The rutabaga (also known as “swede” or “Swedish turnip”) is basically a large, round, yellow-fleshed root vegetable known as a type of Brassica napus. Rutabaga roots are often cooked and eaten, and the leaves can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable.
How Does Rutabaga Taste Like?
The rutabaga is a Brassica napus, which is a hybrid of a cabbage and a turnip, and its taste reflects that. In its raw form, rutabagas are milder in taste than turnips, and when cooked they taste a little bitter.
How to Cook Rutabaga
There are many different ways to prepare this exotic root vegetable, and it lends itself well to making rutabaga appetizers, sides and snacks. But first of all, before you even cook it, you’ll need to peel the skin off. Since peeling a rutabaga can be a little slippery, it’s best to slice off the ends with a knife for a bit more stability. Now that the rutabaga is peeled, you can cook rutabagas in the same way you would cook potatoes. On the stovetop, you can boil it and then mash to make mashed rutabagas, or fry it either in the deep frying, in a skillet or an air fryer (think rutabaga fries or rutabaga chips or even a veggie hash!). If you’re using the oven, you can either bake it, roast it, or broil it. Alternatively, you can also make a creamy rutabaga soup! Once you’ve tried cooking with this extremely versatile root vegetable, you’ll want to add it to your repertoire all the time!
Best Rutabaga Recipes
From appetizers such as creamy rutabaga soup and rutabaga steaks, to side dishes such as mashed rutabaga and rosemary roasted rutabaga, to mains such as spiralized rutabaga—there’s a whole world of rutabaga recipes to explore in this list! Here are 28 of the best rutabaga recipes to add to your vegetable repertoire. Browse through them, make sure you pin your favorites and let’s get cooking!
