Rutabaga is a very popular vegetable in Ireland, but the name is never used by the Irish to describe this favorite side for a chicken roast, ham or bacon dinner.
In Ireland, this favorite Thanksgiving vegetable is called a turnip.
Table of Contents
- Why Do The Irish Call A Rutabaga A Turnip?
- Rutabagas for Thanksgiving
- Purchasing Rutabaga in America
- How To Peel and Prepare A Rutabaga, Swede or Irish Turnip for Cooking
- Ingredients for Irish Style Mashed Rutabaga
- Directions for Cooking A Turnip Irish Style
- What to Serve with Mashed Rutabaga
- Video for Mashed Yellow Turnip
- Recipe Card for Mashed Rutabaga
Why Do The Irish Call A Rutabaga A Turnip?
The Irish call this root vegetable a turnip. Why exactly is not clear.
The English call it a swede, and in Scotland it is often called a neep.
The term rutabaga comes from the Swedish word "rotabagge".
It is a bulbous root vegetable with a purple hued outer skin covering a dense inner yellow core.
In France the humble rutabaga is not considered fit for human consumption and is reserved for animal feed. However, it is used extensively in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Russia as a side dish or as an ingredient for soups and stews.
American rutabagas, Irish yellow turnips and British swedes, and Swedish turnips all belong to the Brassica napobrassica family of plants. You'll often hear they're members of the brassica family.
Yellow turnip is the same vegetable as a rutabaga.
Now small little white turnips are technically called Brassica rapa. These smaller, white fleshed roots are very popular in southern American cooking, and provide us with that ever so southern staple, their famous turnip greens made with turnip leaves. Rutabaga is different to white turnip.
White turnips are less bitter than the yellow variety. White turnips can be eaten raw and are a nice addition to salads.
Another difference between rutabagas and small turnips lies in their leaves. Turnip leaves are a light green color and they tend to be thin and slightly hairy. In contrast, the rutabaga leaves are thick and smooth and are a bluish-green color.
American rutabaga and Irish turnips have a dense, hard yellow flesh, while small American turnips have white flesh.
Rutabagas for Thanksgiving
My thoughts turn to rutabagas with Thanksgiving approaching. I know it's not a traditional vegetable for Americans to serve, but a turnip tale links it to this holiday for me.
When I was close to seven months pregnant with triplets, my aunt visited for Thanksgiving. She was born in Ireland, but has lived in America for over fifty years. She suggested we have Irish mashed turnips with our turkey that year, since serving rutabaga at Thanksgiving had become a personal tradition for her over the years.
Despite resembling a moving mountain at this point in my pregnancy, I dutifully waddled to the grocery store, plonked my colossal self into a motorized cart, and sped through the vegetable aisles, never dreaming there might be a shortage of rutabagas. Lo and behold there wasn't a single rutabaga to be had.
"We always run out of rutabagas at Thanksgiving," the produce manager explained. "It's the one time of year they are in demand."
I returned home shocked and empty-handed.
But never fear!
Irish American Dad fancied a scoop of mashed turnip instead of an overly-sweet, sweet potato casserole that year. He rose to the challenge, searching high and low, from grocery store to fresh fruit market, along the turnip trail.
He did not fail us. He found one hiding beneath a head of cabbage in a Meijers store far, far away. And so that year we gave thanks, for one man's perseverance in his quest to deliver a Thanksgiving rutabaga.
And being an Irish man, he knew exactly what he was looking for, once we told him he was on a quest for a good, old Irish turnip.
Purchasing Rutabaga in America
Practically every time I buy a rutabaga at the grocery store, the check-out guy or gal holds it up with a quizzical expression.
"What's this called," comes the inevitable question.
I think very few Americans buy rutabagas, probably because they simply don't know how to cook them.
So be prepared to advise the checkout person that the vegetable they are weighing and scanning is a rutabaga.
However, things are beginning to change in the American rutabaga world. They're becoming a staple in the Keto loving community, with many Keto lovers using them as a replacement for potatoes.
There are many ways to cook turnips or rutabagas. They're delicious in soups and many people love to roast them. I make a delicious carrot and rutabaga soup which you might enjoy.
But no matter which recipe you choose, the first step to cooking with rutabaga, involves peeling it.
