This Creamy Mashed Rutabaga is simple, savory, and has the most amazing nutty richness from browned butter. Rutabaga makes the most delicious mash - it's earthy and slightly sweet with a flavor somewhere between a potato and a turnip. This recipe uses only 5 simple ingredients. A little white pepper adds subtle warmth, and warmed cream makes it SO luscious. 🤤 The perfect side dish for roasts, meatballs, pork, or really anything that needs a cozy, buttery side. 🧈
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Mashed Rutabaga? Just Trust Us, You'll Love It 😉
In my opinion, rutabaga might be one of the most underrated vegetables in the produce aisle. If you've never cooked with it before, you're in for a treat! My dad's side of the family is from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where the long, cold winters aren't so different from Finland - and neither is the love for rutabaga. Finnish immigrants brought this humble root vegetable (also known as swede or Swedish turnip) with them, and it's been a staple ever since.
It's affordable, earthy, a little sweet, and takes warm cream and browned butter beautifully. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and it goes with practically anything - a great alternative to mashed potatoes (or our creamy mashed turnips!), or served alongside them! 😉
If you've had our Norwegian fiskesuppe, you already know how much we love rutabaga! It's also a star ingredient in classic Yooper pasties. This mash is the simplest way to let it shine - creamy, buttery, and perfect alongside Swedish meatballs and all of your cozy dinners!
🧈Mashed Rutabaga Ingredients
This mash comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients that you probably have on hand - the brown butter and cream do all the heavy lifting!
A note on rutabaga: Rutabagas are usually coated in a food-safe wax to help them stay fresh longer, so don't be surprised if yours looks a little shiny! You'll need to peel through that waxy layer to get to the good stuff. A sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife works to get through that tough outer skin. Look for rutabagas that feel heavy for their size and are firm without soft spots.
How to Make Brown Butter Mashed Rutabaga 🧈
This mash comes together in just a few easy steps. The hardest part is peeling the rutabaga - after that, it's smooth sailing!
- Step 1: Peel the rutabaga(s) and cut into 2-inch chunks. Don't go too small here - larger pieces absorb less water while they cook, which means a creamier (not waterlogged!) mash. Add the rutabaga to a pot of generously salted cold water.
🧂 Salt note: We use about ½ tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of rutabaga for the boiling water - less than we'd use for potatoes! Since rutabaga takes longer to cook, it absorbs more salt from the water. If you're using Morton's or table salt, cut that amount in half since they're saltier.
- Step 2: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender and vibrant, about 25-30 minutes.
You should be able to pierce the rutabaga easily with a fork when it's ready!
💡 Visual cue: The rutabaga will turn from pale, creamy yellow to a deep golden orange as it cooks - that's how you know it's ready!
Drain the rutabaga in a colander and let it sit for about 5 minutes to steam off excess moisture. Rutabaga holds onto water more than potatoes do. Taking a few extra minutes here means a creamier mash that isn't watery!
💡Rutabaga still too wet? If desired, you can return the rutabaga to the pot over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently to evaporate any remaining water.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, while the rutabaga cooks, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. It'll foam up, then start to turn golden with little brown bits at the bottom - that's when you know it's ready! It should smell nutty and toasty. 🤤
Watch it closely! Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt fast. Once you see those golden-brown bits forming and it smells nutty, pull it off the heat. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
🧈 Salted or unsalted butter? It's really a matter of preference! We like to use unsalted butter so we have more control over the salt level. Salted works great too, just make sure to dial back on the added salt if that's what you're using.
🧈 Butter matters: This recipe uses so few ingreidents, so they all matter! We use Plugrá European-Style Butter, the official butter partner for our blog. With 82% butterfat (compared to 80% in standard American butter), that extra 2% makes a load of difference in flavor!
- Step 4: Mash the rutabaga with a potato masher, or use a potato ricer for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Step 5: Add the cream, white pepper, and kosher salt to the lightly cooled brown butter. If it cools down a lot, feel free to reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave for a few minutes.
⚪ White pepper: Gives the mash a subtle warmth. It's traditional in a lot of Nordic cooking. Feel free to swap for black pepper, or do what we do - use white pepper in the mash and finish with cracked black pepper on top for a little texture!
- Step 6: Pour in the warm brown butter mixture.
Fold to combine.
💡 Pro tip: Warming the butter and cream together before adding means everything incorporates smoothly - no cold butter chunks!
Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve warm with an extra pat of butter on top if desired, and some freshly cracked black pepper!
✨ Make it your own: Stir in a pinch of nutmeg for extra warmth (and more Nordic flavor), add minced garlic when browning the butter, or top with fresh chives, parsley, or thyme!
What to Serve with Mashed Rutabaga
This mash is endlessly versatile - anywhere you'd serve mashed potatoes, this works beautifully! They're especially good for cutting through rich dishes with their earthiness and slightly bittersweet flavor. Here they are served with our creamy braised pork with apples!
We love it alongside Norwegian meatballs in brown gravy, or this oven baked chuck roast. It's also delicious with roasted chicken, pork chops, or, honestly, just a pat of butter and a fork. 🤤
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Mashed Rutabaga with Brown Butter
Equipment
- Potato ricer optional, a potato masher works just fine!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds rutabaga about 2 medium, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt about 14g, for boiling water
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick, 113.5g
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper to taste
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 3-5g, to taste
Instructions
- Boil the rutabaga: Add rutabaga to a large pot and cover with cold water. Add kosher salt to the water to season the rutabaga while it cooks. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 25-30 minutes.3 pounds rutabaga, 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- Drain and dry: Drain the rutabaga in a colander and let them sit for 5 minutes to steam off excess moisture. If desired, you can return rutabaga to the pot over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently to evaporate any remaining water.
- Make the brown butter: Meanwhile, while the rutabaga cooks or drains, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until foamy, then golden with brown bits at the bottom and a nutty aroma, about 3-5 minutes. Watch closely - it can burn quickly! Remove from heat and set aside to cool briefly, then stir in the heavy cream, white pepper, and salt. If needed, you can return the mixture to low heat to warm through, about 1 minute.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, 1 to 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Mash and combine: Mash the rutabaga with a potato masher, or use a potato ricer for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Pour in the warm brown butter mixture and fold to combine.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve warm.
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Notes
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of cream, stirring until heated through.
- Freezer: We don't recommend freezing - the texture can become watery when thawed.
- Peeling rutabaga: Rutabagas are coated in food-safe wax to keep them fresh. A sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler works for getting through that tough outer layer.
- Salt: This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton's or table salt, reduce amounts by half.
- White pepper: Adds subtle warmth and is traditional in Nordic cooking. Black pepper works great too, or use both - white pepper in the mash, black pepper on top for texture!
- Add 2-3 cloves minced garlic to the butter while browning
- Stir in ¼ teaspoon nutmeg for a warmer, more traditional Nordic flavor
- Top with fresh chives or thyme
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