Rutabaga 101: Health Benefits, Nutrition, and Easy Recipes

Did you know one vegetable can add flavor to your meals and provide valuable nutrients? Meet rutabaga — a versatile veggie worth knowing about!

Turnips and other popular root veggies commonly overshadow this nutrient-rich root vegetable. It's an often-overlooked cousin of turnips and cabbage but with a slightly sweeter, earthier taste. 

Rutabagas are packed with fiber and vitamins. They have a rich history and versatile culinary uses: you can mash 'em, roast 'em, and get widely creative in the kitchen. 

This article explores everything you need to know about rutabaga, from its nutritional value and health benefits to cooking tips, nutritious recipes, and more!

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What Is Rutabaga?

Rutabaga's humble origins include Scandinavian roots and global culinary appeal. It is believed to have originated from Sweden or Finland and is sometimes called "Swede."

Researchers suggest that rutabaga was distributed from Sweden to Germany, England, and other European countries in the eighteenth century and then introduced to North America in the early nineteenth century. 

A hybrid of cabbage and turnips, rutabagas are root crops grown for animal and human consumption for nearly 4,000 years. They appear to have 18 cabbage chromosomes and 20 turnip chromosomes.

Turnips and rutabaga have similar flavors but differ slightly in appearance and nutritional value. While turnips often have hairy leaves and smaller white roots, rutabagas have smoother, larger leaves with more prominent white, orange, or yellow-fleshed roots. 

Nutritionally, rutabagas provide more vitamin C, vitamin A, and B vitamins than turnips — but less iron. You can eat them raw, mashed, pickled, boiled, steamed, roasted, or baked. 

Nutritional Value of Rutabaga

Rutabagas are low in calories and offer key nutrients that provide abundant health benefits. The nutritional value of 1 cup of raw rutabaga is as follows:

Macronutrients

• Calories: 52
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 12 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Sugar: 6 grams
• Added sugar: 0 grams grams

Micronutrients

• Calcium: 60 milligrams
• Iron: 1 milligram
• Magnesium: 28 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 74 milligrams 
• Potassium: 427 milligrams 
• Zinc: 0.3 milligrams 
• Copper: 0.05 milligrams
• Manganese: 0.2 milligrams
• Selenium: 1 microgram
• Vitamin C: 35 milligrams 
• Thiamin: 0.1 milligrams
• Riboflavin: 0.6 milligrams
• Niacin: 1 milligram
• Pantothenic acid: 0.2 milligrams
• Vitamin B6: 0.1 milligrams 
• Folate: 29 micrograms
• Choline: 14 milligrams
• Vitamin B12: 0 micrograms
• Vitamin A: 0 micrograms
• Beta carotene: 1 microgram 
• Vitamin E: 0.3 milligrams
• Vitamin D: 0 micrograms
• Vitamin K: 0.3 micrograms 

Check out the table below comparing rutabaga with similar vegetables:

Key nutrients present in rutabaga are vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and folate. 

These micronutrients offer an array of health perks for various bodily functions, including cardiovascular wellness, immune support, and bone health, as well as antioxidant support. 

Rutabaga is a low-calorie, high-fiber superfood that boosts satiety, which may benefit digestive health and weight management. 

While rutabagas are a source of carbohydrates, the American Diabetes Association classifies rutabagas as non-starchy vegetables, which is appropriate for people with diabetes and those carrying excess body weight.

Health Benefits of Rutabaga

Rutabaga's fiber, lower-calorie content, and micronutrient profile offer numerous health perks.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties

The antioxidants in rutabaga, particularly vitamin C, are vital in supporting immunity and have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on cells within the body. 

Chronic Disease Prevention 

Researchers suggest that rutabagas enhance healthy cellular health, which is essential for maintaining long-term wellness.

Rutabaga can reap heart-healthy benefits. It promotes healthy weight management and is a strong source of fiber and potassium, which support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure control. 

Rutabaga also optimizes diabetes management due to its effects on weight control, high fiber content, and higher amount of carbohydrates it provides compared to starchy vegetables. 

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) suggests consuming six servings of rutabaga or other non-starchy veggies daily to optimize blood sugar control. 

Potential Safety Concerns

While rutabagas are safe to eat for most people, there are always concerns about allergic reactions in people with food allergies. 

Contact your doctor if you struggle with signs of an allergic reaction after eating rutabaga, such as swelling, itching, rash, hives, or difficulty breathing.