How To Peel and Prepare A Rutabaga, Swede or Irish Turnip for Cooking
Today I will solve that problem of how to prepare a rutabaga for cooking, with a short synopsis of my more in-depth tutorial on how to peel and cut a rutabaga.
The most difficult and dangerous part of this process is cutting up the rutabaga.
When picking one in the grocery store, I try to find one with a flat bottom end. It makes it much easier to balance to make that first cut through the hard inner core.
Place the root on a cutting board, balanced on its flattest end. Cut through the middle separating it into two equal halves.
Perform this step with care.
Some people like to microwave the rutabaga before peeling it to make the whole process easier.
I personally don't microwave my rutabaga before peeling, but I have years of rutabaga cutting experience under my belt. What a claim to fame!
If you would like to soften your rutabaga in the microwave to make it easier to peel, then follow these steps.
- Prick the rutabaga skin in several places with a skewer.
- Wrap it in damp paper towels and place it in a microwavable dish.
- Cook it on the high microwave setting for 5 minutes.
- Then turn it upside down and repeat for another 5 minutes.
- Remove it from the microwave and allow it to cool before slicing it in half as directed above.
- You are now ready to move on with the next steps outlined below.
Turn each half onto its flat side, then cut it into ½ inch thick semi-circles.
Throw away the first and last piece which are covered in thicker skin.
Use a paring knife to remove the outer skin.
This method is much easier than trying to peel a rutabaga with a potato or vegetable peeler - really a mission impossible.
Next cut each piece into one inch cubes. Each semi-circle usually yields nine cubes by cutting 3 vertical slices and then three more perpendicular slices.
Now you're ready to cook your rutabaga.
Today we're going to be boiling our turnip or rutabaga using the tried and trusted cooking method of most Irish cooks.
So enough of my waffling, let's get down to cooking this tough little root. Here's my traditional recipe, handed down from my mother, and her mother before her.
Ingredients for Irish Style Mashed Rutabaga
Here you’ll find a quick list of what you’ll need for this recipe. Check out the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for US and Metric equivalent versions of the recipe. There you can choose the measurement system that works best for you.
Here's what you'll need:
- rutabaga
- butter
- salt
- white pepper
- sour cream (optional)
- light brown sugar (optional)
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
You might like to add a little chopped up bacon to the water you use to boil the rutabaga. It imparts lots of flavor to the final product.
Another option is to add a little bacon grease instead of the sour cream when mashing your rutabagas.
Sour cream is an optional ingredient. Irish people usually only add butter and mash away.
Also, a touch of brown sugar adds a lovely sweet hint to the finished product. This is an Irish American cooking tip. Other options are to add a dash of honey or maple syrup.
Some people like to add some minced garlic or a clove or two of garlic to the pot as the rutabaga simmers. This adds extra layers of flavor. A sprig or two of thyme is also another flavorful addition to the boiling water, but remove the sprigs once the rutabaga is cooked.
Directions for Cooking A Turnip Irish Style
Here you’ll find step-by-step photographic instructions to help you recreate this recipe successfully.
There are plenty of tips included along the way.
Cook by simmering
Peel and cube the rutabaga.
Add the diced rutabaga to a medium saucepan and cover it with cold water.
Some of the pieces will float in the water making it impossible to cover the top by an inch.
Season with salt at this point.
Make sure you add plenty of water though. If the pot boils dry the smell of burnt rutabaga is horrible. Believe me - I know from experience.
Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes until the rutabaga is fork tender.
It takes quite a long time to boil this tough little vegetable.
If you microwaved your rutabaga when peeling it, the cooking time will be a little shorter.
Mashing boiled rutabaga
Drain the boiling water once the rutabaga is cooked. Return it to the pot.
Use a potato masher to break it up. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and white pepper.
Most Irish people use white pepper since we don't like black flecks through mashed turnip.
Mash the rutabaga well together to make sure the melted butter is thoroughly mixed through.
Add the sour cream, if using, and mix through the rutabaga mash.
If you wish to limit how much butter you use, you can omit butter and increase the amount of sour cream used instead of using butter.
In Ireland we mash our yellow turnip with a potato masher. If you prefer a smooth purée with no texture, then you can use an immersion blender to blitz the cooked and drained rutabaga. Alternatively you can purée it in batches in a food processor or blender.
Sweetening mashed rutabaga or turnip
Sour cream flavor compliments the sweet yet tangy taste of the rutabagas. Some people like to purée the rutabaga in a food processor, but I prefer to leave a little bit of texture by using a potato masher.
