Crispy Baked Turnip Tops

Crispy Baked Turnip Tops, a simple crunchy snack recipe made from roasted turnip greens. Reduce food waste and turn those turnip tops into a healthy baked chip!

Sick of kale chips? You’re in luck, because there’s a new leafy green chip in town: turnip top chips! You don’t want to miss out on this crunchy snack that also happens to be good for you and good for the planet.

👉 Here are three reasons why you should be crisping turnip leaves into snack-worthy chips:

• They’re healthy. Skip the excess salt that’s typically in store-bought chips. Get your crunchy fix and your greens at the same time! Turnip greens are a source of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, and vitamin K.
• They’re easy to adjust. While we used a simple seasoning of salt and pepper, you can add any spices or flavors that you like to your turnip top chips. You can enjoy them as a snack on their own, or pair them with another dish for extra crunch. We love putting them on sandwiches or crunching them on top of pizza!
• They’re eco-friendly. This is a root-to-stem recipe that uses an ingredient that usually gets thrown out: turnip greens! These greens are perfectly edible (and delicious). You can save them from the landfill by making them into your new favorite snack.

Ready to learn how to make chips from turnip leaves? Let’s do it!

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🌿 Ingredients

You only need 4 super simple ingredients in order to bake turnip tops. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

• Turnip leaves: Yes, the leaves of turnips are safe to eat and super tasty! Their sturdiness makes them perfect for baking into a crunchy snack. All you need to do is cut the greens from the turnip stems, give them a good wash and dry, then roast in the oven until crispy.
• Olive oil: You’ll coat the turnip leaves with olive oil (or another high smoke point oil), which gives them their crispy texture when roasted. Olive oil also lends a delicious flavor to leafy green chips!
• Salt + pepper: The simple seasoning blend we used for this recipe. You can add any other spices and seasonings that you like, such as garlic powder, lemon juice, or nutritional yeast.
• Recommended tools: baking sheet, mixing bowl, spatula

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🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)

1️⃣ Step One: Wash and prep turnip tops

First, cut the leaves from the stem of the turnips. Set the stems aside to use in other recipes, like homemade veggie stock.

Next, submerge the greens in some water and wash them to remove any dirt. Allow them to dry by laying flat on a kitchen towel or plate, or by using a salad spinner.

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2️⃣ Step Two: Preheat the oven + prep the greens

Once the greens are washed and dried, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Then, place the turnip greens in a large mixing bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Massage the greens with your hands, coating them evenly in oil.

Next, coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil, and spread the oiled turnip greens out on the pan. Sprinkle them with a bit of salt and pepper, and any other seasonings.

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3️⃣ Step Three: Bake turnip greens until crispy

Roast the turnip tops in the oven until they’re crispy, being careful not to burn them. Depending on your oven, this should take about 8-10 minutes. About halfway through baking, flip them with a spatula to make sure they roast evenly on all sides.

When they’re done baking, take them out of the oven and enjoy! It is best to eat them right away, as they will lose their flavor and texture over time.

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❓ Recipe questions + quick tips

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🌱 How to serve

There are so many different things that you can do with baked turnip tops! While they taste absolutely delicious on their own, here are a few ways that you can switch them up so you’ll never get sick of them:

• Add a little parmesan or nutritional yeast: Make it cheesy! Parmesan would add a delicious flavor to baked turnip tops. If you’re plant-based, nutritional yeast will do.
• Sprinkle on top of a salad: Crunch crispy turnip tops on your favorite salad! They taste great when combined with other greens and vegetables.
• Use as a topping: The possibilities are endless for what you can top with turnip greens chips! Try them sprinkled on tacos, pasta, pizza, or even soup.
• Experiment with other flavors: Try mixing in some garlic and lemon juice, or salt and vinegar, with the turnip greens chips before baking.

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🧊 How to store

We suggest eating roasted turnip tops right away, as this is when the flavor and texture are the best! However, they are super easy to store on the counter. Simply keep them in an airtight container and enjoy them within two days.

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♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips

This recipe is a great way to reduce food waste in and of itself. Here are a few ways to make it even more sustainable:

Make the most of turnip season. Here in California, turnips are available year-round. Find out when they’re in season near you here! We recommend making baked turnip tops when they’re at the height of their growing season—you’ll save money and it’s better for the environment.

Don’t toss the veggie scraps. If you have unused parts of the turnip stems after cutting, set them aside to use in other recipes. You can use them to add flavor to homemade vegetable stocks!

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💚 More root-to-stem turnip recipes

Looking for more recipes using turnips? We’ve got you covered:

• Roasted Turnip Chips
• Turnip Greens Pesto
• Turnip Carrot Cakes
• Herb Roasted Turnips and Carrots