Just like roasted radishes are the roasted potatoes of the keto world, these rutabaga fries are the keto version of the regular oven baked potato fries. They contain way less carbs, but look and taste quite similar to potato fries. Of course, I’m not saying that rutabaga fries can replace potatoes fries (nothing can!), but it’s definitely a great alternative if you’re watching your carb intake or just want to experiment with new veg.
What Is Rutabaga/Swede
Rutabaga in the US, and swede in the UK is a root vegetable that is a cross between cabbage and turnip. In the US, this root vegetable is also known as Swedish turnip or yellow turnip but in England, it’s known as Swede or just turnip, in Scotland, they call it “neep”. In Russian, it’s Bryukva (брюква). It’s a winter vegetable that can be widely found in the UK and the US supermarkets, and honestly, this vegetable is very underrated. It’s usually either roasted, steamed, boiled, or mashed. And I have a feeling that not many know what to do with it. I usually either roast it and serve it as a side, make a roasted swede soup with it, and I recently started making these delicious rutabaga fries.
How to Make Rutabaga Fries
The trickiest part is peeling and slicing the rutabaga. Rutabagas are quite hard, so cutting through them is not as easy as slicing a potato. You can either peel the rutabaga using a potato peeler or a paring knife. Once that is done, slice the rutabaga in half and then in 1/4-inch disks. Then take each disk and slice it into fries as shown in step 2 below. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Scatter the rutabaga fries on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with paprika, herbs, salt, and pepper. Toss so that everything is well coated, and arrange in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and fluffy from the inside.
Seasoning Ideas
If I’m roasting the rutabaga fries with just salt and pepper, I like to season the roasted fries with this homemade french fries seasoning. It’s made with dried spices and herbs, and adds a great flavor to all fries (I always keep a jar of it in my pantry!). Otherwise, you can season the rutabaga before roasting with something like fajita seasoning, or simple Italian seasoning, or just salt and pepper. © Little Sunny Kitchen
