Name: Roasted Swede (rutabaga)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 large swede/rutabaga; 2 tablespoons oil; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon salt

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You’ll love this easy Roasted Swede recipe that makes a tasty side dish. Swede, aka rutabaga, is a sweet root vegetable that's perfect for oven roasting, especially with a dash of nutmeg.

Close up of a spoonful of cubes of roasted swede / rutabaga.

Roasted Swede (aka Roasted Rutabaga) is the perfect way to enjoy the humble root vegetable.

Swede is easily roasted in the oven with your favorite herbs and seasonings for a great seasonal side dish.

In this recipe, you’ll learn the best way to roast swede into a flavorful healthy side dish the whole family will enjoy.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Swede is a nutrient-dense vegetable making it healthy for the whole family.

Swede / Rutabaga is cholesterol-free, low in fat, high in dietary fibre and 1 cup has nearly 50% of the day's recommended vitamin c. Find out more about its nutritional benefits.

It's part of the turnip family, but is slightly sweeter in flavor.

You can roast it with any herbs, seasonings or other root vegetables.

Pair it with any main course as a healthy side dish. It's tasty with these easy Portobello Mushroom Steaks.

Rutabaga is often inexpensive making this side dish budget friendly.

It’s made with only 4 simple ingredients.

Ingredients & Tools

Swede (Rutabaga): You’ll find these in the grocery store or local farmers market. They have a yellowish tint to them and a purple top and look like a very large radish or large turnip.

Oil: This helps the swede roast up nicely and lets the seasoning stick to it. Use olive oil or vegetable oil for best results. Try coconut oil for a different flavor.

Ground Nutmeg: Adding some nutmeg compliments the natural flavors of the swede.

Salt & Pepper: Brings out the flavours of any vegetable.

How to Roast Swede

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Collage: 1 cubes of swede on a tray, 2 drizzled with oil and nutmeg, 3 ready to roast.

Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C.

Peel the swede (rutabaga), with a vegetable peeler or very carefully with a knife, and chop into chunks.

Place onto a baking tray (don’t overcrowd or they will steam, not roast), use two trays if necessary.

Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the nutmeg, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes (stir halfway through) or until golden.

Expert Tips

Make sure you peel the vegetable thoroughly as the skin could get bitter when roasting. Some come in wax from the farmer's market so you'll need to remove it by peeling.

Cut all pieces roughly the same size so they finish roasting evenly and at the same time.

Place them in a single layer on your baking sheet in order for them to roast and not steam.

Don’t forget to flip them halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Depending on the size you've chopped them, you may need to reduce or extend the cooking time.

If you have leftover swede, be sure to try it in my Swede Cake with Nutmeg, Hazelnuts and Brown Butter Frosting.

Serving Suggestions

Roasted swede makes a great side dish for these Vegan Stuffed Peppers.

Turn them into fries by cutting into long thin strips and eat alongside this Easy Bean Burger.

Goes great with this Stuffed Butternut Squash.

Toss them into this Maple Roasted Butternut Squash recipe.

Add to this beautiful Mushroom Pasta.

Variations

Add some similarly cut veggies to the roasting pan such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips or diced butternut squash.

Toss in some fresh herbs before roasting such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon or basil.

Stir the roasted swede into this daal for added veggies.

Cut the swede into fries to make roasted rutabaga fries. Perfect with homemade ketchup.

Toss with some brown sugar before roasting to bring out the natural sweetness.

Once they are done roasting, mash them up with some milk and butter for mash.

Special diets

To Make Gluten Free: This recipe is naturally gluten free but be sure to check your labels on individual spices as they may contain wheat ingredients.

To Make It Vegan: Make sure you are using olive oil, vegetable oil or melted vegan butter for this recipe to keep it 100% vegan and vegetarian.

Storage

Storing: Store your roasted swede in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or air fryer before serving.

Freezing: Since rutabaga has a high water content, it is not recommended it be frozen at any time.

FAQs

What does rutabaga taste like? Rutabaga is known to taste like a cross between a turnip and cabbage all at once. It's slightly sweeter than turnip. Perfect for roasted swede.

Do you need to peel rutabaga? It is best to peel rutabaga because the skin could get bitter when it is cooking. It is also where most of the impurities are and it sometimes is sold covered in a thin wax coating that must be removed.

What’s the best way to cut rutabaga? The best way to cut rutabaga is by peeling it with a vegetable peeler and dicing it into ½ inch squares. You could also cut it into fries.

Can you eat rutabaga raw? You can eat raw rutabaga. The best way to do this is to shred it up and add it to a slaw.

Is rutabaga a starch? Since it is a root vegetable it could be considered that way, however, it contains much less carbohydrates than a standard potato.

You’ll Also Love These Veggie Side Dishes

I hope that you'll love this roasted swede as much as we do. Be sure to try these other vegetable side dishes too!

Rosolli Finnish Beetroot Salad
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans Almondine
Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts
Maple Glazed Carrots with Cayenne

Get the recipe

Veggie Desserts Cookbook by Kate Hackworthy

Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon

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