RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
September Pick: Breakfast

Turkey and Sweet Pepper Breakfast Hash with Turnips

Diced turnips browned until sweet and crisp-edged, folded with paprika-seasoned ground turkey, red peppers, and poblano, and topped with avocado.

Why you'll love Turkey and Sweet Pepper Breakfast Hash with Turnips

A breakfast hash is whatever browns well in one skillet, and in September that means turnips. The first fall turnips come into the market small and tender, and diced and browned in a hot pan they turn golden, nutty, and gently sweet, with crisp corners and soft middles. They give the hash the hearty, roasted base it needs, and the red peppers, at their sweetest at the end of summer, bring color and a little juiciness.

The turnips cook in two stages, and that is what makes them taste like a hash. A few minutes covered with a splash of water steams them through, so the centers turn tender, and then the lid comes off, the water cooks away, and the dry, hot pan browns the cut faces. Browning is what takes the sharp, peppery edge off a turnip and replaces it with caramelized sweetness. The turkey goes into the same pan afterward and is left alone long enough to brown in chunks, so every bite has some crust.

Ground turkey, avocado, and a skillet full of vegetables make a breakfast that holds you through the morning. It reheats well, so a Sunday batch covers the first busy mornings of the school year.

Quick overview: This Turkey and Sweet Pepper Breakfast Hash with Turnips takes 15 min of hands-on time and about 45 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 1 1/2 cups with 1/2 avocado. You'll need a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Turkey, pepper and turnip breakfast hash with avocado
Prep 15 minCook 30 minTotal 45 minServes 4Serving about 1 1/2 cups with 1/2 avocadoYou'll need Skillet

Ingredients

  • 3 medium turnips (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil, divided
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 lb ground turkey (thigh meat or a mix of thigh and breast)
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 ripe avocados, sliced
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Steam the turnips: Heat 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turnips and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, stir to coat, then pour in the water and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until a knife slides into a cube with only a little resistance. Steaming first cooks the centers through, so the browning that follows only has to work on the outside.
  2. Brown the turnips: Take off the lid and let the last of the water cook away. Add another tablespoon of oil, spread the turnips in one layer, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring only every 3 minutes or so, until most sides are deep golden. Leaving them alone is what browns them; stirring constantly keeps them pale and soft. Tip them onto a plate.
  3. Season the turkey: While the turnips brown, mix the paprika, cumin, oregano, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl. Seasoning the meat in the pan, before it breaks up, lets the spices toast in the fat.
  4. Brown the turkey: Add the last tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then the turkey, pressed into one flat layer. Sprinkle the spice mix over it and cook without stirring for 4 minutes, until the underside is well browned. Break it into bite-size chunks, turn them, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until no pink remains and the turkey reads 165°F (74°C). Ground poultry has to reach 165°F all the way through, and big chunks stay juicier than fine crumbles while they get there.
  5. Cook the peppers: Push the turkey to one side, add the onion, bell peppers, poblano, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the open side of the pan, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring the vegetables now and then, until they soften and the onion edges brown. Add the garlic for the last minute, so it turns fragrant without scorching.
  6. Bring it together: Return the turnips to the skillet and toss everything together over the heat for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, which carry the deepest flavor. Taste and add salt if it needs it.
  7. Serve: Spoon the hash into bowls, scatter the scallions and parsley over the top, and lay half an avocado beside each serving. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the avocado and peppers.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate leftover hash in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Slice the avocado fresh each time, since cut avocado browns within a few hours.

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of oil for 5 to 6 minutes, until it sizzles and reaches 165°F (74°C); the pan crisps the turnips again. The hash freezes for up to 2 months, though the turnips soften after thawing.

Variations

  • With eggs: Make four shallow wells in the finished hash, crack an egg into each, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the whites are set.
  • Rutabaga: Use diced rutabaga in place of the turnips. It is denser, so steam it 3 minutes longer before browning.
  • More heat: Add a diced jalapeño with the peppers and a pinch of cayenne to the spice mix.
  • Ground chicken: Ground chicken works the same way and cooks to the same 165°F (74°C).

Notes and tips

  • Choose small turnips: Turnips about the size of a tennis ball are the sweetest and most tender. Large, late-season ones can be woody and sharper, so peel them a little more deeply.
  • Cut evenly: A 1/2-inch dice browns in the time it takes the centers to finish. Bigger pieces stay firm in the middle.
  • Use the largest skillet you have: A 12-inch skillet gives the turnips room to brown in one layer. In a smaller pan, brown them in two batches.
  • Prep the night before: Dice the turnips, peppers, and onion and keep them in separate containers in the refrigerator, so breakfast is just cooking.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Ground turkey brings a full serving of protein to breakfast, and protein first thing in the morning is what keeps you satisfied until lunch.
  • Turnips are a cruciferous root, mostly water and fiber, so they give the hash the roasted heartiness of a breakfast potato with far less starch and a much gentler effect on blood sugar.
  • Red peppers are at their sweetest in late summer and early fall, and they bring vitamin C and color. The poblano adds a mild, green chile warmth.
  • Avocado is the real fat on the plate, and together with the protein and fiber it slows how quickly breakfast leaves your stomach.
  • As you eat, notice how the browned turnips taste sweet on their own, and check in at midmorning and again around lunchtime: this breakfast should carry you 4 hours or more with steady energy and no pull toward a sweet snack.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Turkey and Sweet Pepper Breakfast Hash with Turnips? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What do turnips taste like in a hash?

Raw turnips are crisp and a little peppery. Browned, they turn mellow, nutty, and gently sweet, close to a roasted potato with a lighter texture.

Do I have to peel the turnips?

Small, young turnips have thin skins and only need a good scrub. Peel larger ones, since their skins get thick and bitter.

Can I make it ahead for the week?

Yes. It keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat portions in a skillet until hot, and add the avocado and herbs when you serve.

Is the poblano spicy?

Poblanos are mild, with a gentle warmth and an earthy flavor. Taste a sliver first, since one now and then runs hotter, and use a second red bell pepper if you want no heat at all.

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Tags: September Pick, Breakfast, American, Dairy-Free