Natural form

Fresh turnip greens still attached to their roots, showing the full plant as harvested.

Shows the ingredient in its most recognizable state — intact leafy tops on the turnip root — teaching both identity and origin at a glance.

Produce

Turnip Greens (Grelos)

Tender leafy tops of the turnip plant, slightly bitter, braised in Southern US and Galician cooking.

Turnip greens are the leafy tops of the turnip, with a peppery, slightly bitter bite that softens with cooking. In the American South they are slow-braised with smoked pork until tender, while in Galicia (grelos) they star in lacon con grelos and the stew caldo galego. Quick blanching tames their bitterness, and they are rich in vitamins A, C, and K.

Turnip greens are the tender leafy tops of Brassica rapa, the same plant that produces the turnip root. Harvested since antiquity across the Mediterranean, the greens have long been a cornerstone of both Galician and Southern American cooking traditions. The leaves are deeply lobed, somewhat curly, and grow in a rosette from a central crown; they range from small and delicate in spring to large and coarse by late fall. Their flavor is characteristically bitter and peppery with an earthy undertone, but a light frost triggers the plant to convert starches to sugars, producing a notably sweeter, more mellow green—this is why many cooks consider post‑frost greens the finest. Cooking turnip greens causes them to collapse dramatically; roughly one pound of raw greens yields only a half‑cup of finished product, so plan portions accordingly. The cooking liquid, called pot likker or pot liquor, is intensely nutritious and has historically been prized as a finishing course with cornbread for soaking.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Galician Grelos

Distinct Spanish variety with slender, tender stems and smaller, less bitter leaves; the defining green in caldo galego and empanada gallega

Seven Top Turnip

Grown primarily for greens; purple‑tinged leaves; common in the Southern US

All Top Turnip

Hybrid variety bred specifically for abundant, vigorous leaf production

Tokyo Bekana

Mild, lettuce‑like Asian variety sometimes substituted; not a true turnip green but similar texture and use

Regional Traditions

In the American South, turnip greens are one of three primary greens—alongside collards and mustard—cooked low and slow with a smoked pork element until meltingly tender. The dish is a staple of soul food and country cooking, served with pot likker and cornbread for soaking. In Galicia, northwestern Spain, grelos refer specifically to the regional variety of turnip green, cooked with potatoes, white beans, and chorizo in caldo galego, or chopped fine and tucked into empanada gallega. The entire young turnip, greens and all, is often cooked together in Galicia, whereas Southern cooks typically discard the root. Both traditions share a reverence for the cooking liquid as a nourishment‑rich broth rather than something to drain away.

In Galicia, grelos and young turnips are cooked together; in the American South, only the greens are typically used
Pot likker (pot liquor) is the cooking liquid—a traditional Southern serving is with crumbled cornbread for dipping
Galician preparations tend to be lighter on fat, using olive oil rather than pork fatback or ham hock
Seven Top and All Top are the varieties most commonly available in American markets

Common uses

Braised as a side dish with ham hock, bacon, or fatback (Southern US staple)Slow‑cooked with smoked pork in brothy stews like caldo galegoFinely chopped as the primary filling for Galician empanada (empanada gallega)Sautéed quickly with garlic and olive oil as a simple side dishRaw, young, tender leaves in mixed green saladsServed with pot likker and cornbread as a traditional Southern accompaniment

Tips & pitfalls

Wash thoroughly in several changes of cold water; grit lodges in curly leaves and can ruin a finished dish—swish, lift, and repeat
Strip or fold out the tough center ribs from larger, mature leaves before cooking; smaller spring leaves can be left whole
Do not overcook—15 to 25 minutes of braising should leave some texture and vibrant color, not mush
Save and serve the pot likker; it concentrates nutrients leached from the leaves and is traditionally paired with cornbread
For milder bitterness, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or a pinch of sugar in the last 5 minutes of cooking
Cook in two batches if the pot is crowded; greens must braise, not steam, or they turn dull and uniformly mushy
Young spring greens need only 5 to 10 minutes; mature fall and winter greens may require the full 20 to 25 minutes
After frost, the greens are noticeably sweeter—adjust seasoning accordingly and consider shorter cooking times

Nutrition

32kcal

Energy

134 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 16%Carbs 77%Fat 7%

Protein

1.5g

3% DV

Carbs

7.1g

3% DV

Fat

0.3g

0% DV

Fiber

3.2g

11% DV

Sugars

0.8g

of which

Sodium

40mg

2% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin K209% DV

Vitamin C67% DV

Vitamin A64% DV

Folate49% DV

Vitamin E19% DV

Vitamin B615% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Turnip greens, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Turnips 400 g Bag
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€1.49

Good to know

Scientific name: Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
Family: Brassicaceae (mustard family)
Origin: Mediterranean region, cultivated since antiquity
Peak season: Fall through early spring; flavor sweetens after light frost
Flavor profile: Slightly bitter, peppery, earthy; notably sweeter after frost
Storage: Refrigerate unwashed in loosely closed plastic bag, 3–5 days; freeze after blanching for up to 6 months
Yield: 1 lb raw yields approximately ½ cup cooked; shrinks dramatically
Nutrition highlight: Exceptionally high in vitamins K, A, and C; rich in calcium, folate, and antioxidants

Substitutes

Collard greens — Similar texture and cook time; slightly less peppery bite; the closest behavior match for braising
Mustard greens — Sharper, more pungent flavor; cook identically; reduce cooking time slightly as they tenderize faster
Kale — Sturdier texture requiring longer cooking; flavor is milder and less bitter than turnip greens
Swiss chard — Similar tenderness when cooked; beet‑like earthiness differs; cook stems separately from leaves

Pairs with

Pork fat (ham hock, bacon, fatback, pork belly)Garlic Apple cider vinegar Ham OnionBlack‑eyed peasCrushed red pepperHard‑cooked egg

Also called

Grelos · Turnip Tops · Cime di Rapa