Turnip and Potato Soup

Creamy turnip and potato soup are flavorful, quick, and easy to prepare. It is perfect for those chilly evenings. Made with vegan bouillon, herbs, and spices, it is bursting with flavors, it will definitely be a hit.  This recipe is truly the best as it’s quick and easy to prepare. The potato in the soup adds a nice creamy texture, and when you add turnip to your soup, it will give an extra rich texture.    

This recipe is the vegan, gluten-free version of the classic potato soup recipe where add turnip to make it healthy with a unique twist. My family loves to have this satisfying soup, and I promise this recipe will not let you down! Now let’s make some comforting soup this winter night!    

Check out Instant Pot Potato Soup, Vegan Potato Leek Carrot Soup, and Vegan Zuppa Toscana Soup

Turnips are actually nutritious and tasty, they are not as popular as potatoes but nonetheless, they are good for you. They are not expensive, easy to grow, and are very popular here in the Southern states during the winter months. I love to cook Turnip Greens and delicious Mixed Greens Recipe. 

What Is Turnip?

Turnip is a round root vegetable, it is a member of the cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts. There are over 30 varieties of turnips, ranging from sweet flavor to a mildly bitter taste.

Turnip has a smooth white skin at the base with a purple or green at the top. The white flesh is crunchy and slightly translucent when cooked. It is not as soft as a potato when cooked, it is similar to chayote or radish. They are usually sold with their greens on top or by themselves. 

How To Cook Turnips?

Turnips have a mild taste but can get slightly bitter the older they are. They are great in soups, I remember my mom adding turnips to her soups when I was younger. You can eat turnip raw like carrot, add to stews, boil as a side dish, mash like mashed potatoes. 

You can check out how I prepare turnips

• Air Fryer Turnips
• Turnip Fries
• Vegan Creamed Turnip
• Roasted Turnip With Garlic
• Turnip Curry

Are Turnips Nutritious?

Yes, turnips are very nutritious. As a matter of fact, they contain, calcium, copper, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, folate, and manganese. Turnip is a good source of fiber and they are low on the glycemic index.  See Are Turnips Good For You?

Do I need to peel turnips for soup?

The decision to peel turnip is up to you. I do it out of habit but there is really no need to if your turnip is small and young. Also, the larger turnips tend to be slightly bitter. 

Don’t worry if it is your first time cutting turnips; it’s easy to peel. Simply chop off the top green part and the root. Use a vegetable peeler to take out the skin. 

How to Decrease the Bitterness of Turnips?

This is an essential process as you need to know that the turnips are not bitter before you make soup. Simply choose smaller and younger turnips that will be sweeter and less bitter. Also, when you cook turnips, some of the bitterness slowly goes away.  

Cooking the turnip with potato also will help to dilute the bitter flavor of the turnip.  

Why Should You Add Potatoes in Your Soup? 

Besides turnip, a steaming bowl of potato soup is also a very popular and classic comfort food you can have on cold winter days. Eating potatoes is a part of bringing a well-balanced and nutritional diet. Potatoes are an excellent source of fiber that can keep you full longer and help you reduce weight. Potatoes also have antioxidants that can prevent infections and diseases.  

As a tuberous root vegetable, potatoes are versatile and contain a rich amount of B-complex vitamins, B6, C, thiamin, niacin, iron, copper, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and folate. Below, there are some health benefits of having potatoes, 

• It can improve the blood sugar level, protect against heart issues, diabetes, and reduce the risk of stroke. 
• It can fight against free radicals and lower the risk of cancer.  
• Potatoes have good gut bacteria, which is helpful to improve digestive health and reduce inflammation in our body. 
• Potatoes can keep you fuller for a long time because they increase the level of fullness hormones like cholecystokinin. 

Turnip and Potato Soup Ingredients

• Turnips – are usually sold throughout the year here in the USA, it is found in most major supermarkets and farmers’ markets. Be sure to buy, small turnips for a milder flavor with smooth skin. 
• Potatoes – for a creamy smooth, go with organic Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes, you can scrub and leave the skin on for more nutrients. 
• Olive oil – or avocado oil, leave out the oil and saute with water or vegetable broth for an oil-free version 
• Onion – white or yellow onion is fine in this soup as well as a green onion.
• Garlic – add extra garlic for more flavor.
• Celery – gives a nice flavor to your soup.
• Thyme, Basil, Rosemary – my choice of fresh herbs, oregano, parsley,  tarragon, cilantro would be great.
• Vegan bouillon – use your favorite vegetable bouillon cubes or equivalent powders. Also, Homemade Chicken Style Seasoning is perfect.
•  Italian seasoning, Onion powder, Garlic Powder – important to add to make the flavors pop.
• Scroll down to the recipe card for the Detailed Ingredients And Instructions.

How To Cook Turnip Potato Soup?

• Start heating oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, celery, green onion, thyme, basil, rosemary, Italian seasoning.
• Add potatoes, turnip, water, onion powder, garlic powder, and vegan bouillon and stir.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and you have reached the desired thickness.

Why Should You Eat More Soup?

Whether it is cold or not, sipping hot soups and stews can keep all of us warm and toasty. Soup is well-known to make anyone cozy, and also soups are very easy to prepare. 

Soups have many variations, like some are mainly based on broth whereas some are some sorts of stews. Whatever the soup is, they always have various benefits to offer to us. Here are some of the beneficial factors of soup,

They Are Good for You

Most of the soups are very good for everyone, and they can cover up your daily required vegetable nutrients. Some exclusive winter crops like turnip, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, and butternut squash will not get limp even if you cook them into soup.

Using good combinations of veggies, proteins, and spices can result in an all-around perfect soup that will be good for you.

Making Soups Are Inexpensive & Easy to Make

Soups and stews do not need a huge amount of time to make. You can use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker; it will only take five minutes to make a tasty savory soup.

You Can Stock Them in Freezer

If you make more soup and want to keep it for another time, you can just use the freezer. Freezing soup does not make it worse in any way; all you have to do is just heat it up and then eat whenever you want.

Soups Keep Us Hydrated

As most soups are liquid, they are a great source to keep us hydrated and fill up our tummies. That is a good thing as you can eat soup and continue to work without eating anything else.

Can You Freeze Turnip and Potato soup?

• Keep the leftover turnip soup in an airtight container or sealed container in the refrigerator, and it will be fresh for about four days. 
• To freeze the soup, place them in a freezer bag. When they are frozen flat, place them like books to save space. Frozen soup will remain fresh for up to 3 to 6 months. 

Tips and Tricks

• To make this recipe keto-friendly or low carb, substitute potato with cauliflower. 
• Add half coconut milk or vegan cream cheese if you want to enjoy the soup creamier.  
• Want to make the soup spicy? Add some cayenne pepper to the soup. 

Also, see Other Vegan Soup Recipes

•  Best Vegan Soups Recipes
• Pumpkin Soup Recipes

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