One of the most commonly asked inquiries about rutabaga is concerning its alternatives.
Today, we’ll go through some of the greatest rutabagas alternatives, including turnips, daikon, kohlrabi, celery root, daikon, and broccoli stems.
Turnips seem to be the most similar of all. It tastes similar to cooked rutabaga. Moreover, they have a similar texture and may be used interchangeably in almost any dish, whether baked or cooked in casseroles, stews, and soups.
If turnips aren’t available, the other choices will give you a decent impression of what rutabagas taste like.
Some may be sweeter or milder than rutabaga, but one thing is certain: none of them deviate too far from the root vegetable.
Contents
- What Is Rutabaga?
- Best Substitutes For Rutabaga
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- What vegetables are related to rutabaga?
- What taste like rutabaga?
- What plant is similar to rutabaga?
- What is a white vegetable like rutabaga?
- What fruit is similar to rutabaga?
- What is a rutabaga a hybrid of?
- Which tastes better turnip or rutabaga?
- Can I substitute potatoes for rutabaga?
- What tastes more like potato rutabaga or turnip?
- Are parsnips and rutabaga the same?
What Is Rutabaga?
Rutabaga is a well-known root vegetable from the mustard family that is a mainstay in Northern European cuisine (Brassicaceae).
Turnips and rutabagas are both purple or brownish-yellow on the exterior and yellow or white on the interior.
The majority of people think of it as a hybrid between a turnip and a cabbage.
The flavor is intriguing, with a powerful, pungent flavor and an earthy scent.
When uncooked, it tastes similar to a turnip but is milder.
When cooked in stews, casseroles, or soups, it tastes sweet and buttery, similar to sweet potato, with a dash of bitter flavor.
They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
They may be eaten raw, roasted, or prepared in a number of ways.
But isn’t that not the case?
A recipe could ask for rutabaga, but you don’t have any on hand, and it’s not in stock at the local grocery shop. Maybe you don’t like the flavor but want something comparable.
In such case, let’s have a look at some possibilities that could work for you.
Also see: Potato Flakes Substitutes
Best Substitutes For Rutabaga
1. Turnip
Our star replacement is turnip. They are sometimes confused with rutabaga and used similarly in cookery.
The fact is that they are two distinct root vegetable species that belong to the same family.
Turnips, unlike rutabaga, have a smoother violet-and-white skin with white meat. They have a stronger radish flavor and are smaller in size.
As a result, if you want the sweet, nutty, and earthy taste of rutabaga but with a more pungent flavor, turnip is your best bet.
Besides from outnumbering turnips in terms of nutritional fiber and potassium content, rutabaga is also rich in vitamin C, fat and cholesterol-free, and low in salt, making it an excellent substitute.
Are you wondering how you’ll prepare turnips?
Bake, boil, or steam it in the same way you would rutabaga or potatoes. You may bake or boil them in stir-fries, stews, or soups.
Better still, gently cooked with salt, butter, or lemon juice for an extra kick.
Finally, unlike rutabaga, which is usually accessible and harvested between October and November, turnips are available all year.
Furthermore, utilize younger turnips for your exchange. Mature turnips have thicker skins and stronger tastes. Moreover, they are frequently around the period when rutabagas are in season.
Also see: Oregano Substitutes
2. Radish
Radish (specifically, some radish) might be an excellent alternative for rutabaga.
And why is this so?
They are, after all, root vegetables from the Brassica family. Except from that, they are more readily available than rutabaga.
Radish comes in a variety of flavors (from extremely spicy to very mild), colors (from red, black, white, yellow, pink, and purple), and shapes (from round to long and narrow).
Because of its crisp texture, sweeter and milder taste than bitter rutabaga, white radish from East Asia, especially Japanese daikon, is suitable for salads, curries, and stir-fry meals.
When rutabaga is unavailable, the Chinese radish, which is bright pink, may step in.
Yet the Black radish is the most promising of all.
They have a rutabaga flavor. Imagine the zest and mildness of cabbage combined with the earthiness of a turnip, and you’ll be closer to rutabaga taste.
Not only that, but their nutritional composition is almost equal. Black radish has no fat or cholesterol, is rich in vitamin C, and is low in salt.
3. Celeriac
Celeriac is the unsung hero of the carrot family’s root vegetable kingdom, with numerous little roots connected and a bulbous hypocotyl.
You may also use rutabaga instead of this.
They have a great crunch and a nutty celery-like taste that keeps you wanting more.
Celeriac is adaptable and can meet practically all rutabagas requirements.
You’d like them raw, sliced, sautéed, pureed, or roasted in salads, coleslaw, stew, sauces, and soups.
