Roasted Rutabaga Recipe (Just Like Potatoes!)

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This roasted rutabaga recipe makes a hearty and healthy side dish to just about any meal. If you’re looking to swap out potatoes for a healthier option that’s lower in carbohydrates and calories, root vegetables like rutabaga are a great choice. Use it in soups, stews, or all on its own.

What Is A Rutabaga?

A rutabaga, also known as a Swedish turnip or swede, is a nutritious root vegetable that is a cross between a turnip and a wild cabbage. It’s a great source of fiber and vitamin C.

What Do Rutabagas Taste Like?

When cooked, rutabagas have a mild, sweet flavor and a texture very similar to potatoes. Because they are much lower in carbs than potatoes, they make a great low carb potato substitute. You can cook them using this roasted rutabaga recipe, or try making keto French fries with them!

Why You’ll Love This Roasted Rutabaga Recipe

Tender, starchy texture similar to potatoes
Just 10 minutes to prep
Only 3 ingredients
Naturally low carb, gluten-free, and keto friendly
Healthy vegetable side dish

Ingredients For Roasted Rutabagas

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for oven roasted rutabaga, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Rutabagas – Look for fresh rutabagas that feel heavy and smooth. Smaller rutabagas will be sweeter than larger ones. I prefer to peel the skin (instructions below), but if you want to leave it on, you’ll need to dip the rutabagas briefly in boiling water to remove the wax coating.
Olive Oil – A must for roasting! You can also sub avocado oil.
Spices – Garlic powder, sea salt & black pepper.

See below for more seasoning ideas!

How To Roast Rutabaga

This section shows how to roast rutabaga with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

Dice.

Peeling the tough, waxy skin of rutabagas and chopping them can seem intimidating, but it’s easy with the right technique:

Cut off the ends.
Cut the rutabaga in half.
Slice into 3/4-inch-thick slices, which will be in the shape of semi-circles.
Peel the skin off each slice using a paring knife (this works better than a peeler in this case).
Cut each slice into strips.
Lay the strips in the opposite direction and cut again to form cubes.

Season.

In a large bowl, toss cubed rutabaga with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Feel free to add other seasonings here — see below for ideas.

Roast Rutabagas.

Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they are spread out in a single layer and each rutabaga cube is touching the pan. Bake until fork tender and golden.

Roasted rutabagas on a sheet pan with spoon

Seasoning Variations

Roasted rutabagas benefit from the same seasonings that potatoes do! I kept the recipe basic with just garlic powder, salt, and pepper, but here are some other additions to try:

Fresh or dried herbs – Such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, or basil. For 1 pound of rutabaga, use 1-2 tablespoons fresh herbs, or 1-2 teaspoons dried.
Steak Seasoning – Use 1-2 teaspoons for roasting rutabagas, and also reduce the salt in the recipe by half. This seasoning is also obviously great for steak.
Italian seasoning – Use 1-2 teaspoons.
Paprika – Add 1/2 teaspoon.
Cayenne Pepper – Great for adding some heat. The amount depends on your preference, but 1/4 teaspoon is a good starting point.

You can also toss the rutabagas with other hearty vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or even apples and pears. (However, note that most of these will not be low carb.)

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftover roasted rutabaga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also peel and cut the rutabaga ahead of time, and keep in the fridge for 1-2 days. Swedes that haven’t been cut can last 1-4 months in a cool cellar, pantry, or preferably, in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for best results, or microwave if you are in a pinch.
Freeze: Cooked rutabagas can be frozen for 2-3 months. Store them in a zip lock bag or airtight container in the freezer.

Roasted rutabaga cubes on a plate with fresh thyme

What To Serve With Oven Roasted Rutabaga

All this baked rutabaga needs is a main dish. Try one of these healthy dinners:

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Crispy Chicken Thighs

Oven Roasted London Broil

Lemon butter baked tilapia recipe in baking dish

Lemon Butter Tilapia

Crab Stuffed Salmon

Air Fryer Pork Chops

More Easy Roasted Vegetable Recipes

Roasting vegetables is always easy and tasty, and if you love those two things as much as I do, be sure to try these next…

Roasted Broccoli And Cauliflower

Roasted green beans recipe with garlic and parmesan.