Another tip to sweeten the rutabaga is to add a few teaspoons of brown sugar at this stage. It adds an extra layer of deliciousness.
I didn't grow up eating brown sugar sweetened turnips so I'm going to make this step optional.
What to Serve with Mashed Rutabaga
Served hot, as a side for roast turkey dinner, mashed rutabagas are simply delicious. It truly is an Irish American favorite side dish for Thanksgiving.
Other dishes that are extra delicious with mashed rutabaga include:
- boiled pork with sauerkraut as a side
- pork chops
- boiled bacon
- ham steaks
- roast lamb
- roast chicken
Irish people love to serve rutabaga with mashed potatoes. They're delicious with Irish style fluffy mashed potatoes, which are made with floury potatoes and are less creamy than American style mash.
And for special dinners like Christmas and Thanksgiving we love to serve roast potatoes, with our turnips or rutabagas.
I love two nice, big mounds of rutabaga mash on my plate. Once I dined at a fancy restaurant in New Jersey.
I grew excited when I saw a pork dish on the menu with a side of rutabaga puree. Oh how disappointed I was when all I got was a yellow squiggle of rutabaga on my plate. It didn't fill a hole in my tooth.
So heap those rutabagas onto your plate. Not only do they taste great, they're good for you too.
Video for Mashed Yellow Turnip
Recipe Card for Mashed Rutabaga
Here's the printable recipe. Please feel free to save and print this recipe for your kitchen files. You'll find nutrition information with calories and dietary fiber information in the card below. Rutabagas are a good source of nutrients and antioxidants.
Mashed Rutabaga
Ingredients
- 1 medium rutabaga peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sour cream optional
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper optional
Instructions
- Peel and cube the rutabaga. Add the diced rutabaga to a medium saucepan and cover it with cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes until the rutabaga is fork tender.
- Drain the boiling water once the rutabaga is cooked. Return it to the pot. Use a potato masher to break it up. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and white pepper and mash again.
- Add the sour cream, if using, and mix through the rutabaga mash.
- Add the brown sugar, if using, and mix through the rutabaga mash.
- Serve hot as a vegetable side dish for dinner.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Rutabags or Irish turnips may not be on everyone's menu, nor be to everyone’s taste. They probably fall firmly into either the 'totally love it' or 'completely hate it' category for nearly everyone.
Nevertheles, judging by all the wonderful comments on this blog post, readers around this little corner of the world wide web, definitely place it in the 'love it' category.
Here are some other Irish style side dishes you might like to try for Thanksgiving dinner.
Maple Bacon Skillet Brussels Sprouts
Creamy Oven Baked Onions Irish Style
Happy Thanksgiving cooking to all, and thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some more recipes and ramblings you might enjoy...
Irish Side Dishes
- Oven Roasted Tomatoes
- Sautéed to Perfection: Unlocking the Secrets of Flavorful Onions
- Potato Salad With Apple and Celery
- Buttered Baby Carrots
Christmas Recipes
- How To Roast Potatoes Irish Or English Style
- How To Steam A Christmas or Plum Pudding In A Crockpot.
- Irish American Mom's Christmas Pudding
- Homemade Mincemeat
Holidays
- Cardboard Tube Paper Plate Christmas Wreath
- Homemade Knotted Bow Cinnamon Stick Christmas Tree
- Irish Holidays You Should Know About
- Old Fashioned Easter Biscuits
Erin
Sp happy to find this article and the Irish root of this side dish (pun intended). My Irish grandmother always served "mashed turnip", even bi-weekly.
Family recipe tip: Gram used to use the leftover bacon grease from breakfast that morning to include in the turnips when mashing! (of course, this takes it from being vegetarian but for those that do not care, it is an awesome flavor addition!!!)
Irish American Mom
Hi Erin - Many thanks for checking out my recipe and ramblings about turnips. It's lovely to hear that your Irish grandmother continued the tradition of mashed turnip in your family. Like you, I love the added flavor of bacon grease in my turnips. I frequently prepare them to serve with ham or a ham steak with pineapple. Simply delicious!
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Pam Tracy
I love turnips. I serve it every Thanksgiving. And, I do eat it several times throughout the year. One of my favorite ways to eat it is with boiled pork and sauerkraut as a side. I will mash the turnip and blend it in with mashed potatoes. It is so delicious.
