and fragrant — 4-5 minutes per side.
Serve immediately with ketchup or another condiment, or use as a veggie burger.
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Kate says
Yea!!! I have trying to come up with ways to use up all the turnips from the garden. These guys look like something we would love. Thanks, Kevin!
Maria says
These look so good and so easy to make. Bet my kids will love them! Off to find turnips now — wish me luck!
Christian Hall says
I grow turnips and parsley, too. I usually boil and mash the turnips. How boring is that? Going to try your veggie burgers tonight.
Lise says
I think the reason some people claim they hate turnips is because they’ve only tried the vegetable boiled and mashed at Thanksgiving time. Your recipe looks delish!!!
Amanda B. says
Well, I was wondering what to do with all the turnips in my garden! Now I have the answer. Looking forward to your turnip greens pesto formula. Sounds like a match made in heaven.
LJ Grandstaff says
OMG, Kevin! I would never have dreamed of turnip burgers… soon enough my CSA weekly share will include turnips. Each year, I scramble to find ways to use them. Not that I don’t care for them, but just never sure what is the best way to handle the abundance. Last year, I fermented them. The year before I made Erd und Himmel (sp?) but now I know what I’m going to do with them THIS year. Blessings, my dear! Thank you. 🙂
Geraldine Baldwin says
Thank you for this recipe. I will try this soon.
Durf says
Here’s my question for you – how do you stay thin with all this delicious cooking going on in your house??
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Durf – You’d be amazed at many calories I burn just by cleaning this house!
Rhonda Strahler says
Looks like I will have to plant some turnips next year……
Robin Tucker says
Thanks Kevin…I use turnips for a number of things, because of the low carb count, so I am glad to get this recipe. I am going to try using low carb bake mix, in place of the flour!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Robin – Let me know how the low-carb mix works out with this recipe. I might like to try it!
Shelley says
Laughed out loud when I got to your comment about adding more spices to spite you and it being okay because you are not the boss of me! Your articles are always so delightful Kevin 🙂
And these look delicious!
dori says
Well, these sound just like the zuchini fritters you told us about, and which I made for a potluck last week and everyone loved them. I decided at the time that the method would work for other vegetables, so, since I had a plethora of peppers I used them for fritters along with some chopped onion. They were even better, if possible. I serve them with a dab of hot sauce and a dab or sour cream. Now I will buy turnips at the farmers market. I don’t grow them because I would have to use row covers and that is too much work for a turnip.
Mary Lynne says
As a child I used to lot rsw turnip sticks, and ‘tatws a maip’-Welsh for potatoes and turnip, mashed up together. However, apparently Britain and the U.S. mean different things by turnip. My mother meant a large round vegetable, whitish on top and purple on the bottom, right? There was also a smaller one that was mostly white. Just want to be sure I get the right thing.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mary Lynne – My turnips are the same as yours in the U.K. Purple skinned, with a white interior.
Karen L. says
Thanks for the turnip recipe! My husband has always loved turnips but I could never eat them unless they were mixed in with mashed potatoes. This recipe looks like something we will both love! I am also going to have to give that Apple Shortbread Pizza a try. That really looks wonderful! (I need to stop reading your blog in mid-afternoon as I always get so darn hungry after looking at the photos of your “experiments”.) You know, if I were to print out all your recipes that I want to try (or have done so), I would have a large Cookbook by Kevin to put together. Thanks for that! So when is your “real” cookbook coming out and will it have all these and more recipes?
Vickie P. says
A recipe for turnips? I am always looking for new ideas to use these beauties, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sheri says
I’m going to try this today for lunch! Thank You!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sheri – Music to my ears!
Christina says
YUM!! I make Kartoffel puffer (Swabian potato pancakes) the exact same way…except I use spices in those! I can’t wait to try this on my picky children 🙂
I LOVE your recipes. Thank you so much. Can’t wait for the cookbook!
Gretchen says
Dear Kevin, PLEASE, please, please tell us that your cookbook will be available before Christmas? That would make this year’s letter to Santa a very brief note.
Sheri says
I had to come back and tell you how wonderful this was. I had very large turnips in my garden so my batch lasted for several lunches and dinners. My friend “Chicken John” (the guy is crazy, gives all his food away and would rather eat at the bowling alley than cook!) brought me some wonderful organic eggplants, not the dark purple one’s but the light colored ones with purple streaks. I sliced them and put them on a cookie sheet that I poured olive oil onto then added Italian spices and baked them in the oven. I added these to my fritter sandwiches with Monterrey Jack cheese. Frickin’ fantastic!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Christina and Gretchen – No date on cookery bookery yet…
Sheri – Thanks for the thumbs up! Your Turnip Fritter Sandwich with Sliced Eggplant sounds profoundly delicious!
Kathy Drissel says
Oh my…the sight of these is making my mouth water. The little burgers look so delish! What a great idea…might soon be on my lunch menu. Blessings.
Dolores Curbis says
These turnip fritters sound so yummy and I love my fall veggies. More flavor and give any dish a great flavor. These I will try.
Janice's MacLean says
I don’t like turnip…..at all. For the last 47ish years the thought of a turnip makes me … Well squinky.
Nancy van Ginkel says
I love the idea of the turnip, I make broccoli fritters, and use panko crumbs instead of flour, and a bit of grated parmesan. A little secret Garlic Aioli is absolutely fantastic on the “Burger” .
Annie says
I have two big kohlrabi. Think I ought to try this recipe with those babies?
Fango says
The first burger attempt that has not fallen apart. Amazing. I promise I did not add any other seasonings. I wasn’t generous enough with salt though. It needs it as the turnip be peppery.
Kim says
Those sound amazing.