Lemon-Roasted Rutabaga Recipe

Let's face it; we could all eat more veggies. Most of us don't eat our fair share, and even those who do could do better with a wider variety. One vegetable that pairs well with a lot of meals is rutabaga. Recipe developer Jennine Rye brings us this excellent preparation that pairs the root veggie with lemon. Rye is a rutabaga enthusiast, calling it "such an underused vegetable" before adding, "I think it's past time it got more love!"

Admittedly, rutabaga is easier to find in some places than others. "In the U.K.," Rye says, "they are available all year round in the supermarkets, and can often be found in our classic Sunday roasts." Though don't stop there. We also suggest pairing this lemony rutabaga with salmon or grouper. Follow this step-by-step guide to make simple lemon-roasted rutabaga for your next meal.

To make this lemon-roasted rutabaga, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need a large rutabaga, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, cumin seeds, fresh thyme, salted butter, and honey. Rye notes "the secret hero of this recipe is actually the butter! A humble ingredient in comparison to some of the others, but it just totally transforms this rutabaga recipe by binding all the delicious flavors together and acting as a glaze. It helps to add sweetness to the rutabaga, which elevates it to the star status it deserves."

Before you get started, preheat the oven to 400 F. Then, peel and chop the rutabaga into roughly 1-inch cubes. They don't have to be perfect cubes, but do try to end up with pieces that are more or less the same size. This will ensure even cooking.

On a large baking sheet, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Then, add the cubed rutabaga and toss the pieces in the oil. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, then place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, removing the sheet from the oven every so often to toss the rutabaga.

After 40 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and dress the rutabaga with the lemon juice, cumin seeds, thyme, honey, and butter. Then return the baking sheet to the oven and let it roast for another 10 minutes before serving. Have leftovers? Just follow Rye's advice: "Once cool, they should be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge. Roasted rutabaga should be consumed within 3 days and should be throughly heated through before serving."