Mashed Rutabaga (Waxed Turnip)

Mashed Rutabaga is a simple side dish that makes an excellent lower-calorie and lower-carbohydrate alternative to mashed potatoes. They're creamy and sweet with a subtle nutty flavor and they might just become your new favorite!

When I was a kid, mashed rutabaga was a holiday staple and my mom served it every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. We all enjoyed it so much and I don't know why she didn't make it more often.

While mashed potatoes was a constant companion in my parent;s house, rutabaga was like that weird uncle who only makes an appearance on special occasions. But its actually inexpensive and easy enough to make any day of the week. And while you can roast rutabaga or add it to soups, my favorite way to eat it is mashed.

How To Peel A Rutabaga

Rutabagas are tough. If you try to attack it with a flimsy vegetable peeler you're going to be extremely frustrated. You really need a sharp chef's knife or paring knife to peel away the skin.

First, I use a sharp chef's knife to slice off the top and bottom ends and create a flat and stable base. I cut the rutabaga in half and then slice each half into 1 inch thick planks. Then I grab a paring knife and slice off the thick skin and wax.

Once the skin is discarded, I chop each rutabaga plank into 1 inch chunks. Cutting them to a uniform size will ensure they cook evenly. As I chop I place the chunks into a large pot of cold water until I'm ready to cook them.

How To Make Mashed Rutabaga

Once your rutabaga is peeled and chopped (see above) you just need to let it boil on the stove until fork tender. They tend to take a little longer to cook than potatoes so be sure to add in a little extra time or start cooking the rutabaga first if you're cooking both.

Drain the rutabaga and return it to the pot. Add a ½ stick of butter. Some people use less butter and add in a couple tablespoons of milk or heavy cream. You do you, but I like the richness that comes with using all butter.

Now let's talk about mashing the rutabaga. You have a few options to choose from and which you pick depends largely on the texture you're going for. A sturdy masher will get the job done and give you a chunky, rustic style mash. Or you can use a ricer to give a much finer texture, but if you do that you'll need to melt the butter and fold it in after the rutabaga is riced.

But my choice is actually a good ole hand mixer. Why? Well partly because its quick and easy, but mostly because that's the way my mom taught me to do it. And while I would never recommend using a hand mixer to mash potatoes, rutabagas have a much lower starch content which means they won't get all gummy like potatoes would.