Rutabaga (swede): traditional uses, how to cook it, and what to watch

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Rutabaga, known as swede in much of the English-speaking world, is the big yellow-fleshed root that turns up in markets from early autumn onwards. It is cheap, keeps well, and tastes sweetly nutty once cooked. This page covers what it contains, what herbal and naturopathic tradition makes of it, how to prepare it at home, and who should go carefully.

Rutabaga at a glance

A short history

• It appeared in Scandinavia at the end of the Middle Ages, from a cross between kale and turnip.
• It reached England, France and North America in the eighteenth century.
• It became a survival crop in wartime Europe, standing in for requisitioned potatoes — which is why a generation dismissed it as poor fare.
• Cultivars are many: ‘Champion à collet rouge’, ‘Globus’, ‘Oestgoeta’, ‘Virtue’. Crowns range from purple to green or red.
• It thrives where winters are cold and damp, and the plant reaches 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm).

What it is credited with

• Sluggish digestion. Country tradition treats rutabaga as a bowel-moving vegetable, eaten cooked when transit is slow.
• Gut comfort. Naturopathy places brassicas such as rutabaga among the vegetables eaten regularly to support a balanced gut flora, including in regimes aimed at limiting yeast overgrowth.
• Everyday vitality. Herbal food tradition values it as a winter source of vitamin C, at the season when fresh produce is scarce.
• Ageing skin and tiredness. Naturopathy credits the antioxidant compounds of brassica roots with helping the body cope with oxidative stress and the visible signs of premature ageing.
• Water balance. With about 90% water content, it has a long-standing reputation as a mildly diuretic vegetable, sometimes pressed for juice.
• Lighter eating. Because it carries fewer sugars than potato and virtually no fat, naturopathy often suggests it as a potato substitute in lighter winter menus.
• Headaches. Some older domestic traditions used rutabaga leaves as a remedy for nagging headaches — an anecdotal use, nothing more.

How to use it

In the pan and the pot

• Peel it thickly — the skin is tough and often waxed. Cut out the core if it looks brownish: it is fibrous and woody.
• Steamed or boiled: cut into 1 inch (2–3 cm) cubes; allow 25 to 40 minutes, up to an hour for a large old root. It takes far longer than turnip.
• Mashed: cook until soft, drain thoroughly, then mash with butter or olive oil and plenty of black pepper. Half swede, half potato is the classic.
• Roasted: cubes in a hot oven for 35 to 45 minutes, tossed in oil, until the edges caramelise.
• In soup: a few chunks thicken a broth beautifully and soften its edge.
• Raw: grate it fine into a winter salad with carrot, apple and a mustard dressing. Start with a small amount — raw brassica is strong.

The honeyed pan-roast

• Cube one small rutabaga and put it in a frying pan with a splash of water.
• Add a dollop of runny honey, a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Cover and simmer on low until tender at the heart, then uncover and let the liquid reduce to a glaze.

The leaves and the juice

• Young leaves cook like spinach: a couple of minutes in a hot pan, or blended into soup.
• Raw root can be juiced, alone or with carrot and apple to soften the flavour. Drink it fresh, in a small glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: buy a small firm root, peel it thickly, roast or mash it — that is rutabaga at its best and its gentlest on the stomach.

Is rutabaga the same thing as swede?

Yes. The yellow-fleshed root sold as swede in Britain, Ireland and Australasia is the same vegetable North Americans call rutabaga. It is also known as the Swedish turnip or, in Scotland, neeps. Botanically it is Brassica napobrassica, a cabbage-turnip cross.

Can you eat rutabaga raw?

You can. Peel it and grate it finely into a salad with carrot, apple and a mustard dressing. Raw brassica is strong and harder to digest, so start with a small quantity, especially if your gut is sensitive.

Why does my rutabaga taste bitter and woody?

Usually because the root is too large or too old. Choose small, firm, heavy roots, and when peeling cut out the core if it has turned brownish — that part is full of rough fibres. Roots lifted after the first frosts taste noticeably sweeter.

How long does it keep?

A whole rutabaga keeps about a week in a dark room at ordinary temperature, or several weeks wrapped in paper in the vegetable compartment of the fridge. Blanched cubes freeze well for winter soups and mashes.

Should anyone avoid it?

Anyone allergic to brassicas, and anyone on a potassium-restricted diet, should steer clear. People with a thyroid condition, those on diuretics or blood thinners, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding considering juices rather than plain cooked vegetable should check with a healthcare professional first.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.