Rutabagas: What Are They and How Do I Cook Them?

A rutabaga is a root vegetable.  It’s not the most popular choice at the supermarket, nor is it sleek like asparagus or irresistible like heirloom tomatoes.  It’s a work-horse vegetable that’s been around for at least 400 years.  If you find it on a menu it’s likely to be part of a stew or a pile of roasted vegggies.

Some people think rutabagas are just used to feed livestock, but that’s not true.
  Peeled, cut up and cooked, they appear in many Scandinavian dishes.  In fact, in those countries rutabagas are called “Swedes” or “Swedish turnips.”

If you cook and then mash rutabagas, they can be used in place of or mixed in with mashed potatoes.  Their leaves are edible and can be cooked like spinach, chard or mustard greens, although many produce departments cut off the greens.

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