Roasted Pears and Turnips with Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
I’m a very seasonal eater when it comes to fruits and veggies from growing up on a produce farm. Which is why I’ve always eaten pears and turnips in the fall to late winter. BUT spring turnips are freaking amazing! Crispy, crunchy, and SWEET – perfect for Roasted Pears and Turnips with Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter.
The early spring and fall turnips are the sweetest and my preferred preference for this dish. BUT the bitter mid and end-season ones are delicious as well when paired with the herbal rosemary notes and pops of sweet fennel seed, honey, and butter.
Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
This beautiful compound butter is freaking amazing. It pairs perfectly with the roasted pears and turnips, or roasted…
- Carrots
- Fennel
- Parsnips
- Butternut Squash
- Apples
You can also smear it on hot cornbread or over Greek yogurt with a handful of walnuts.
Save time by making the butter ahead and then store in the fridge. This recipe makes more than you need for the included amount of Roasted Pears and Turnips, so if you have more guests for dinner, double or triple the veggies.
Also, if you want the butter smooth, you can leave the rosemary on the stems and remove once you’ve infused the butter. You’ll also need to strain out the fennel seed if you want a completely smooth butter. Personally, I recommend leaving it all in. It’s pretty and the fennel seeds give an extra pop of flavor.
Substitutions
Thyme is an excellent substitute for the rosemary in this dish. Or use a combination of both. I don’t recommend leaving out the fennel seed because it adds A LOT of the flavor to this dish that is so appealing.
You could also use a high-quality olive oil in the place of the butter. Just make sure you do not overheat the oil. Infuse at an exceptionally low heat.
While the roasted veggies are served best fresh out of the oven, the dish is good gently reheated as leftovers -assuming you have any leftover.
Serving Up Your Roasted Pears and Turnips with Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
This side dish is so elegant, your guests will think you spent hours slaving over it. BUT it’s so easy to make that you’ll be making it all the time. It’s perfect for the holidays whether it’s for Thanksgiving or Christmas or even Easter. Or just at any time with roasted or grilled food. Please let me know your favorite combination for serving it up and if you have questions or comments, drop them below.
Roasted Pears and Turnips with Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 5 medium turnips peeled (younger ones are sweeter, older more bitter)
- 3 medium pears still firm
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tbsp fennel seed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (180 C).
- Peel turnips. Quarter pears and remove seeds. Then chop both into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Place chopped turnips and pears in a bowl, then season with salt and pepper before drizzling with olive oil.
- Toss to coat and pop onto to a baking sheet. While pears and turnips are roasting, infuse the butter with the fennel seeds, rosemary, and honey.
- Roast in the oven until golden brown and tender – approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Remove and serve warm drizzled with the infused butter.
Rosemary Fennel Honey Butter
- Melt butter in a small pan over low heat.
- Add fennel seeds and chopped rosemary and cook until fennel seeds are fragrant, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in honey, stirring well to mix.
- Remove from heat and use immediately drizzled over vegetables, meat, or toast. Or store in the fridge up to two weeks.