Rutabaga – Low Carb Vegetable Spotlight

What is a rutabaga?

Rutabagas, also known as swedes, are a root vegetable hybrid of turnip and cabbage. The raw rutabaga takes on the mild bitterness of the turnip. When cooked, however, the rutabaga develops a savory, nutty, yet slightly sweet flavor. They are in season October through March, making them a perfect addition to autumn and winter dishes. 

Why I love rutabagas on a keto diet

As a somewhat starchy root vegetable, rutabagas are not usually a “go to” ingredient for keto or very low carb diets. Let’s change that! You shouldn’t go hog wild on these while you are in ketosis, but you can definitely enjoy small to moderately portioned servings to ensure the tasty vegetable fits within your macros. Rutabagas are low in calories, jam packed with vitamin C and have a total of 7 net carbs per 100 grams. Not too shabby!

The methods of preparation are diverse: mashed, roasted, boiled, sautéed, braised, puréed, steamed, baked, and fried. Rutabagas can even be eaten raw, making a quick and easy snack by itself or tossed into salads. Rutabagas have a similar texture to potatoes with a significantly lower starch content, making it a clever substitute for all of your favorite potato fare.

Rutabagas can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, but we doubt they will last that long once you try them.

Get Creative!

If you’re anything like me, you like to play around in the kitchen and experiment with new things. I’ve gathered popular culinary combinations that pair well with the rutabaga flavor profile to inspire you to create your own low carb rutabaga dishes. Share your recipes in the comments below!

Rutabaga Recipes

Try my take on the classic French dish, Pommes Anna, using the beloved swede in place of the potatoes. A low carb vegetable dish that is sure to please vegetarians and carnivores alike!

Low Carb Rutabaga Recipe Roundup

1. Low carb french fries! That’s right – you can still eat french fries on a low carb diet. Carine from the blog SweetAsHoney has a recipe for amazing rutabaga french fries with a fraction of the carbs!
2. “Potato” Gratin. Oh boy, talk about comfort food. This low carb “potato” gratin recipe from Martina of the KetoDietApp blog is such a cozy meal during cold winter days.
3. Rutabaga noodles! No, seriously! Cut the carbs by replacing the noodles in your favorite pasta dishes with a spiralized rutabaga like this recipe from HeartBeet Kitchen.

Tasha Metcalf

Hey babe! I’m Tasha, the founder of Ketogasm. When I’m not in the kitchen crafting low carb recipes and geeking out on nutritional science, I help women transition to a ketogenic lifestyle. Whether you are healing with food or transforming that beautiful body of yours, I hope you find the resources on this site to be helpful on your journey!