Finally, they offer a remarkable nutritious profile, including fiber, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, molybdenum, vitamins B6, C, and K, to name a few.
Celeriac, like rutabaga, is low in fat and cholesterol. So, what more do you require?
4. Broccoli Stems
If celeriac doesn’t appeal to you, broccoli’s moderate vegetal sweetness and somewhat grassy taste with a trace of bitterness towards the end could.
Broccolis are low in fat and calories while being abundant in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.
Broccoli is an edible green plant of the cabbage family.
They have more nutrients than rutabaga and may be substituted.
You can shred them into rice, blend them into pesto or hummus, spiralize them into noodles, blend them into soups, and roast them in french fries.
Another reason to use broccoli is because the stems have a similar crisp feel to rutabaga.
Also see: Water Chestnut Substitutes
5. Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is another great vegetable to seek for.
This low, stout cultivar is a wild cabbage that seems odd but has a trademark sweet-yet-peppery flavor profile, as well as the taste and texture of broccoli.
I think of it as a broccoli stem alternative rather than rutabaga. They do, however, provide similar nutrients to rutabagas.
Kohlrabi may be steamed, stuffed, sautéed, roasted, or creamed in casseroles, stews, or soups.
Take caution! Juvenile kohlrabi tastes sweeter; the vegetable has a harsher flavor as it matures, while mature kohlrabi tastes more radish-like.
So, if possible, choose kohlrabi that is firm and robust, rather than spongy.
6. Parsnips
Parsnip is an unique root vegetable related to carrot and parsley, both of which belong to the Apiaceae family.
It may seem strange, but for roasting and mashing, parsnips may stand in for several root vegetables from the Brassica family, such as rutabagas and turnips.
They are a long, tapering root vegetable that looks like a carrot but tastes nothing like one.
Instead, parsnips are sweeter, similar to sweet potatoes, and have a delightful nutty or earthy taste.
Also see: Wheat Starch Substitutes
Conclusion
Turnip, certain radishes, celeriac, broccoli stems, and kohlrabi are excellent rutabaga alternatives.
Your experiences with some of these substitutions may not be equivalent to what you may obtain from rutabaga, but I am certain that turnip gives similar tastes and virtually same nutritional value to rutabaga.
That’s the closest I can come!
FAQs
Rutabaga, commonly known as Swedish turnip, is a turnip-like root vegetable. It is related to cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, radish, turnip, and cauliflower.
What taste like rutabaga?
Rutabagas are a root vegetable that is related to turnips and cabbage. Rutabagas have a somewhat bitter flavor that is similar to a less sweet carrot. Rutabagas get sweeter and taste more like potatoes when cooked.
What plant is similar to rutabaga?
Turnips and rutabagas are both members of the Brassicaceae family, often known as cole crops or cruciferous vegetables. These have some similarities, so you’re not alone if you’re puzzled about which is which.
What is a white vegetable like rutabaga?
The turnip, a close relative of the rutabaga, has a gently bitter white interior and is often marketed with its leaves attached. Turnip greens may be cooked in the same way as kale or mustard greens are. Turnips, both purple and white, peel readily with a vegetable peeler.
What fruit is similar to rutabaga?
Watermelon radishes resemble turnips in appearance, being white on the surface and red on the interior. When sliced, it resembles a chunk of watermelon. It is edible and is often used for decoration. It has a moderate spicy taste and would be prepared similarly to turnips or rutabagas.
What is a rutabaga a hybrid of?
The rutabaga is supposed to be a hybrid of an old cross between a turnip and a cabbage. Both of these root vegetables are high in complex carbs, making them ideal for soups, stews, and casseroles.
Which tastes better turnip or rutabaga?
Turnips have a zingy flavor that tastes like a mix between a radish and a cabbage; rutabaga is gentler in flavor and sweeter than turnip. If rutabagas are picked after a frost in the autumn, the flavor of the rutabaga will be somewhat sweeter.
Can I substitute potatoes for rutabaga?
Rutabagas have a mild, sweet taste and a texture comparable to potatoes when cooked. They’re a terrific low carb potato replacement since they’re substantially fewer in carbohydrates than roasted potatoes.
What tastes more like potato rutabaga or turnip?
Taste. The flavors of both veggies are modest, best characterized as sweet and earthy (sort of like if a cabbage and a potato had a baby). Turnips are somewhat sweeter than rutabagas. (Maybe this is why rutabagas are sometimes known as swedes.)
Are parsnips and rutabaga the same?
Rutabagas are a slightly sweet root vegetable that evolved from a mix between cabbage and turnip. When cooked, their flavor definitely shines. Parsnips are a kind of root vegetable that is linked to carrots and parsley. They taste similar to carrots, but nuttier and grassier.