Herb Roasted Rutabagas

Here’s an easy recipe to dress up that humble rutabaga. Herb roasted rutabagas are a savory side dish that will beat that potato craving! They’re super low-carb and low-FODMAP, too!

I’ve been known to sneak some potatoes into my keto diet every now and then. I practice a targeted keto diet, so I work these in after a hard workout. Really, tater tots are my favorite comfort food – now my secret’s out! But recently, I’ve come across the absolute BEST tater alternative, which in my opinion, is the humble rutabaga.

What exactly is a rutabaga?

I know, some of you won’t be very familiar with rutabagas – I know I wasn’t, until fairly recently.  Let me assure you – they are amazing and my fave new veggie. 

The rutabaga is a little homely, but don’t let that be a deterrent. They are full of flavor, are slightly peppery and don’t have that smidge of bitterness that you get from turnips (in fact, they’re actually sweeter and are very low in carbs, similar to turnips).  They are commonly confused with their turnip cousins because they look quite similar.  Turnips are white and purple and rutabagas are mostly yellowish and purple-brownish and are generally a bit bigger… Some rutabagas can be upwards of 3 pounds!  The big ones make excellent fries… What I recently learned, is that both turnips and rutabagas are both members of the cabbage family. Who knew? 

Rutabagas are incredibly savory with an earthy undertone.  And if you happen to be missing the creamy-butteriness of mashed potatoes (which I do from time to time), this is the perfect dish to satisfy that craving with a tiny fraction of the carbs.

What do you do with a rutabaga, you ask?

Seriously, anything that you would do with a potato.  They can be mashed with butter and cheese, made into fries and make a mean colcannon.  Check out my Keto Rutabaga Colcannon after you’ve made this recipe.  But for today, I’m talking about the joys of roasting these puppies.

The deets on how to make these (so easy)!

For this recipe I used one big (about 3 pound) rutabaga.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Simply peel your rutabaga and cut into roughly 1″ chunks. I make some into perfectly square cubes and others I cut into odd shapes. Guess I just like variety.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the rutabaga and toss until each piece is evenly coated.

Now, spread these out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure there’s plenty of room between each piece so the air can freely circulate.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Flip or stir the pieces, cover and bake another 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until fork tender.

Sprinkle with a bit of salt and drizzle of olive oil and let them cool. I know you want to eat a piece right now, but you don’t want to burn your mouth, so… deep breaths. It’s only a few minutes…

These are also perfect with a drizzle of Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing – it’s one of the most versatile sauces to have in your fridge!

Other recipes you might like

• Keto Rutabaga Colcannon
• Roasted Carrots with Fenugreek

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