Whats the difference between a turnip and a swede?

Maddie

I've recently found a great cheap organic food coop just round the corner, so it's time to get used to new veg which I haven't bought before.

This week we got two of what I thought were swedes but my boyfriend said were turnips, I've done some searchs on google and can't work out the difference.

I'm also going to have to get used to using loads of potatos, so will need to shift from rice & pasta based dishes to potato based. Have also toyed with idea of making soup for boyfriends packed lunches instead of him having to live on cheese and pickle sarnies.

I'd never thought I'd get so much organic fruit & veg for just £6 a week! :j

thriftlady_2

Is the bf a Scot by any chance? I believe swedes are known as turnips or 'neeps in Scotland.

To me, an Englishwoman a swede is quite a big beast- about the size of a baby's head. They are purply-orange on the outside and orange inside.Swedes are delicious boiled and mashed and served with lots of butter and black pepper.

A turnip is much smaller and is purple at one end and white at the other. They are white inside.

HTH

fatbelly

swede

turnip

swede turnip

Ruby_Pudding

The difference is that I love swede but hate turnip

Is that any help at all?

jaybee

fatbelly: brilliant!!!!!

SnowyOwl_2

Also in N.Ireland turnips are the big purple things with orange insides - and swedes are those other things as pictured by fatbelly. Google will be suitably confused too I bet. Thank you fatbelly for those pictures. Specially the one of poor Sven lol.

The English supermarkets sometimes get turnips and swedes confused too here in N.Ireland - or rather they don't always label what we N.Irelanders know as turnip to be turnip. I wonder if they get the price confused too.

The other one that caused me mega confusion was scallions - known as spring onion in England. I didn't know what spring onions were for a long time - I just thought the scallions were in the wrong place on the shelf, lol!

Then there is aubergine and egg plant - the same thing, but egg plant is the name the Americans use.

Zuccini = courgettes

Maddie

Thank you,

I think I'm right then, always imagined turnips to be pale.

My swede looks like fatbelly's first pic.

Caterina

A good way to make both turnips and swede taste MAGNIFICENT:

Do not boil, but cube and sautee in a pan with olive oil, chopped garlic and shredded fresh chillies. Once cooked, sprinkle with freshly chopped flat leaf parsley. Enjoy!

Caterina

aimeelister

I cook my swede and make mash (as you would potato) and then add a grated carrot which has been steamed in the microwave. Makes the best mashed swede.

chardonnay_2

turnips & swedes are the same vegetable. scots call them turnips. we carve turnips for halloween. think the picture called "turnip" just looks different due to the way the picture has been taken

CarolnMalky

Turnips are things you put in stews etc...swedes come from sweden?