Turnips - Hakurei
Mild, sweet, and juicy turnips perfect for eating raw, with edible greens
Storage
Store in a sealed container or produce bag in the fridge. If your bunch includes greens, remove and store them separately if you plan to keep the roots for over a week.
Keeps For
When fresh, the roots stay crisp and sweet for 2 weeks or more (often months). Greens are more delicate—use within 5-7 days.
Flavor Profile
Mild, sweet, and juicy—nothing like the spicy or woody turnips you might expect. Raw, they're like a cross between a radish and an apple. Cooked, they become buttery and tender.
How to Prep
No peeling needed—just wash and trim the root tips. Slice thin for salads, wedge for roasting, or leave whole if they're small. The greens are edible too and great sautéed or added to soup.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Snack raw plain, with salt, butter, or ranch
- 2 Sauté or roast whole or halved
- 3 Slice into miso soup or simmer in broth
- 4 Braise with butter and a splash of vinegar (or beef broth!)
- 5 Greens are great in the classic southern style or creamed like spinach
Pairs Well With
Good to Know
Don't toss the greens—they're just as delicious and more delicate than most turnip tops. Don't feel the need to cook. Smaller turnips are slightly sweeter than larger ones.
Did You Know?
Hakurei turnips were developed in Japan in the mid-20th century to be eaten raw, making them one of the few turnips that shine as a fresh snack.
Recipe Inspiration
Common Questions About Turnips - Hakurei
What are hakurei turnips?
Hakurei turnips are small, white Japanese turnips developed specifically for eating raw. Unlike traditional turnips, they're mild, sweet, and juicy—more like a crisp apple than a bitter root vegetable. The entire plant is edible, including the tender greens.
Can you eat hakurei turnips raw?
Yes—that's what they were bred for. Raw hakurei turnips are crisp, sweet, and mild with no bitterness. Slice them thin for salads, cut into sticks for dipping, or just eat them whole like an apple with a sprinkle of salt. They're excellent raw.
Do I need to peel hakurei turnips?
No peeling needed. The skin is thin and tender, completely edible raw or cooked. Just wash them well and trim off the root tip and stem end. Peeling would actually remove some of the sweetness concentrated near the skin.
What do hakurei turnips taste like?
Sweet, mild, and juicy—nothing like the spicy, pungent turnips you might be thinking of. Raw, they taste like a cross between a radish and an apple, but milder than both. Cooked, they become buttery and mellow. Smaller ones tend to be sweeter.
How do you pronounce hakurei?
It's 'hah-koo-RAY'—three syllables with emphasis on the last. It's a Japanese word. You might also see these sold as 'salad turnips,' 'Japanese turnips,' or 'Tokyo turnips'—there are many competing varieties like Tokyo Market. True hakurei are our favorite of the bunch.
How do you store hakurei turnips?
Remove the greens (if attached) and store roots and greens separately in the fridge—the greens pull moisture from the roots. Roots can keep up to a month in a bag in the crisper, but their flavor will be best if used within a few weeks. Greens should be used within a week. Don't wash until you're ready to use them.
Can you freeze hakurei turnips?
You can, but the texture suffers. Blanch cubes or wedges for 2 minutes, cool in ice water, drain, and freeze. They'll be soft when thawed—fine for soups or mashes but not for raw eating. The better plan is to make friends with a farmer. Hakurei can be grown almost year-round, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, so fresh ones are usually available if you have access to someone growing them.
Can you eat hakurei turnip greens?
Yes—don't throw them away. Unlike radish greens, there's actually a lot of flavor here, and unlike traditional turnip greens, you don't need to boil them for ages to get them tender. Sauté them like spinach, add to soups, or mix into stir-fries — just cook them until slightly tender and stop there. Their sweet, turnipy flavor is quite wonderful and worth discovering.
How are hakurei turnips different from regular turnips?
Regular purple-top turnips are larger, firmer, and have a spicy, mustardy bite—they need cooking. Hakurei turnips were bred to be eaten raw: they're smaller, sweeter, juicier, and have thin edible skin. They can be used in place of one another in cooked dishes, but think of them as completely different vegetables when it comes to eating raw.
When are hakurei turnips in season?
Hakurei can be grown year-round, but you'll see them most often in spring and fall. Farmers tend to favor those seasons because cooler weather lets the turnips get bigger while staying sweet. In summer, they're often crowded out by high-demand crops like corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers — not because they can't grow, but because bed space goes elsewhere. If you have a farmer growing them through summer, consider yourself lucky.
How do you roast hakurei turnips?
Cut them in halves or wedges, toss with oil and salt, and roast at 400–425°F for 20–25 minutes until the cut sides are golden. They get sweeter and buttery as they cook. A splash of balsamic or a knob of butter added at the end takes them somewhere really good.
Can you pickle hakurei turnips?
Yes, and they're excellent pickled. Slice or quarter them, pack into a jar, and cover with a basic brine (water, vinegar, salt, maybe a little sugar). They're ready in a day or two and stay good for weeks in the fridge. Their firm texture holds up well, and the mild flavor soaks up whatever you season the brine with. One of our favorite local restaurants, Jackson House Woodinville, loves doing a turmeric pickle with them — absolutely worth a trip.
Can you cook hakurei turnips in an air fryer?
Yes. Halve or quarter them, toss with oil and salt, and air fry at 375–400°F for 12–15 minutes, shaking once halfway through. They come out tender inside with nicely browned edges. Same result as roasting, just faster.
Can you mash hakurei turnips?
You can, but they don't make the best texture on their own — the flavor is good, but the result is a bit loose and watery. We prefer mixing them into a mash of more mash-worthy ingredients like potatoes, where they add a mild sweetness without taking over the texture.
How do you use hakurei turnips in a salad?
Slice them thin on a mandoline or with a sharp knife and toss them in like you would radishes. They add crunch and a mild, slightly sweet bite without overpowering everything else. If you don't want the crunchy texture, grate them instead. They pair well with bitter greens, citrus dressings, and anything with sesame. The greens can go in the salad too.
What are hakurei turnips vs. Tokyo turnips — are they the same?
Essentially yes. 'Tokyo turnip' and 'hakurei turnip' both refer to small, white, sweet Japanese salad turnips. Hakurei is the variety name; Tokyo turnip is a common market name. You might also see them called salad turnips. They're all the same vegetable—mild, white, and bred for raw eating.
How do you cook hakurei turnips with miso?
Sauté halved or quartered turnips in butter or oil until tender, then stir in a spoonful of white (shiro) miso thinned with a bit of water or sake. The miso adds savory depth that plays off the turnips' sweetness really well. Add a splash of rice vinegar at the end if you want brightness. The greens can go in at the last minute.