You might ask, what on earth is a rutabaga?
Rutabaga is a delicious root vegetable, underused, and surprisingly versatile. Mistaken for a turnip which it resembles but takes on an orangish and dirty purple look, sounds good! I am here to tell you looks are deceiving, it might be ugly but it is beyond tasty.
My family and I love rutabaga, we might even have an unhealthy attachment to it. My dad would make mashed rutabaga for all major holiday celebrations. Thanksgiving is when I remember it most. It would not be Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner in my house without it.
Rutabaga tends to have a bit of a bite to it. In order to cut the sharp flavor, add a bit of sweetness. As my family knows, I don’t like sweets (which they think makes me crazy) but that’s a whole other subject for another day. Anyways, using a small amount of sweetness goes a long way with this wonderful root vegetable.
Remember to make it your own and have fun in the kitchen!
Ingredients
- 3 medium rutabagas peeled and diced
- 1-2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 1/4 teaspoon raw sugar (optional, cuts bitterness)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 cup dairy free milk
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Optional Toppings
- 1 tablesppon fresh basil, chives, sage, thyme, or parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water add rutabaga. Cook until fork tender, approximately 35-45 minutes depending on cube size.
- Drain cooked rutabaga in colander.
- Place cooked rutabaga in a large bowl and add butter, agave, raw sugar, turmeric, and dairy-free milk. Mash rutabaga to desired consistency, salt and pepper to taste.
- Top rutabaga with ground pepper and favorite herbs.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Jessie
Loved this! I used stevia instead of other sweeteners, omitted the butter, and added a pinch of nutmeg 😀
Karen
Thanks for the feedback the nutmeg is a great idea! Happy holiday! -Karen