Are Parsnips The Same As Turnips? | How They Truly Compare

No, parsnips and turnips are separate root vegetables with different families, flavors, textures, and best uses in everyday cooking.

You spot pale roots in the produce aisle, and the label is half peeled off. One pile looks like white carrots, another looks round and purple topped. If you are not used to winter vegetables, it is easy to wonder whether parsnips and turnips are actually the same thing with different names.

They share a home in hearty soups and Sunday roasts, yet they give clearly different results on the plate. Once you know how they differ in flavor, nutrition, and growing needs, you can pick the right root for mashed sides, tray bakes, and stews without guesswork.

Why Parsnips And Turnips Get Mixed Up

Both vegetables grow underground, both show up in cool weather recipes, and both often sit next to each other in stores. On a quick glance they can seem like cousins. Long pale roots get mistaken for each other, and round turnips can be sold trimmed so only the creamy interior shows.

There is also the habit of calling any unfamiliar root vegetable a turnip. In some regions, people use the word turnip as a loose label for several roots, including swedes and rutabagas. Once you look closer, though, parsnips and turnips tell two separate stories. One belongs with carrots and parsley. The other sits in the same group as cabbage and radishes.

Are Parsnips The Same As Turnips? Core Differences In Garden And Kitchen

Botanical Families And Plant Parts

Parsnips come from the species Pastinaca sativa, part of the Apiaceae family, which also includes carrots, celery, and parsley. Turnips grow from the species Brassica rapa, a member of the Brassicaceae family that includes cabbage, broccoli, and mustard greens. This split into two families is why they taste so different, even when cooked in the same pot.

Both crops are grown for their swollen taproot. With turnips, the leafy tops are also a staple food in some cuisines. Tender young turnip greens can be sautéed or simmered much like chard or kale. Parsnip foliage is usually not eaten and can irritate the skin when handled for long periods in bright sun.

Appearance You Can Spot At A Glance

Parsnips look like large, ivory colored carrots. They narrow to a point, often reach 6 to 10 inches in length, and keep the same pale shade inside and out. Turnips are usually round to slightly top shaped. Many have a white base with a purple or pink blush near the stem, and the interior flesh is chalk white.

Size tells you something as well. Common parsnips in shops are already mature, while turnips can be sold as small salad roots or as larger storage roots. Smaller turnips stay mild and tender. Oversized ones can turn woody, with a sharper bite.

Flavor And Texture On The Plate

When roasted, parsnips develop clear sweetness, with caramel notes and a hint of spice. Raw slices have a mild earthy taste but still lean sweet. That sweetness grows after the roots go through a few frosts in the ground, as some starches turn into natural sugars.

Turnips carry a lighter, fresher taste. Young roots are crisp and slightly peppery, closer to radishes. Cooked turnips can taste gentle and slightly tangy, with a hint of bitterness if they grow too large. Their texture stays moist and fine grained, so they work well in mashes and gratins where you would usually use potatoes.

How Each Root Behaves In Cooking

Because parsnips are starchier, they brown well when roasted and can thicken pureed soups without extra potatoes. They hold their shape in stews when cut into large chunks but can break down into a smooth mash when cooked longer.

Turnips, by contrast, cook more quickly and release more moisture. Small cubes soften fast in broths and curries, and slices soak up flavors from stock, butter, and herbs. If you want a lighter, lower energy side dish, mashed turnip or a half turnip, half potato mash works well.

Feature	Parsnip	Turnip
Botanical Family	Apiaceae, related to carrots and parsley	Brassicaceae, related to cabbage and radishes
Typical Shape	Long, tapering root	Round or top shaped bulb
Skin And Flesh Color	Cream to light tan, pale inside	White with purple or pink top, white inside
Flavor Profile	Sweet, earthy, with warm spice notes	Mild, peppery, sometimes slightly bitter
Best Uses	Roasting, purees, blended soups	Mashes, stews, braises, raw slices
Edible Greens	Leaves usually not eaten	Greens widely cooked as a side
Seasonal Peak	Late fall and winter after frost	Cool seasons in spring and fall

Nutrition Comparison: Parsnip Vs Turnip

Both roots count as nutrient dense vegetables. Parsnips bring more energy and carbohydrates, while turnips keep counts lower and lean more toward hydration. A cup of raw parsnip slices contains about 100 calories, close to 24 grams of carbohydrates, and around 6 grams of fiber, along with useful amounts of potassium and vitamin K, based on figures reported by the nutrition encyclopedia from the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Cooked turnips look lighter on the plate from a numbers standpoint. One cup of boiled turnip cubes sits near 34 calories with around 8 grams of carbohydrates and just over 3 grams of fiber, according to nutrition data drawn from the United States Department of Agriculture and summarized by Verywell Fit.

