Baked Rutabaga Fries

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 07/7/21
Rutabaga Fries
Molly Watson
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Rutabagas are an overlooked root vegetable. Plenty of people have never even tried them, and just as many probably couldn't pick them out of a vegetable line-up. Rutabagas look a lot like turnips. A lot. The difference is they have a bit of a yellow rather than a white hue. As that color difference might indicate, rutabagas are decidedly sweeter than turnips, with none of turnips' famously sharp bite. 

Here, the naturally sweet taste of rutabagas gets highlighted in a version of baked French fries. Serve them as you would fries. A side of ketchup works, of course, but these have so much flavor already, you might find, like we did, that you don't need the ketchup boost.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium or large rutabaga

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or olive oil

  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat an oven to 450 F. Trim off and discard the stem and root ends of the rutabaga. Peel the rutabaga.

  2. Use a sharp knife or a kitchen mandoline, if you have one, and cut the rutabaga into evenly sized sticks or fries. If using a knife, first cut the rutabaga in half, then cut each half into even 1/4-inch thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them the other direction into 1/4-inch thick sticks. Repeat with the remaining half of the rutabaga. If using a mandoline, set it up for wide julienne and push the rutabaga through—note that rutabagas have a fairly thick or dense texture, and it can take some force to get them through the julienne setting on mandolines. 

  3. Put the rutabaga sticks in a large bowl and drizzle with the oil. Toss the sticks so they are thoroughly and evenly coated with the oil. Sprinkle with the pepper and/or garlic powder, if using them, and toss to distribute them evenly over the rutabaga.

  4. Spread the rutabaga sticks in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the sticks evenly with the salt.

  5. Bake the rutabaga sticks for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn over the rutabaga sticks. Return to the oven and bake until they are tender and well browned, about 40 minutes.

  6. If the rutabaga sticks towards the edges are more browned earlier, you can take them off the pan and return the rest to brown all the way. The appeal of these baked fries is the contrast between the crispy edges and the sweet tender centers, so don't skimp on the cooking time. 

  7. Serve the fries hot.

    Variations

    Herby: Toss the hot fries with 1/2 teaspoon finely minced rosemary and/or thyme.

    Spice It Up: Use the black pepper and add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.

    Garlic Fries: Toss the hot fries with 1 clove garlic, minced, and 1 tablespoon minced parsley.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
66 Calories
4g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 66
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 276mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 24mg 121%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 298mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)