How to Cook Rutabaga (2024)

How to Cook Rutabaga (1)

Rutabaga is a hybrid of turnip and cabbage. It's a root vegetable like turnip, but it's rounder, larger, denser and sweeter than turnip. Rutabagas are sweet and mild in taste, with thin pale yellow skin and a white or yellow flesh. They're basically a cold weather crop grown primarily in the northern parts of the United States, Canada and Europe [source: Undersander, Kaminski, Oelke, Schulte, Oplinger]. Rutabaga is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, fiber and vitamins. If stored properly, it can last for up to six months. Rutabaga must be washed and peeled before it's prepared. Rutabaga must be checked frequently while cooking, so they don't get overcooked. If they're overcooked, they will disintegrate [source: Leslie Beck]. Here are some ways to prepare rutabaga.

  • Baking Slice the rutabaga and place it in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle it with a few tablespoons of water and bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.6 degrees Celsius) until tender. Rutabagas will need about one hour in the oven to become soft.
  • Boiling Place a whole or sliced rutabaga in a pot of boiling water. Add a teaspoon of sugar to give it a bit of a sweet taste. Whole rutabaga will take about 35 minutes to cook, whereas sliced rutabaga will take about 10 minutes.
  • Microwaving Place the whole or sliced rutabaga in a covered dish. Sprinkle it with a bit of water. Cook it in the microwave on high for about 10 minutes.
  • Stir-frying Slice the rutabaga into thin strips and stir fry them in oil for about seven minutes [source: Leslie Beck].
  • Mashing Cut the rutabaga into large chunks and place them in a pot. Cover them with water and add some salt. Bring the rutabaga to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 40 minutes. Drain the rutabaga and mash the chunks with a potato masher. Work in 4 tablespoons of butter and a pinch of powdered nutmeg or cinnamon [source: Willan].

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How to Cook Rutabaga (2024)

FAQs

How do you prepare rutabagas to eat? ›

One of the simplest and tastiest ways to eat rutabagas is just to cube, boil, and mash them with butter. Unlike potatoes, which can get gluey if you mash them overzealously, there's no danger of overdoing it with rutabaga. If you want them really smooth, you can throw rutabagas in the food processor.

Do you peel rutabaga before boiling? ›

Rutabagas mix well with other root vegetables. Mix with carrots, pota- toes, and turnips to make a healthy vegetable stew. The wax and skin of rutabagas must be peeled before cooking. A sharp paring knife is better than a vegetable peeler.

How do you take the bitterness out of rutabagas? ›

How Do You Get the Bitter Taste Out of Rutabagas? If you find that rutabagas are too bitter for you, add up to a tablespoon of sugar to accentuate the sweetness and stir to combine. This will help to counteract the bitterness.

Does rutabaga taste like potatoes? ›

Rutabagas are a root vegetable and are a cross between turnips and cabbage. Rutabagas have a slightly bitter flavor and taste like a less-sweet carrot. When cooked, rutabagas become sweeter and taste similar to potatoes.

Are rutabagas healthy to eat? ›

Rutabagas contain many beneficial nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They may help to control weight, keep the bowels healthy, and prevent chronic diseases. In addition, people can cook it in various ways and use it as an alternative to unhealthier foods, such as potato fries.

Do you eat rutabaga skin? ›

Rutabaga skin is edible, but it might have a stronger flavor. In addition, if you purchased rutabaga at a grocery store, it's most likely covered in wax. Larger rutabagas also have tough skin that is often bruised. For these reasons, I prefer to remove the skin before cooking the vegetable.

Can I eat rutabaga raw? ›

You can enjoy rutabagas raw or cook them similarly to how you cook potatoes, but be sure to peel the skin, as these vegetables usually have a protective wax coating. Meanwhile, its leaves can be added to salads or soups.

Is rutabaga healthier than potatoes? ›

Potato has MORE THAN TWICE the carbs and calories of rutabaga!! So next time you want some comfort food, peel, chop up and boil that bad boy. Drain and mash it up with a fork/masher with some cream, cheese and butter and dig in!

Is rutabaga hard to cook? ›

How to Cook Rutabaga. Rutabagas have a reputation of being tough to peel because of their waxy skin, but the exterior is actually pretty easy to tackle after the vegetable has been cut in half and sliced. The easiest way to enjoy the cruciferous vegetable is to boil and mash it into a low-carb mashed potato substitute.

Is a turnip the same as a rutabaga? ›

Rutabagas are also generally much larger than turnips. So for a quick rule of thumb, the brownish-yellowish ones are rutabagas, and the smaller white and purple ones are turnips. In terms of their flavor, rutabagas are slightly sweeter-tasting than turnips whereas turnips have a slightly more radishy flavor.

Does rutabaga turn orange when cooked? ›

Inside, their yellowy-orange flesh is sweet and earthy. When cooked turnips are a creamy white while cooked rutabagas turn a soft mustard yellow. Both turnips and rutabagas have edible leaves, in fact, boiled turnip greens are a popular Southern United States dish.

How many rutabagas per person? ›

Rutabagas
Plant nameZone# plants per person
Rutabagas6a5-10
Rutabagas6b5-10
Rutabagas7a5-10
Rutabagas7b5-10
14 more rows

What is rutabaga called in England? ›

A member of the cabbage family, the swede is often confused with the turnip, though they look quite different. It's also known as yellow turnip, Swedish turnip and Russian turnip and, in America, rutabaga. In Scotland, where it's known as neeps, swede is the traditional accompaniment to haggis on Burns Night.

Is rutabaga a laxative? ›

Similar to all its cruciferous cousins, rutabagas are naturally very high in fiber. Dietary fiber improves digestion by bulking up the stool and encouraging elimination, so rutabagas can provide natural constipation relief.

Is rutabaga and swede the same? ›

Swede is actually a cross between a turnip and cabbage. They are known as rutabaga in the United States but are called swede throughout the rest of the world. They are one of the hardiest root vegetables to harvest, they grow seasonally - autumn through to winter.

What part of rutabaga do you eat? ›

A rutabaga is a root vegetable that's related to both the cabbage and the turnip. It was first used culinarily in Sweden, but has since spread to many parts of the world. You most often find the roots for sale, although the greens are also edible.

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