Garlic Green Beans

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Broccolini

Tools For Roasting Rutabaga

Sheet Pan – These are my favorite sheet pans (I have every size!). Easy to clean and made in the USA.
Glass Storage Containers – Store leftover rutabagas in these glass storage containers that can go right from refrigerator to microwave.

Easy Roasted Rutabaga Recipe

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Ingredients

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1 lb Rutabagas (peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces) ▢
2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
1 tsp Garlic powder ▢
1 tsp Sea salt ▢
1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the rutabaga cubes with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Spread evenly on the baking sheet making sure each piece touches the pan.
Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the rutabaga pieces are golden brown and tender.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 3/4 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 106

Fat 7.2g

Protein 1.4g

Total Carbs 10.5g

Net Carbs 7.8g

Fiber 2.7g

Sugar 5.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: Roasted rutabaga, roasted rutabaga recipe

Calories: 106 kcal

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16 Comments

Brad
0 August 21, 2022Reply

Very easy recipe, I use ranch seasoning turn out perfect, Thank you
Phyllis
0 April 11, 2022Reply

Rutabagas are simply delicious, any way you fix them. I am following an autoimmune diet and have to make most of my own spice blends, and I love making the ‘bagas with my homemade ranch seasoning. This works best with the bigger sizes, because as Maya pointed out, the smaller one can be quite sweet. Maya’s tips for peeling are priceless. I have tried a few methods, but this really is a quick and easy way to prep.
Debbie
0 February 17, 2022Reply

When I told my husband we were having roasted rutabaga for dinner, his first response was “Ooooo!” When he took the first bite though, he said they tasted like potatoes. This is delicious and they do taste like potatoes. I will use this recipe again and again. This is easy to fix except for cutting the vegetable. You need a very sharpe knife and I guess mine wasn’t sharp enough. I had a 3 pound rutabaga.
Carol
0 February 11, 2022Reply

Easy to prepare and delicious to eat! They truly taste like roasted potatoes. Thanks, Maya, for another 5-star recipe!
Gayle
0 January 30, 2022Reply

I’m going to use this recipe for the rutabaga. I’m going to add vegetable beef soup this week. The question, in the photo above of the whole vegetables, aren’t they turnips? My rutabaga looks much different
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 January 31, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Gayle, Those are rutabagas, they come in all different varieties which will all work.
Helene Bahnman
0 January 26, 2022Reply

Would you be able to use the same method for roasting turnips? Also, could this be done in the air fryer?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 January 27, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Helene, I have another recipe for roasting turnips that could check out, and yes this could be done in the air fryer.
  - Helene Bahnman
    0 January 27, 2022Reply
    
    Thanks, Maya for linking the recipe. I plan on trying these soon.
Katie
0 January 24, 2022Reply

This is such a great way to cook rutabaga! Roasted veggies are one of my favorite healthy sides.
Barbara A York
0 January 24, 2022Reply

Adding some rosemary sprigs to the mix to roast. Our new favorite!
Amy L Huntley
0 January 21, 2022Reply

The perfect side dish to any meal!
Kristyn
0 January 21, 2022Reply

I haven’t made this a lot, but I need to! They were so good!! Simple, tender, & tasty!
Toni
0 January 21, 2022Reply

This is really a delicious side dish! My family loved it! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Taylor
0 January 21, 2022Reply

This was my first time trying rutabaga and it was so so delicious! I love how the simple spices in the recipe let the true vegetable flavor shine. It was roasted perfectly!
Doris Layhe
0 January 21, 2022Reply

WOW! This is the first time making these and they are incredible! Thank you for this recipe!