I’m on a major rutabaga kick right now. Lately, I’ve been boiling them, mashing them, and roasting them, and in this case—grating and frying them into crispy, tender, rutabaga latkes.
These rutabaga latkes are fairly quick to make and they don’t require a ton of ingredients. They’re the perfect snack or side dish in the fall and winter.
What you'll need to make this recipe
- Rutabaga: Also known as Swede, or Swedish turnip, these are the big yellow ones.
- Onion: A bit of onion flavour is so nice inside these tender patties, and it is a traditional flavour for latkes.
- Parmesan cheese: The parmesan helps to bind the rutabaga mixture together, as well as adding some salty nutty flavour.
- Potato starch: More binding, as rutabagas are pretty juicy and give off a lot of moisture.
- Salt: As per usual
- Olive oil: Or any oil you want to fry your latkes in.
How to make Rutabaga Latkes
Follow these easy steps to make these crispy delightful morsels:
- Grate the rutabaga on the coarse side of a box grater. Then grate the onion, transfer the grated veg onto a tea towel and squeeze well. Discard the liquid and transfer the veggies to a mixing bowl.
- Add the salt, parmesan cheese, and potato starch to the grated vegetables and toss the mixture together with your fingertips to combine. The mixture should be quite dry and fluffy.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pack the mixture into patties and add to the pan. I like to use a portion scoop for this, and I pack the mixture quite firmly into the scoop before shaping them into patties. The mixture will make 8-10 golf ball-sized patties. You can also make them larger if you prefer.
- Fry the patties for 6-7 minutes on the first side, then flip and fry for an additional 4-5 minutes on the other side. Keep an eye on them as they get pretty dark quite quickly.
- Serve with sour cream or whatever you would normally serve with latkes.
Success Tips
These tips will help you make the best rutabaga latkes:
- Always choose rutabagas that are heavy and firm. This will tell you that it is fresh and juicy.
- Make sure to squeeze the juice out until the grated mixture is quite dry.
- Use a heavy-bottomed nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron to ensure your latkes become evenly golden brown.
- Feel free to spice these up with chilli flakes or add fresh dill for a herby burst of flavour.
- If you are making these in batches, keep the finished latkes in a warm oven on a rack set over a baking sheet.
What goes well with Rutabaga Latkes?
These rutabaga latkes are about as versatile as potato latkes. They are great with eggs for breakfast or as a snack or side dish. I also think they would be lovely with smoked salmon and dill.
Storage, freezing, and reheating tips
These rutabaga latkes can easily be made in advance and kept in the fridge for several days, or stacked between layers of wax paper or parchment paper in the freezer for months. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet in a 375 degree oven until they are warmed through and slightly crispy, about 15 minutes.
Still hungry?
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Rutabaga Latkes
Ingredients
- 350 grams rutabaga
- 100 grams onion
- 15 grams parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Grate the rutabaga on the coarse side of a box grater. Then grate the onion, transfer the grated veg onto a tea towel and squeeze well. Discard the liquid and transfer the grated vegetables to a mixing bowl.
- Add the salt, parmesan cheese, and potato starch to the grated vegetables and toss the mixture together with your fingertips to combine. The mixture should be quite dry and fluffy.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pack the mixture into patties and add to the pan. I like to use a portion scoop for this, and I pack the mixture quite firmly into the scoop before shaping them into patties. The mixture will make 8-10 golf ball-sized patties. You can also make them larger if you prefer.
- Fry the patties for 6-7 minutes on the first side, then flip and fry for an additional 4-5 minutes on the other side. Keep an eye on them as they get pretty dark quite quickly.
- Serve with sour cream or whatever you would normally serve with latkes.
Diane says
Hi there,
Yes, I tried this recipe without the Parmesan cheese. I didn’t have any potato starch so I substituted using cornstarch. It’s good. It’s nice to have a new way to use up rutabagas. Thanks for sharing it!
ANPR says
They just fell apart.
Going to add egg as a binder with the rest of the mixture.
Paula says
sorry to hear that! They do need to form a good crust to hold together. An egg may help too but will make the texture a bit more pancakey. All the best!!