The ideal time to have rutabaga is winter. Rutabaga is not everybody’s favorite or treasured choice. However, it can do wonders. Bulky looking and surprisingly large, having a taupe bottom and a purple top, rutabagas might not be very appealing to the eye, for obvious reasons. But what they have in store for you will shock you like a bolt from the blue.
It has an earthy and sweet butter-yellow brawn, below its woody-looking exterior. It is a part of the vast family of vegetables and possesses similar health benefits.
When it comes to cooking, most people are confused as to how to cook rutabagas? It is much as easy to cook as it is to eat the rutabaga. And we are here to solve that very problem of yours.
This article elucidates eight simple and easy ways to cook rutabagas at home without creating much mess.
Roasted Rutabagas
For this recipe, you need:
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 3-4 rutabagas
- Maple syrup
- Fresh thyme
Roasted rutabaga is an incredibly easy and luscious dish. All the ingredients you require are mentioned above.
To start with, cut the rutabaga in small dices, say 1/4 inch. Combine olive oil, salt, maple syrup, and rutabaga in a bowl. Mix nicely, so the rutabagas are coated with oil. Put on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Set the temperature of the oven to 190ᵒC and let bake for a good 45 minutes.
Sprinkle thyme after cooled. Enjoy!
Mashed Rutabaga
For this recipe, you need:
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 2-3 rutabagas
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh thyme
Mashed rutabaga is undoubtedly the easiest recipe to eat rutabagas.
First of all, peel the rutabaga and then cube it. Place it into a pot and add water. Allow it to boil. After 5 minutes, add thyme and bay leaf in the pot. Put the lid on and let boil for another 25-30 minutes.
After it has boiled, remove the leaf and thyme and strain. Mash the rutabaga using a fork. Add olive oil and serve.
Boiled Rutabaga
For this recipe, you need:
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 1 rutabaga
- Black pepper
- Bay leaf
- Fresh thyme
Making boiled rutabagas is as easy as a piece of cake.
Peel the rutabaga and cut into small cubes. Place rutabaga, thyme, and bay leaf in the pot and add water. Allow it to boil for almost 30 minutes. Bring out the rutabaga, bay leaf, and thyme. Place the rutabaga in a bowl and let it cool.
Add the olive oil to the rutabaga and sprinkle some black pepper for flavor.
Rutabaga Oven Fries
For this recipe, you need:
- Rutabaga
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Dried thyme
Now, who doesn’t love fries, and what’s better than OVEN FRIES??? Easy and quick.
Peel the rutabaga and cut into the shape of fries, medium length. Combine rutabaga, salt, olive oil, and thyme in a bowl. Mix well. Place the mesh into a baking dish, and in the oven, it goes. Let bake at 430ᵒC for 30 minutes or until soft and thoroughly baked.
Bring the dish out and serve with your favorite sauce or ketchup. Enjoy!
Buttered Rutabaga
For this recipe, you need:
- 3-4 rutabaga
- Salt
- Butter
- Black pepper
And here is yet another recipe, and I guarantee you, this is the most delicious of all.
Peel the rutabaga and cube. Place it in a pot with cold water and add a tbsp of salt. Then, bring it to boil. Keep the flame on medium. Let boil for a good 10 minutes or less. Remember, we want it to be tender only and not soft.
Drain water and place rutabaga on the pan along with butter, salt, and black pepper. Keep the stove on medium flame. Serve with ketchup. Enjoy!
Rutabaga and Cheddar Cheese Soup
For this recipe, you need:
- 1 rutabaga
- Cheddar cheese
- Beer (optional)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Flour
- Milk
You must be wondering how can rutabaga and cheddar cheese combine so well to form a soup. Well, to know that, read this up till the end.
Peel the rutabaga and cube. Mash it after boiling. Grate the cheddar cheese. Fill a pot with water, rutabaga, cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. Heat it. Add milk and then add flour and mix everything up.
Let cool. Serve with sauces. Enjoy!
Rutabaga noodles
For this recipe, you need:
- A spiralizer
- Rutabaga
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Herbs
- Carrot
- Beetroot
- Cucumber
Craving pasta? But on a healthy diet? Don’t get sad. We’ve brought something similar for you and that too without much effort.
Add carrot, cucumber, and beetroot in a spiralizer, separately and enjoy looking at it. Place all the vegetables on a plate. Coat them with olive oil but in smaller quantities than usual. Sprinkle salt and herbs over the vegetables. Enjoy!
Rutabaga Gratin
For this recipe, you need:
- Rutabaga
- Salt
- Butter
- Cream
- Gruyere
Peel rutabaga and slice very thinly. Place in an iron-cast pan brushed with butter. Add hot cream and smear gruyere for taste. Enjoy!
Conclusion
Above written recipes prove how delicious dish rutabaga can be. It has various species depending on the region and has countless recipes and a vast number of ways to be consumed.
Moreover, it comes with many benefits; for instance, it helps reproduce new skin cells, improve hair color, keeps skin fresh, and prevents cancer and heart diseases.
Though it is not a very popular vegetable in the produce section, it is the most beneficial vegetable of all others. It can even be eaten raw.
However, with all these advantages, the only problem people face while consuming rutabaga is its wax-like skin that has to be peeled off. And then people (mostly beginners) face the problem of how to cook rutabagas.
FUN FACT: Eating rutabaga helps lift your mood as it contains vitamin V6, which is famous for its hormone production properties. It helps in avoiding a lack of concentration and energy.
Have a good day ahead!