Furthermore, increasing your fiber intake too quickly could temporarily cause gas, bloating, or abdominal cramping. Gradually increasing fiber consumption over time minimizes these and similar symptoms. 

How to Cook and Enjoy Rutabaga

Rutabaga is suitable to eat raw or cooked (boiled, steamed, roasted, baked, or mashed).

Popular Cooking Methods

Examples of popular ways to cook rutabaga include.:

Roasting

Consider the following roasted rutabaga recipe that yields a flavorful, potato-like texture:

Ingredients

• 1 pound of rutabagas, cubed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
3. Toss the rutabaga in olive oil with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Spread the pieces evenly on a baking sheet.
5. Cook the veggies in an oven for about 25 minutes until tender and golden brown.
6. Serve warm and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Boiling or Mashing

Consider boiling or mashing rutabagas with the following simple recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 large rutabaga
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 thyme sprigs
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Peel and cut the rutabaga into cubes.
2. Place rutabaga in a pot with water; add the bay leaf and thyme.
3. Bring the water to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover the mixture, and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rutabaga is tender.
5. Drain the water, remove the bay leaf and thyme, and serve cooked rutabaga with olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper. 
6. Mash it up if you'd like, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 4-6

Steaming

Steam rutabaga by washing, peeling, and dicing it into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a steamer basket, fill the bottom of your steamer with water, and turn it on. Cook the rutabaga for about 15-30 minutes or until tender. Enjoy!

Easy and Delicious Recipes

Add rutabaga to soups, stews, salads (try it shredded), and vegetable side dishes. You can also use it in smoothies, casseroles, savory dinners, and baked goods. 

Consider these easy, delicious recipes to take advantage of the numerous health and nutritional perks linked to rutabaga.

Sides

• Parmesan-baked rutabaga
• Baked rutabaga fries (diabetic recipe)
• Roasted rutabaga
• Coconut rutabaga mash
• Creamy mashed rutabagas

Soups and Stews

• Roasted rutabaga soup
• Rutabaga carrot soup
• Chicken and rutabaga greens stew
• Rutabaga quinoa saffron stew

Salads

• Rutabaga apple salad
• Crunchy rutabaga and chickpea salad
• Farro salad with rutabaga, ricotta, and hazelnuts
• Rutabaga apple slaw

Healthy Dessert

• Rutabaga applesauce

You can also blend rutabaga into your favorite smoothie to boost its nutritional content!

Sustainability and Growing Your Own Rutabaga

Rutabaga is an eco-friendly vegetable because it's easy to grow and less resource-intensive than other garden-grown foods. It's a long-season root crop that grows best when planted in the summer to harvest a fall crop. 

Home Gardening Varieties

Certain rutabagas that work well for home gardens include Laurentian and American Purple Top varieties. Both produce globe-shaped, light yellow roots with purple tops and yellow flesh. 

Planting and Growing

When growing rutabaga at home, choose moist, well-draining soils that aren't compacted. Plant rutabagas in areas with at least six hours of direct sunlight. 

Sow the seeds ¼-½-inch deep and space rows of rutabagas 18-24 inches apart. After germination, thin the plants to 6 inches apart.

Rutabagas need about 1-1 ½ inches of water each week during the growing season. Water home-grown rutabagas regularly during dry weather to maintain consistently moist soil. 

Harvesting

Harvest rutabagas when the roots reach at least 2-3 inches, up to 4-5 inches in diameter (about the size of a softball), and have been exposed to several light frosts. The frosts sweeten the flavor of the roots. 

Rutabagas need about 90-110 days from the time you plant them until harvest. You can also harvest the foliage for its greens. 

Storage

Before storing rutabagas, trim off the foliage with a sharp knife. Store these root veggies for 2-4 months in a plastic bag in cold temperatures, such as in a refrigerator or cellar. You can also blanch and freeze rutabagas to extend their shelf life further. 

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Key Takeaways

• Rutabaga offers key health benefits, nutritional perks, and culinary versatility. 
• Rutabagas are low-calorie, fiber-rich root vegetables that may support weight management, heart and digestive health, immunity, blood sugar control, and antioxidant status.
• Incorporate rutabagas into daily meal plans as a sustainable food option to maximize health. Purchase them at a local grocery store or farmer's market, or grow your own in a home garden.
• Ready to give rutabagas a try? Start with one of our easy recipes or create your own to discover why rutabagas are your new favorite root vegetable! Share your experiences in the comments below.