Irish American Mom
Hi Pam - I've never tried sauerkraut with turnip, but it sounds like a perfect match. Thanks so much for this tasty tip.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Kitty
Couldn’t have found this at a better time. Me and my husband are both from Ireland. He has lived here in New York for 20 years and I’m here 6. In Walmart yesterday we were at the self check out and had to type in the vegetable name for turnip.... that’s when we eventually found out it was called rutabaga over here. Only took us 10 minutes standing at the self check out. Anyway I’m in charge of cooking tonight so your recipes always come in handy! Cheers!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kitty - I hope you enjoyed your mashed turnip. Many thanks for stopping by to check out my recipe. Glad you were able to discover the name for your turnip or rutabaga so you could pay for it in Walmart. So few know what they are at checkouts in the US.
All the best,
Mairéad
Bill Eidolon
I've noticed sometimes that I find "woody" pieces of rutabaga in the pot when I cook them. Is it because the skin is thicker than it appears, or is it the woody portion up at the top of the root, the purple part, that is exposed more to the sun? Do you know how to avoid the denser, woody part of the root? I usually buy the smaller ones because I figured they are less likely to have those fibrous parts, but I still find these woodier pieces in the pot once they are cooked. Thanks.
Irish American Mom
Hi Bill - I think the woody problem is that the skin is thicker than it appears at first. Using a paring knife rather than a scraping peeler is best. You need to cut about a 1/4 inch below the outer purple skin layer.
All the best,
Mairéad
Alice
Such a pleasure to have found your website. I have Irish roots so it's no wonder that I was salivating while this vegetable was cooking. It went right to the core of me!
I'm now a lover of this strange looking, beautiful vegetable.
I must be honest, i haven't followed your recipe yet, but I WILL! I found another recipe which told me to cube it, steam (or par-boil boil it) and then finish it on the stove sauteed with onion, garlic, salt and pepper and curry powder. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!
Yours is next, I promise!
Greetings from NY!
Irish American Mom
Hi Alice - The addition of curry powder to mashed rutabaga sounds wonderful - I'll have to try that.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day,
Mairéad
☘️☘️☘️
Dugene Remy
MMM, sounds delicious. We grew up with this baby (Swede in Brit) and no one I knew at the time, in the US, knew what I was talking about. It has been years since I have eaten it. I was diagnosed with Diabetes and my usual dietary needs was to be changed if I wish to get healthier with less carbs. So I Just boiled some, mashed with Avocado Butter. For me this could be addictive!
Irish American Mom
Hi Dugene - It's lovely to hear you have rediscovered the swede or rutabaga. Avocado butter in mashed rutabaga sounds wonderful. Wishing you every success as you transform your diet to help stay healthy and keep your diabetes under control. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Nancy
My grandmother boiled a carrot and a med sized potato with the turnip, mashed it all together, add salt, pepper, several pats of butter to taste and 1 tab of brown sugar, yum😋
Irish American Mom
Hi Nancy - That sounds like a yummy combination. Thanks for stopping by to join our discussion about all things rutabaga and turnip.
All the best,
Mairéad
Marissa E Petersen
These vegetables are becoming a staple in the keto world... many use them as a replacement to potatoes. I'm giving the ol' root vegetable a whirl tonight. I'm going to make French fries with it. Not sure how itll turn out so just in case I'm making plenty of other stuff 🙂
Irish American Mom
Hi Marissa - I hope you enjoyed your rutabaga fries and thanks for letting me know this veggie of my childhood is keto friendly.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Eileen
LOL - I finally understand!
A couple of years ago I made a winter vegetable recipe that used turnips, and I was surprised to find that they were long and white when I thought turnip was orange.
Another time, my sister served "Mom's" rutabagas for Christmas dinner. It sure looked like what I remembered as turnip, but I decided I had somehow gotten mixed up. Now, thanks to you, I am sure I was told as a kid that it was turnip and never knew what rutabaga was until my sister made it for Christmas. In my 60s I learned I like rutabaga a lot more than I liked mashed turnip as a kid.I finally know the difference!
Now I know I have to look for RUTABAGAS at the store and you have taught me how to make it for myself. I will laugh and think of this website every time rutabaga is mentioned, but I will call it "turnip" in honor of my Irish heritage.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Eileen
Irish American Mom
Hi Eileen - Whatever we call these veggies, turnips or rutabagas or swedes, these roots are definitely part of our Irish roots.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you and yours too.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Bob
A swede and a turnip are not the same thing.
