Turnip Green in Spanish | Everyday Names Explained

In Spanish, turnip greens are usually called hojas de nabo; in Galicia, you’ll hear nabizas or grelos.

You spot “turnip greens” on a recipe, a grocery label, or a restaurant menu, and then Spanish throws you three different answers. Annoying, right?

The good news: the words aren’t random. Spanish labels change based on region, the part of the plant being sold, and how “young” the greens are. Once you know the patterns, you can read menus, shop smarter, and ask for what you want without getting a bag of turnips when you meant leaves.

What “Turnip Greens” Means Before You Translate It

In English, “turnip greens” usually means the edible leaves (and sometimes tender stems) from the turnip plant. People cook them like other leafy greens: sautéed, braised, simmered in soups, or stirred into stews.

Spanish can name those greens in two ways:

• Plain description: “turnip leaves” → hojas de nabo.
• Regional food word: a local term that points to a specific stage of growth or a traditional dish.

That’s why you’ll see more than one “right” translation, and all of them can be correct in context.

Turnip Green in Spanish For Menus And Markets

If you want one phrase that works almost anywhere, pick hojas de nabo. It’s direct, easy to understand, and it shows up in translations, labels, and everyday speech.

Still, you’ll run into two other terms that matter a lot in Spain, especially in the northwest. They don’t just mean “leaves.” They hint at tenderness, season, and the kind of dish you’re ordering.

Hojas De Nabo

This is the straight, literal label: “turnip leaves.” If a grocery store wants to be clear, this is the safest wording. If you’re writing a recipe for a broad Spanish-speaking audience, this is also the safest pick.

On menus, it may appear as salteadas (sautéed), hervidas (boiled), or guisadas (stewed). If you see it paired with garlic, olive oil, or smoked paprika, you’re in familiar leafy-green territory.

Nabizas

Nabizas usually points to tender young turnip leaves. The Real Academia Española defines “nabiza” as the tender leaf of the turnip as it starts to grow, often used in the plural. You can check the official entry for RAE “nabiza”.

In practice, that “young and tender” idea is what you taste. Nabizas tend to be softer, with less bite than older greens. If a recipe says nabizas, it’s hinting that you should pick small, fresh leaves, not the big tough ones that need a long simmer.

Grelos

Grelos are closely tied to Galicia. The RAE describes “grelo” as an edible tender leaf from turnip stems, marked as Galician usage. The official definition is at RAE “grelo”.

On the plate, grelos are often more than plain leaves. Many cooks treat them as the tender shoots and leafy tops that show up at a certain stage of growth. You’ll see them in classic Galician dishes, served with potatoes, chorizo, pork, or in hearty broths.

Why One English Phrase Splits Into Several Spanish Labels

English often bundles “greens” as one idea. Spanish tends to label the plant part and, in some regions, the exact growth stage. That’s why a word like grelos can feel more specific than “turnip greens,” even if an English menu would still call it the same thing.

If you want a quick translation check for writing or reading, a bilingual dictionary entry helps. One widely used reference is SpanishDict’s entry for “turnip greens”, which shows common equivalents and usage examples.

Regional Spanish Terms You Might See On Labels

Spanish changes by country and by region inside a country. In most places, hojas de nabo will land well. In northwest Spain, you’ll see grelos and nabizas often. In other areas, stores may describe the greens by how they’re sold: as leaves, as shoots, or as mixed bunches with stems.

One more thing: some menus shorten vegetable names. A dish might say “nabo” even when the dish uses greens. If the description mentions sautéed leaves, a bitter-green taste, or a leafy garnish, the kitchen may be using greens even if the label is brief.

Translation Cheat Sheet For Turnip Greens In Spanish

This table is built for real-life use: shopping, reading recipes, and ordering food. Use it to pick the Spanish term that fits what’s in front of you.

Spanish Term	Where You’ll Hear It	Best Use/Notes
Hojas de nabo	Broad Spanish usage	Safest label for “turnip greens” on recipes, grocery lists, and general conversation.
Hojas tiernas de nabo	Labels, recipe writing	Signals young leaves; helpful when a recipe needs a softer green.
Nabizas	Spain (common in the northwest)	Young turnip leaves; matches the official dictionary sense of tender turnip leaves.
Grelos	Galicia (Spain)	Tender edible leafy tops/shoots; often tied to regional dishes and a slightly sharper flavor.
Brotes de nabo	Modern packaging, produce markets	“Turnip shoots.” Useful when the bunch has thin stems and small leaves.
Verdura de nabo	Some menus, informal labeling	A general “turnip greens” idea without naming leaves vs shoots; read the dish description for clues.
Hojas de nabo para caldo	Markets, home cooking notes	Greens sold or chosen for soups and broths; hints they’ll be simmered.
Grelos cocidos	Menus in Galicia	Boiled grelos; often served as a side with potatoes and meats.

