We recently made fresh beets, which was a new experience for me, and I was surprised to discover that a freshly cooked fresh beet tastes quite like a similarly cooked turnip. Is there any connection between the two foods?

  • 1
    There is probably an earthiness and sweetness in both vegetables that makes them similar when cooked.
    – Max
    Oct 14 '14 at 20:39
  • Not quite an answer to the question but there is a pickle called lefet very common in the Middle East made of turnips pickled with a beetroot. The beetroot changes the colour of the turnips to a bright pink colour. It's served as a condiment and is very common in falafel sandwiches.
    – NRaf
    Oct 15 '14 at 23:41

From a scientific standpoint they are not closely related. They aren't even in the same order. Beets are order Caryophyllales and Turnips are order Brassicales.


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