Swede is yellow, turnip is white. They taste very different.
Both nice but not the same thing at all
Irish American Mom
Hi Bob - Thanks for clearing that up, but to complicate matters again, Irish people call the yellow swede a turnip. We're technically incorrect, but it's how these veggies are recognized in Ireland. The humble rutabaga is a turnip to Irish people.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Eileen M. Webb
I just came across your site and wow opened my eyes. I was raised by my Irish grandparents and Nanny always called Rutabags turnips. When I grew up and wanted to make them again, I was suprised to learn what she called turnpis were actually called Rutabagas here...lol Thanks!
Irish American Mom
Hi Eileen - I'm delighted you found our little Irish corner of the internet. It's interesting to learn that your Irish family also called rutabagas turnips. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Cookingwithloveandspices
I am in Ireland right now. Just had Irish Turnip for lunch with grilled salmon. It was delicious. 😋
Irish American Mom
Have a lovely time in Ireland. So glad you enjoyed some Irish style turnip - a perfect side for salmon. Happy travels,
Mairéad
Ed Last
My mother from Donegal (nee McElchar) taught me to cook the swedes in a pressure cooker. This greatly reduces the necessary cooking time. My father from Strabane told me the turnips were primarily fed to the cattle. We love the turnips and have them frequently during the winter months. This is not a favorite of my children.
Also a local Irish restaurant features mashed turnips and carrots.
All the best
Irish American Mom
Hi Ed - My father, who grew up in County Cork, also says that swedes, or turnips as we say in Ireland, were fed to the cattle during the winter. But he still loved mashed turnips and potatoes for his dinner.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my recipe.
Mairéad
Evelyn Anderson
Back in the day my mom ate rutabagas out of a can and they were so good but since having my own family now i like to get fresh rutabagas and turnips to prepare as a mash. The turnips i dice and cook along with a combination of turnip and mustard greens. Folks just don’t know what they are missing if they don't try your nice recipe. Thanks !
Irish American Mom
Hi Evelyn - I agree that folks don't know what they're missing if they don't give rutabagas a try. They're a taste of my Irish childhood.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Liam
Mom was from Cavan, not far from Swanlinbar, so I learned to cook this from her. It was always served for holiday meals.
After the turnip was mashed (as you said, this leaves a texture some prefer), we fried a few slices of bacon in a pan until crispy, removed the bacon, and then added the mashed turnip.
Then fry to remove some of the excess moisture. When done, put in serving bowl and crumble the cooked bacon across it.
Of course, we did the same thing with the cabbage greens also. Never saw cabbage cooked over there like it usually is here.
Irish American Mom
Hi Liam - Thanks for sharing your turnip or rutabaga cooking tips. Frying off the excess moisture in a bacon infused pan is a great idea. When I cook cabbage I wrap some bacon strips and peppercorns in a cabbage leaf to add flavor to the water I use for boiling it. Here's a link for my Irish style cabbage...
https://www.irishamericanmom.com/how-to-cook-cabbage-irish-style/
All the best,
Mairéad
Karl
Hello from upstate New York,
I grow 10 rutabaga seeds each year, I get about 8 usable swedes. Very easy to grow and one packet of seeds will last 5-10 years. Easier to cut when fresh. Used a sharpened paring knife with a fat rubber handle. I get about 30 lbs each year. I parboil and freeze in bags for winter. Butter makes this super cheap food awesome.
Irish American Mom
Hi Karly - thanks for sharing your tips for growing rutabaga from seeds. Parboiling and freezing your fresh rutabaga harvest is a great idea. How wonderful to have rutabaga in your freezer ready for cooking throughout the winter months. And I totally agree with you about butter - it's a simple addition but takes rutabaga to a whole new level of excellence.
All the best,
Mairéad
valerie mitchell
Turnip blitized to a puree real butter salt and white pepper a must
Irish American Mom
Hi Valerie- Thanks for letting us know how you like to blitz your rutabaga to a purée. I usually just mash mine, but I’ve had it puréed in a restaurant and it was delicious. Many thanks for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Diane Crain
My dad always made "yellow turnip" for Thanksgiving, & I've continued the tradition. He always changed the water in the pot half way thru cooking, saying it made it less gas He also added a spoon of sugar when mashing (probably due to his German heritage.) I've always had difficulty peeling & cutting it, so I look forward to using your method this year.
