Always keen to find more ways to get more veg on the plate. I adore baby turnips, with their purple tops and squat shape. Thought it was time to give them a their own spotlight with some deep Southern flare, along with collard greens for an amazing sweet sweet-and-sour finish. Lady’s and gentlemen, I give you; butter braised turnips and collard greens!
A Southern-Inspired Way to Fall Back in Love with Turnips
Turnips don’t get nearly enough love. Too often they’re boiled into submission or treated like a consolation prize next to flashier roots. This dish borrows a little Southern wisdom — slow braising, butter and balance — to show just how good turnips can be when they’re given a leading role.
Butter-Braised Vegetables with a Sweet-and-Sour Finish
We start by gently browning turnips, face down, in olive oil and butter, giving them a head start on flavour before garlic and ginger step in. Vegetable stock creates the braising base, while white wine vinegar and honey work together at the end to create a soft sweet-and-sour finish that makes you keep going back for “just one more bite.”
Larder Check / Shopping list:
• 1 pound baby turnips
• olive oil
• butter
• garlic
• fresh ginger
• vegetable stock (substitute; chicken)
• white wine vinegar (or white wine)
• honey
• 1 bunch collard greens
• salt & pepper, to taste
Collard Greens: The Perfect Partner for Braised Root Vegetables
If you can get turnips, with greens attached, use them! I could not, so collard greens step in beautifully and keep that Southern lean. They’re sturdy enough to hold up to braising, soak up flavour like champs, and bring their own earthy depth to the dish. The result is comforting without being heavy, and rustic without feeling old-fashioned — proof that even the most familiar vegetables still have new stories to tell.
Collard greens are nutritional powerhouses, rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium and fiber. Unlike the more delicate greens, like chard and spinach, collards thrive in longer cooking, becoming tender without losing structure. Their slight bitterness balances beautifully with butter and honey, making them a smart — and delicious — option.
A Bold, Unexpected Side Dish for Cool-Weather Cooking
This dish is fantastic alongside roast chicken, pork chops, or grilled sausages, but it’s equally satisfying on its own with a hunk of bread to catch the buttery broth. And if you’re feeling adventurous? Beets and greens would be a stunning variation, leaning into that same sweet-and-sour punch with a slightly deeper earthiness.
Eat your vegetables!
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Butter Braised Turnips & Collard Greens
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Description
Butter braised turnips and collard greens with garlic, ginger, honey, and vinegar. A Southern-inspired vegetable side with a gentle sweet-and-sour finish. For those days when you want more than just salt… and butter. Show those turnips some BIG love.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sear turnips: Heat olive oil and butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add turnips and season lightly with salt. Cook until lightly golden on all sides.
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for about a minute, just until fragrant.
- Add vegetable stock, white wine vinegar and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for about 8 minutes, until turnips are tender.
- Top with collard greens, cover again, and cook for another five to seven minutes, until greens are bright and silky and stems are just tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, balancing sweet, sour, and salt to your liking.
Notes
If we’re keeping things vegetarian, we’re using vegetable stock. If we don’t have vegetable stock, water it is.
