These Hasselback Rutabagas are a great way to dress up a fairly plain vegetable.
I really like rutabagas. I usually roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper and often with sweet potato, onion or other root vegetables.
I am okay with that approach but my husband - not so much. So he was a bit dismayed when a 10 lb bag of them turned up in the weekly grocery run. I thought I had better up my game with them so I wouldn't put him over the top and off them forever.
Hasselback roasted rutabagas was the answer. And - it worked!
They were very tasty. They were basically a delivery mechanism for butter, garlic and a bit of cheese!
Just a note- this recipe would also work with turnip. Turnips and rutabaga are not the same thing but they both roast up a bit earthy and sweet so it would work as well. Turnips might be smaller than even the small rutabaga so adjust the cooking time down and check for doneness.
Chef's Tips for Hasselback Rutabagas
- Roasting time will vary by the size of the rutabaga. Mine were about 4 inches in diameter and they were well cooked at the end of 45 minutes. Don't use the super large ones -they would be too awkward to handle.
- I used ghee because I wanted the intense butteriness but you could certainly use ordinary butter.
- I was afraid the garlic might be overpowering but it wasn't so don't be afraid of that.
- I used an Azorean cheese called Corvo that is fairly sweet and nutty and a little softer than a Havarti. That might not be readily available but Havarti, Jarlsberg, Mozzarella would all work. Swiss or Gruyére would also be good. You would need to grate the Gruyére quite finely to get it to melt nicely.
- When you open the foil to check for doneness or add the cheese be careful. Mine release a fair bit of steam so use a fork to tease the foil open and keep your hands back a bit.
Hasselback Rutabagas
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Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
- 4 small rutabagas
- 2 slices onion thinly sliced and quartered
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon ghee or regular butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 oz soft, nutty cheese like Jarlsberg or gruyére, grated
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Trim ends of rutabagas. Make one (longest) side flat so they will sit without rocking on cutting board.
- Make ¼" slices vertically the length of the rutabaga. Be very careful not to cut through entirely to the bottom but get as close as you can so the slices will be able to fan out a bit.
- Set rutabagas on a square of tinfoil. Gently open the slits and place some minced garlic in every 2nd slit and some onion slices in the alternate slit.
- Melt ghee with the salt and garlic powder. Brush the mixture all over the outside of the rutabaga and a dab in each slit.
- Close tinfoil tightly around the rutabaga and bake 45 minutes. Two minutes before the end open the foil test that a fork will easily pierce the rutabaga. Time will vary based on the size of your rutabaga. Be careful not to burn your hands with the steam that will be released. If necessary add time to baking time. About 2 minutes before the end divide cheese into 4 equal portions and sprinkle over the top and into the slits. Remove from oven when cheese has melted.
- Grind fresh black pepper over the rutabagas and serve immediately.
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