Denise Kelly Coeyman
My family is of Irish descent, and we always have mashed rutabagas on our Thanksgiving table. I never knew they had Irish roots, though. I just know they are delicious! I just bought eleven of them, which I will mash up for our feast. I always buy plenty, because I love to freeze them to have for other times throughout the year. I’m going to try your method to cut them up this holiday. That’s the hardest part of preparing this awesome vegetable. Thank you for all the information, I can’t wait to share it with my family. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Irish American Mom
Hi Denise - What a great idea to cook so many rutabagas together and then save the extras by freezing them. It's amazing how many rutabaga fans have found this little tutorial, and then to discover that so many of us have Irish roots.
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your rutabaga this week.
All the best,
Mairéad
Mary Alice
My Dad was from Cavan & always made "turnips" for the holidays as I continue to do for my family. The hardest part is slicing it up, hopefully easier your way this year. He always fried 2 or 3 slices of bacon per rutabaga & sauted about 1/3 cup of diced onion in the bacon grease then added the cooked rutabaga along with the bacon bits, salt & pepper. Not the healthiest but a couple times a year it's pure heaven!! Happy Thanksgiving.
Lois
I'm sorry that you couldn't find any rutabagas, and it must be a regional thing, certainly not an "American" thing. Living in the southeast USA, we have rutabagas in our grocery stores, on our mom and pop buffets and in our grandmothers' kitchens. People grow turnip greens by the half acre, and eat the turnips cooked as well as the leaves. Maybe it was the Irish settlers that brought it, since we have a lot of Irish immigrants to this area. Come on down and we'll eat a "mess" of some good cooked rutabagas!
Irish American Mom
Hi Lois - I have heard that turnips and rutabagas feature frequently in southern cooking. I was introduced to turnip greens in Florida, and continued to enjoy them in Texas and Kentucky. You may be on to something about how Irish immigrants may have brought their love of this veg to the south.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Eric V.
I grew up eating rutabaga (Swedish dad/Irish mom) and I still cook them fairly often. No one I've served rutabaga has ever had it before which seems a bit odd as every supermarket or green grocery I've ever been in (Chicago-land) has rutabaga for sale. As someone else commented the cashier often has no idea what it is. Raw rutabaga is good in a salad-cut in thin stick shapes. I use a wide peeler to peel the rutabaga intact, then I slice it. I pretty much follow your recipe for cooking. I also use it in stew and among piles of oven roasted vegetables.
Irish American Mom
Hi Eric - I too am always amazed at how cashiers never seem to know what a rutabaga is. It makes me wonder if I'm the only one buying them. I hope they don't have to throw any rutabagas away because they spoil before getting bought. I love all your tips for including rutabaga in your diet. They are delicious, for sure, in a roasted vegetable medley. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Ana
Great recipe
Irish American Mom
Thanks for checking out this recipe, Ana.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
patricia kelly
don't forget the best butter to use is Kerrygold . I have tried others and they just don't taste the same .They don't have the richness that makes the turnips taste so rich for what would have been seed as a poor crop
Irish American Mom
Hi Patricia - I second that with regards to Kerrygold butter. Irish butter is so much better than any American brands. Rich and creamy, it adds so much to side dishes like this one. Thanks for stopping by to check out this recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Deb
So nice to read a little history on the turnips a Thanksgiving staple on our family table since I was a child, I didn't like the taste as a child, fast forward after giving birth 39 years ago, turnips have become one of my favorite vegetables along with brussel sprouts which I am happy to say have been a weekly staple on my table and not just brought out for Thanksgiving. I cook them just like your recipe.
Irish American Mom
Hi Deb - I didn't mind turnip as a child, but I detested parsnips. Now I can't get enough of both vegetables. They're staples on our dinner menus and I too don't just reserve them for Thanksgiving. Lovely to hear you enjoy Brussels sprouts frequently too. They're all very popular Irish vegetables.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Marilyn
Thank You for all the recipes. They look delicious. Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Happy Thanksgivng. God Bless.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
eileen Cummings
Happy Thanksgiving! I enjoyed the story about your aunt. Yesterday, i had to have my traditional Irish turnips for the Thanksgiving meal. I use the same recipe as yours, however, my very Irish Nana added a litlle bacon fat instead of sour cream. As I cooked them yesterday, i smelled the turnips boiling and was transported to 7 year old me, cooking in the kitchen with my Nana. Today i shall enjoy my leftover mashed turnip with the other leftovers! I must try the sour cream idea.