How To Pick The Right Spanish Term In One Minute

If you’re stuck, use this quick decision path:

1. General writing, broad audience: use hojas de nabo.
2. Recipe calls for young, tender leaves: use hojas tiernas de nabo or nabizas.
3. Dish is clearly Galician: use grelos.
4. Package shows thin stems and small leaf clusters: brotes de nabo is often the label.

That’s it. No hand-wringing needed. Pick the term that matches what you’re cooking or buying.

How Turnip Greens Show Up In Spanish Cooking

Across Spain, leafy greens get treated with respect: cooked until tender, seasoned simply, and paired with filling staples. Turnip greens fit that style well because they can take heat and still keep a bite.

In Galicia, grelos are a signature vegetable. You’ll often see them served with potatoes, beans, or meats. In other regions, leaves may be folded into soups, cooked with chickpeas, or sautéed with garlic and olive oil.

If your goal is to follow a Spanish recipe accurately, the word choice matters. “Grelos” on a Galician recipe points you toward that regional ingredient and flavor profile. “Hojas de nabo” is more general and can be swapped with similar greens when needed.

Nutrition Notes People Ask About

Many shoppers want turnip greens for the same reasons they buy kale or collards: they’re leafy, they cook down well, and they bring a sharp, green flavor to a plate.

If you need a reliable nutrition reference, you can use USDA’s FoodData Central entry for turnip greens. The nutrient detail page is here: USDA FoodData Central nutrients for turnip greens (raw). That page is useful when you’re writing nutrition copy, building a meal log, or checking vitamins and minerals by weight.

One practical tip: recipes often call for “a bunch,” but nutrition data uses grams. If you’re tracking intake, weigh the raw leaves before cooking. Cooking changes water content and shrinks volume fast, so cups and handfuls get messy.

Common Mix-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Confusing Turnip Greens With Mustard Greens

In English, both can be peppery. In Spanish, mustard greens may be labeled as mostaza (as leaves) or as a regional green depending on the place. If you want turnip greens, anchor on nabo in the label: hojas de nabo, brotes de nabo, nabizas, or grelos.

Buying The Root When You Wanted The Leaves

In stores, nabo by itself often means the root. If you want leaves, look for hojas or the regional leaf terms. If you’re asking someone in a market, say “¿Tienes hojas de nabo?” That one word, hojas, steers the request to greens.

Expecting “Grelos” In Every Spanish-Speaking Country

Grelos are strongly tied to Galicia. Outside Spain, many people won’t use that word day to day. If you’re traveling in Latin America, hojas de nabo is the safer phrasing when you’re trying to be understood.

Useful Phrases When You’re Shopping Or Ordering

These are short, natural lines you can say without sounding stiff. They’re built around the terms you’re most likely to see.

English	Spanish	When To Say It
Do you have turnip greens?	¿Tienes hojas de nabo?	Market or grocery produce section.
I want the leaves, not the turnips.	Quiero las hojas, no el nabo.	When the seller points at the root.
Are these young leaves?	¿Son hojas tiernas?	When you want softer greens for quick cooking.
Do you sell grelos?	¿Vendes grelos?	In Galicia or Spanish shops that stock Galician produce.
How should I cook them?	¿Cómo se cocinan?	When you’re new to the ingredient and want a local tip.
Give me two bunches.	Dame dos manojos.	Simple purchasing line at a market stall.
I’ll take the tender ones.	Me llevo las más tiernas.	When you’re choosing between big leaves and small leaves.

How To Use The Spanish Term In Your Own Writing

If you’re writing a recipe, a blog post, or a product description, clarity beats cleverness. Here are three clean patterns that read naturally:

• General audience: “hojas de nabo” the first time, then “las hojas” after that.
• Galician dish: “grelos” and keep it consistent through the recipe.
• Young leaves: “nabizas” or “hojas tiernas de nabo,” then stick with that choice.

If you’re adding an English parenthesis for bilingual readers, keep it short: “hojas de nabo (turnip greens).” Do it once near the top, then let the Spanish carry the rest.

Quick Takeaways That Prevent Wrong-Buy Mistakes

If you only keep three things, keep these:

• Hojas de nabo is the safest, most widely understood way to say turnip greens in Spanish.
• Nabizas leans “young leaves,” the tender stage.
• Grelos points you to Galicia and that regional style of greens.

Once you lock those in, Spanish labels stop feeling like a trick question.