This is the most flavorful mashed rutabaga you’ll ever have. It’s creamy and filled with bright lemon, fragrant herbs, and nutty parmesan.
Rutabaga itself has a wonderful earthy flavor, but it can veer on pungent if you’re not careful (it is the child of a turnip and cabbage, after all).
I love to balance that strong flavor with a ton of herbs, citrus and peppery olive oil. They play off of the earthiness and freshen it up. Rutabaga can also be bitter, but the cream and butter help mellow it out and pull out the sweetness. If you’ve never cooked with rutabaga, this is a delicious recipe to start with!
how to make mashed rutabaga:
- Peel the rutabaga and cut it into cubes
- Simmer the cubes with herbs, garlic and lemon zest until tender
- Drain, pick out herbs and zest, then cook off excess water
- Run through a potato ricer or food processor (easiest option) for an extra smooth mash, or simply mash up with a potato masher
- Mix with butter, cream and parmesan
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper
- Drizzle with herbed olive oil and eat!
watch the video on how to make this mashed rutabaga recipe:
how to freeze mashed rutabaga:
Just like mashed potatoes, mashed rutabaga freezes exceptionally well (better, actually, because it's less starchy).
Let the mash cool (without the herb oil), then store it in an airtight container. Ideally, the container should be just large enough to hold all of the mashed rutabaga with minimal headspace (the space between the mash and the lid). This minimizes freezer burn. Alternatively, store the cooled mashed rutabaga in a ziplock bag and press out all of the extra air.
The mash will keep, frozen, for up to 2 months. The herb oil is best made fresh.
To reheat, you can use the microwave, oven, or stovetop.
- microwave: Transfer mashed rutabaga to a covered, microwave safe dish and cook at half power for 5 minutes. Stir, check temperature, and continue to cook a few minutes at a time until heated through.
- oven: Transfer mash to an oven safe dish, cover with aluminum foil and heat at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until hot.
- stovetop: Transfer mashed rutabaga to a large pot and slowly heat on low. Use a wooden spoon to stir and break up the frozen mass, as needed. Continue to cook over low until completely warmed through.
Once mashed rutabaga has been heated up, taste and adjust with butter, a splash of cream, salt and/ or black pepper, as needed.
more mash recipes to try!
parsnip puree with brown butter dijon drizzle and fried shallots
Make it a meal! Top this mash with savoury mince (a cozy, flavorful ground beef and vegetable dish) and a fresh brussels sprout kale salad.
creamy mashed rutabaga
This is an extra flavorful, creamy mashed rutabaga recipe that’s filled with bright lemon zest, fragrant herbs, and nutty parmesan. It’s balanced with a touch of cream and butter, then drizzled with a peppery, herbed olive oil topping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
mashed rutabaga
- 3 lbs rutabaga (about 3 medium sized ones), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 1-inch wide strips of lemon zest
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (plus more, if needed) heavy cream (whole milk works for a lighter, less rich mash)
- ½ cup grated parmesan
herb topping
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 lemon (for 1 tsp zest and 1 tbsp juice)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- flaky salt, for sprinkling (such as Maldon)
Instructions
- Place rutabaga, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and lemon zest in a large pot. Cover with about 1 inch of water, then bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until rutabaga is very tender, 35- 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare herb topping. Combine parsley, thyme, sage, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
- When fully cooked, drain rutabaga then carefully remove thyme sprigs, bay leaves and lemon zest and discard. Return rutabaga and garlic to pot. Turn heat to low and cook off the extra liquid, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- For a really smooth mash, run the rutabaga through a potato ricer or puree in a food processor, then return to pot. Stir in butter, heavy cream and parmesan. Alternatively, toss in butter, heavy cream and parmesan and mash until mostly smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a large serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls on the surface, then spoon herb oil over top. Sprinkle with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- Mashed rutabaga can be made up to 6 hours ahead (before drizzling with herb oil). To warm, stir over low heat with a splash or two of cream, if necessary.
- It will keep up to 4 days, covered in the refrigerator.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 397
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 187mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 5.4g
- Protein: 5.7g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
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