Both vegetables supply vitamin C and small amounts of several B vitamins. Parsnips carry more natural sugars and starch, so people watching carbohydrate intake sometimes favor turnips as an alternative to potatoes. By contrast, anyone who wants a sweeter root for roasted trays or blended soups may prefer parsnips.

The USDA SNAP Ed seasonal guide groups turnips with other low energy vegetables that help raise overall fiber and potassium intake during the week. Web based health guides also note that parsnips supply fiber, vitamin C, folate, and several minerals that help heart and digestive health over time.

Nutrient (Per 1 Cup)	Parsnip, Raw Slices	Turnip, Boiled Cubes
Energy	About 100 kcal	About 34 kcal
Carbohydrates	About 24 g	About 8 g
Dietary Fiber	About 6 g	About 3 g
Protein	About 1.6 g	About 1.1 g
Vitamin C	Good source	High source
Potassium	Near 500 mg	Around 250 mg
Fat	Negligible	Negligible

Exact values shift with variety and cooking method, so treat any table as a guide instead of a lab report. For detailed numbers that match your region, check current entries in trusted databases or the panel on packaged frozen vegetables.

When To Choose Parsnips Instead Of Turnips

Use parsnips when you want sweetness, depth, and a velvety texture after roasting or pureeing. Thick batons roasted with oil and salt darken on the edges and taste close to candy. In blended root soups, parsnip adds body and a gentle anise like note that sets the bowl apart from simple potato soup.

Parsnip mash works well mixed with potatoes or on its own. The extra starch creates a creamy texture without much added fat. In sheet pan dinners with chicken thighs or sausages, parsnip chunks soak up juices and brown on the bottom, delivering contrast with any lighter vegetables on the tray.

Good Recipe Roles For Parsnips

• Roasted winter root medleys with carrots and onions
• Pureed parsnip soup with stock and a splash of cream
• Parsnip and potato mash as a side in place of plain potatoes

When Turnips Are The Better Pick

Reach for turnips when you want something lighter and slightly sharp. Young salad turnips can be sliced thin and eaten raw with dips or in slaws. Cooked turnips keep a faint peppery note that cuts through rich meats and gravy.

Because turnips stay modest in calories and carbohydrates, they make sense for people who enjoy mashed sides but want something less dense than potatoes or parsnips. Mashed turnip with a bit of butter and herbs keeps the feel of comfort food while keeping the plate a little lighter.

Good Recipe Roles For Turnips

• Cubes in stews and braises where they soak up stock and seasoning
• Mashed with or without potatoes as a side dish
• Raw slices or matchsticks in salads along with carrots and cabbage

Selecting, Storing, And Prepping Each Root

Shopping with your eyes and hands keeps both roots at their best. Pick parsnips that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth skin and no large blemishes. Thick parsnips can have a woody core, so many cooks either pick smaller roots or cut out the center strip before cooking.

Choose turnips that feel solid, with unbroken skin and fresh, green tops if they are still attached. Small to medium roots stay milder. Large ones can still work in long cooked dishes, but bite sized turnips often grill or roast more evenly. Royal Horticultural Society guidance points out that baby turnips harvested early taste sweetest and stay tender in salads and quick sautés.

Storage Tips

At home, keep both vegetables cold and slightly damp. Store parsnips in the fridge, inside a perforated bag or wrapped in a damp towel in the crisper drawer. They keep for several weeks that way, though flavor is best within the first week or two.

Turnips also store well in a cold drawer or root cellar. Remove the greens before storage so they do not draw moisture away from the root. The greens can be cooked soon after you bring them home, much like other leafy vegetables. If you garden, both roots can stay in cool ground under a straw mulch, as long as the soil does not freeze solid.

Safe Prep And Cooking Steps

Rinse away soil, trim the ends, and peel the roots with a standard vegetable peeler. Cut away any dark or fibrous spots. Because parsnip foliage can irritate sensitive skin in strong sunlight, some gardeners wear gloves when harvesting, though the peeled root in the kitchen is safe for typical handling and cooking.

Cut roots into even pieces so they cook at the same rate. Smaller cubes roast and boil faster, while chunky pieces take longer but hold their shape better in stews. Roast on a hot tray with a little oil and space between pieces for browning instead of steaming.

Which Root Fits Your Taste And Goals?

Parsnips and turnips share a row in the store, yet they fill different roles in your kitchen. Parsnips bring sweetness, starch, and a rich mouthfeel that suits roasts, purees, and creamy soups. Turnips bring snap, freshness, and a lighter texture that suits stews, mixed mashes, and raw salads.

They both count as helpful ways to raise vegetable intake, and each one lets you change the mood of a meal without much extra effort or cost. Try roasted parsnip wedges on one tray and a simple turnip mash on the side of another main some weeknight. After a few meals, the question of whether they are the same will feel settled every time you shop.