Irish American Mom
Hi Eileen - Lovely to hear cooking turnips yesterday brought back fond memories of your Irish Nana. I think many Irish grannies added bacon fat to their turnips. Enjoy your leftovers today, and thanks for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Ken
Great website !! I grew up on mashed turnips at Thanksgiving, never realizing that it was an Irish tradition that "me mum" brought with her from the "old country". I also served it to our children every Thanksgiving as well, and they loved it. Turkey without turnip would NOT be Thanksgiving.
Great story on trying to find one. I grew up in New England, and it was never a problem, but now spend winters in FL, and I, like your husband, had to go on a hunting expedition to find one here. Fortunately, I too was successful.
Irish American Mom
Hi Ken - Thanks so much for rating this recipe. Lovely to hear you too are a mashed turnip fan, especially for Thanksgiving.
All the best,
Mairéad
Linda
I have been eating turnips and rutabaga my whole life. My mom’s parents immigrated here from Scotland. I always get that question at the checkout and tell them they need to try it. Nowadays I cook mine in the instapot and it is so much quicker! It is also very good roasted.
Irish American Mom
Hi Linda - I've never cooked rutabaga in the instant pot, but must try it out sometimes. I'd say it's much easier. Thanks for sharing your love of turnips with us.
All the best,
Mairéad
Lee Ann Brennan
Love, love, love rutabaga! This is just like my Gram made. I made some last Sunday and paired it with a baked ham. None left to my surprise. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Irish American Mom
Hi Lee Ann - So glad this recipe reminds you of how your gran made mashe rutabaga. Thanks so much for checking out my recipes. I really appreciate your support.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
MArc
Try it mixed with carrots mashed together, bring everything together
Irish American Mom
Thanks for this great tip, Marc.
All the best,
Mairéad
Maggie
Love rutabega (known to us as swedes in Galway). I steam mine add butter and salt. Cook a day ahead and just heat up for your dinner..
It has a very strong smell.
Irish American Mom
Hi Maggie - Rutabaga is a great veggie for preparing in advance. It heats up really well in the microwave too. Lovely to hear you too are a fan of the humble turnip or swede or rutabaga.
All the best,
Mairéad
Dee
My mom always had mashed rutabaga at Thanksgiving, she always added a potato but I prefer not to as I love the tastes of the rutabaga !
When my kids were small (they loved cauliflower ) so I told them to close their eyes and pretend it was cauliflower and they have loved it since!!!!
Thanksgiving this year will be hosted by my son and I am bringing them, so easy to do the day before and reheat. I peel and cut them up, boil in salted water, drain well when soft and put them back in the pan on the burner to get all the moisture out, then mash with salt, pepper, butter and heavy cream! Always delicious and can’t wait to have them!!!
Irish American Mom
Hi Dee - I love the story about how you got your kids to try mashed rutabaga by telling them to imagine it was cauliflower. I hope everyone at your Thanksgiving table enjoys your mashed rutabaga this year. Thanks also for your tips about putting them back in a ban on the burner to reduce the moisture. Have a lovely day with your family.
All the best,
Mairéad
Susan McCarthy
Delish. Instead of sour cream or sugar I mix turnip with carrots to cut the bitterness.
Irish American Mom
That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing your cooking tip, Susan.
All the best,
Mairéad
Jennifer
My Irish grandmother always made her 2 turnips boiled and mashed. Then she'd quarter and fry a lb of bacon. Then the bacon, grease and all, went into the turnips. You talk about Heaven on earth! Christmas and Thanksgiving were never without them. Even after I got married and hosted the holiday dinner's, my uncle always asked me " Are you making the turnips with the bacon?" Always! Just like I'm doing right now. Happy Thanksgiving!
Irish American Mom
Hi Jennifer - The holidays just aren't the same without turnip. So glad you too make this Irish inspired side dish. Adding bacon and bacon grease takes it to the next level of deliciousness altogether. Thanks for stopping by and I hope your holidays will be wonderful.\
All the best,
Mairéad