Give a healthy twist to french fries with these low-carb air-fryer turnip fries. These roasted turnip fries are easy to make and are a perfect addition to the whole30, paleo, or keto diet plan!
Having air fryer vegetables has now become a part of our weekly meals. They are easy to make and taste so delicious. I have started using every kind of vegetable I could get my hands on to make a crispy and crunchy side dish.
Likewise, these air-fryer baked turnip fries are an healthy and low-carb side that we enjoy with a dip or as is. They are healthy and full of nutrition and look almost identical to potato fries. Okay, to be fair they do not crisp up similar to potato fries. But hey…they are still quite delicious.
What are Turnips?
Turnips are a root vegetable with a purple top and a creamy white color. They re actually quite similar to radishes in taste. They have a much lower calorie content than potatoes. There are different kinds of turnips like white turnip, black turnip, purple top turnip.
They are also popular in North India and are regularly used to make curries to eat with roti or rice. Turnip is called Shalgam in Hindi, and they are typically available all year round.
Taste
Even though turnips are available all year round, they taste best during their peak season of August-September. Coming to their taste, turnips carry an earthy flavor with a hint of bitterness. The younger ones are less bitter and on the sweeter side, so choose them when buying. The bitterness of the turnips reduces as they are cooked.
Health Benefits
One of the big advantages of these air-fryer turnip fries is that they are low-carb. They are much lower in carbohydrates compared to potatoes and sweet potatoes.
In addition, this earthy vegetable comes with many health benefits, such as:
- They are full of fiber and are good for your intestinal health.
- They aid in weight loss and digestion.
- They have high amounts of Vitamin C and K.
- They also help in lowering blood pressure and the risk of cancer.
Turnip and Rutabagas
Even though they both come from the same family of vegetables, turnips and rutabagas are quite different. Rutabagas are bigger in size than a turnip. Even though turnips can grow to that size, they are typically harvested earlier to lower the bitterness.
Rutabagas are yellow, with a slight brown top on the outside. Rutabagas is sweeter than a turnip. Both these vegetables are great as fries, in salads, or even in soups. They can be easily substituted for carrots or potatoes for a lower-calorie alternative.
How to cook Turnip Fries?
Before getting started with the making of these delicious fries, it is time to prep them:
- First, rinse the turnips under running water
- Remove the leaves completely and a little bit of the top before peeling the turnips. I usually prefer to peel the turnip using a peeler, but if you don’t want to, it is fine.
- Cut the turnip lengthwise like fries in uniform sizes. If the turnips seem to release any water, pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Take a large bowl and add the sliced turnips along with the seasonings. I added garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, and salt. Then add some oil and toss them together till all the turnips are coated.
- Spread them in an air-fryer in a single layer and cook for about 8 minutes. Then shake the basket and cook for 5-7 more minutes till they are well-cooked.
Transfer them to a serving plate and enjoy with your favorite dip.
Remember, as turnips are not potatoes, they won’t have the same crispy texture or crunch as French fries. To make them crunchier, you can add about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch along with the other seasonings.
How to cook Turnip Fries in the Oven?
Follow the same steps as above to prep the turnips and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line the turnip slices in a large sheet pan. You can also season them directly on the sheet pan instead of tossing them in a bowl. Spread them evenly so they don’t overlap.
- Bake for about 20 minutes. Flip the fries and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy. Serve warm with your favorite dip.
Recipe Tips
- When picking turnips for this recipe, go for the small ones, which are sweeter and less bitter.
- Cut the fries in equal sizes so they cook evenly.
- You can also try different garnishes, such as chaat masala or Trader Joe’s Chili lime seasoning.
- Garnish with a little chopped parsley for a pop of color!
- If you have rutabaga, you can use them in place of turnips in this recipe.
If you like this recipe and want to try it out with different vegetables, then try the ones below:
- Air Fryer Carrot Fries
- Air Fryer Roasted Beets
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Garlicky Green Beans
- Air Fryer Taro Fries
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato
Air Fryer Turnips
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil, I used avocado oil
- 3 cups Turnips, 3 medium turnips, peeled and cut in to fries ½-inch thickness
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
- Black Pepper, add to taste
Garnishes
- 1 teaspoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Parsley, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Peel and cut the turnips into fries about 1/2 inch thickness.
- Take a large bowl and add the sliced turnips along with the seasonings. Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, and salt. Then add some oil and toss them together till all the turnips are coated.
- Spread them in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air Fry at 380°F for 8 minutes. Shake and cook for 5-7 minutes more.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle the lemon juice and garnish with parsley. Enjoy as a snack or as a side.
Notes
- When picking turnips for this recipe, go for the small ones which are sweeter and less bitter.
- Cut the fries in equal sizes, so they cook evenly.
- If you have rutabaga’s, you can use them in place of turnips in this recipe too.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. We use Turnips and / or rutabagas. They are delicious.
I never thought about fries. We use our air fryer quite a lot.
Hi Candis – You’re very welcome! 🙂
Hi Meeta – thanks so much for this recipe! Simple and delicious, healthier replacement for french fries. The lemon juice for garnish beautifully brightened the flavor even more. Definitely making these again….Hope to get my “veggie resistant” husband to try!
Hi Teri – Glad to hear you enjoyed the turnip fries. Hope your husband enjoys them too 🙂
We love turnips and this recipe was so easy and not time consuming at all. We enjoyed them just bummed I didn’t have more to make. Make sure you make a double or triple batch!!
Excellent!
Hi – Thank you! 🙂