A come-in-from-the-cold root vegetable mash up featuring sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, rutabaga and roasted garlic.
I 100% love potatoes. I always have and I always will. And, it’s weird because no one else in my immediate family — not either of my daughters or Mr. EN — feels the same way about potatoes as I do. I can guarantee you, I will 100% eat them however they are served to me: mashed, boiled, fried, baked, parsley-ed (pretty sure that’s not a word), curried, au gratined (again, probably not a word), in a casserole, in a pancake, stuffed…you get the picture; I really, REALLY like potatoes. That’s why a few days ago, when we cooked up an amazingly succulent and flavorful Pork Roast courtesy of my friends Matt and Heather at Primal Roots farm, I just HAD to make this equally-as-delicious Roasted Garlic and Root Vegetable Mash up to cozy up next to it.
In addition to both sweet and Yukon gold potatoes there’s one other star player in this dish: the lowly – and very underappreciated – rutabaga. If you’ve never had a rutabaga before you’re definitely missing out. Without the rutabaga this delectable mash up wouldn’t have near the zip or zing that makes it so awesome.
Rutabagas are a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. Here’s what they look like in the grocery store. Usually, they are waxed to keep them from drying out so be sure to peel them before using.
This dish also contains roasted garlic, not a 100% must-do but it will definitely take you and your dish to new heights and you’ll appreciate being there, I promise. 😉
To roast garlic follow the steps below and in the recipe:
- Cut off the pointy tips but keep the clove intact. The little green sprouts inside are A-OK. Some chefs remove them, others do not. No need to remove them in my opinion.
- Place the bulbs on foil and drizzle with a little olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 400 F for 40-60 minutes or until the cloves are tender and the texture is jam-like and squeezeable.
- Squeeze out the roasted garlic (get rid of the papery outside) and use it in a recipe or enjoy some right away on a toasty piece of bread.
Now, on to the mash up! Below are all the players awaiting their fate and fame: Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rutabaga. No need to peel the potatoes just scrub them well. 
The Nutrition 411
- Garlic of course! Fat-free, low-cal and loaded with anti-inflammatories. Pile it on.
- Rutabagas – high in fiber and a good source of potassium, a mineral many of us don’t get enough of.
- Sweet Potatoes and White Potatoes, eaten with the skin are good sources of vitamins A and C, and fiber. Sweet potatoes are lower in calorie and higher in Vitamin A than white potatoes. BOTH are good for you.
Cooking Tips
- Get the water out. After you drain the mashed veggies put them back in the pot over low heat for a few minutes to dry up any excess liquid. Rutabagas – although they don’t look like – can be a bit watery when mashed.
- Don’t over cook or over mash. Cook the veggies until JUST tender and mash until JUST mashed – pretty straightforward.
- Dress it up with fresh herbs. Fresh chopped herbs such as chives, thyme, basil, or parsley liven up the flavors in this dish even more so. Add a dab of prepared horseradish for a little extra zing.
Ta da! The final dish once again. Can you spot the rutabaga? Hint: it doesn’t mash up like the others. 
Have you seen enough? Is your mouth watering yet?
What are you waiting for? Get to the store today and hunt down that rutabaga. You could be eating this Roasted Garlic and Root Vegetable Mash Up tonight!
Peace, love and good eats; from our empty nest to yours.
Mr. EN’s Take on This Recipe: The texture is what hooks you, creamy and chunky at the same time… and the roasted garlic and horseradish, Mmmm. Hey, what are we going to do with the other half of this thing [rutabaga]? 😊
Roasted Garlic and Root Vegetable Mash Up
Yield 4 servings
A come-in-from-the-cold root vegetable mash up featuring sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, rutabaga and roasted garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 large bulb garlic (containing 8-12 cloves) follow the directions for roasting or use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead, if you must
- olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus a little more for roasting the garlic
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium size sweet potato, cut into 1 ½ inch chunks (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1 ½ inch chunks (about 1 ¼ cups)
- ½ small grapefruit-size rutabaga, cut into 1 ½ inch cups (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus a little more for step 9 below
- ½ cup low-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion (or 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh onion)
- Optional - chopped fresh herbs, i.e. parsley or thyme
- Optional – ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
Instructions
- Cut the pointy ends off of the garlic bulb, leaving the cloves intact. Put the bulb, cut side up on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Wrap the clove tightly in the foil, so the olive oil doesn’t leak out, and bake at 400 F for 40-60 minutes or until the cloves are tender and jam-like. Cool the roasted garlic for ten minutes, then remove the garlic bulb from the foil packet and gently squeeze the roasted garlic into a small bowl. The garlic should now be soft and buttery in texture. Discard the papery outsides.
- While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes and white potatoes and chop into 1 ½ inch cubes. Peel the rutabaga, cut it in half (save the other half for another use) and cut the half into the same size chunks as the sweet and white potatoes.
- Carefully add the sweet potato and rutabaga chunks to the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the white potato chunks and cook until all are tender (another 10-15 minutes).
- Drain the cooked veggies and put them back in the pot. Over medium heat, cook for a few minutes to dry up any excess water at the bottom of the pot.
- Transfer potato mixture to a large bowl.
- Add the roasted garlic cloves, butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, minced or fresh onion, and horseradish if using, to the potato mixture. Mash with a potato masher. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish with fresh chopped herbs and a drizzle of melted butter.
Notes
- You can easily roast 3-4 bulbs of garlic in the same foil packet and keep the extras, once removed from the bulb, refrigerated for one week. Roasting time will vary for garlic, depending on the size of the cloves and the age of the garlic.
- Double this recipe if serving more than 2. You'll want the leftovers!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3/4 cup
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 203 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 12 g | 18% | |
Saturated Fat 7 g | 35% | |
Cholesterol 34 mg | 11% | |
Sodium 342 mg | 14% | |
Total Carbohydrates 22 g | 7% | |
Dietary Fiber 3 g | 12% | |
Protein 3 g | 6% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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