Everyone, say it with me: Justice for the rutabaga. This is one of the BEST vegetables of the winter season IMO, and no, it’s not just because it’s part of the cabbage family. (Which yes, is a reason that I do love it). But rutabaga can flex between so many formats, it can be starchy like a potato, creamy like a squash, and herbaceous like a really good celery stalk (just….trust me). For this Brown Butter Rutabaga Orzo, it is slowly stewed in butter, oil and spices until it melts apart, then orzo and stock are added to finish it into a creamy, risotto-esque pile.
It’s winter comfort, and you’re getting so many veggies in without even feeling like you are!
What is rutabaga?
This underrated root vegetable is native to colder regions like Scandinavia, Russia and Finland, but is now used in plenty of northern European and North American cuisines. Its versatility is a staple in a lot of cooking and it’s treated like a potato in most dishes. But, I think that rutabaga can do even more than previously imagined.
Rutabaga deserves more than to just be mashed or thrown in a soup – she deserves her time in the spotlight! For this dish, it’s not only acting like a starch but also like an aromatic. It’s a simple ingredient that makes any dish more delicious. I love how it can take a simple orzo recipe and make it something totally unique and interesting (and so very cozy)!
Looking for more winter recipes?
It’s so cold and dreary right now… it’s time to bring some coziness to the kitchen.
Oven Chili Chickpeas with Preserved Lemon Carrot Mash
Lemon-Dressed Cabbage & Caramelized Leek Salad
Herby Cabbage in Parmesan Broth
And that’s everything for this Brown Butter Rutabaga Orzo with Dill!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Equipment
- 1 wooden spatula
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large rutabaga, around 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 heaping teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 8 ounces dried orzo
- 1 cup finely chopped dill
- Freshly grated parmesan, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Set a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter and let the butter fully melt. Stir to combine.
- Add in the rutabaga and season with a hefty pinch of salt. Stir to coat it in the butter and oil. Cook the rutabaga, stirring often for 15-20 minutes or until it is starting to darken in color and soften.
- Add the nutmeg, pepper flakes, a few cracks of black pepper cook and garlic cloves and cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring oven and mashing up the rutabaga into smaller, flatter pieces as it becomes soft enough to mash.
- When the rutabaga is mostly mashed up, add the vegetable stock and bring it to a simmer. Add in the dried orzo and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally so no orzo sticks to the bottom of the pot. It should begin to thicken and turn into a creamy consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as preferred.
- When the orzo is finished, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the dill.
- Serve warm with grated parmesan on top.
Comments
Hello Justine
This is a lovely recipe! I would love to try making it, but i live in Thailand – a place that does not have Rutabaga – at least not easily found or native.
Would you recommend to substitute it? And if so, what are my choices? Thanks a bunch!
Ps. I made your tonnato, abso lovedddd it!
Hello! Any squash, pumpkin or potato will also work marvelously! They have a starchier feel, but are just as delicious!
I’m not a fan of dill…would subbing for parsley work?
Parsley will work just fine 🙂
Hey there ! just wanted to ask why thi is in the gluten free section. Could just be a mistake, but if not please tell me where you found decent gluten free orzo!
Oops! A mistake, but thank you for flagging! Now…off to find a good GF orzo, but in a pinch, aborio rice is also great!
Use the Banza rice and adjust the Cooktime! It’s a little thinner than orzo but holds itself nicely!
I just finished eating this and it was divine. I think I did not get it quite browned enough because i was afraid to go to far. Next time…
I’m so glad you liked it! And nothing wrong with a light butter, it’ll just make a super dark brown one that much better 😉
Justine…I’m constantly inspired by what you make! My husband and I are trying to sub hearts of palm for pasta due to blood sugar issues. Do you have suggestions for how to make these hearts of palm products a more agreeable substitution? (BTW, we have tried riced cauliflower…umm, too much sulfur, shall we say?)
Hi Lauren! I’m so sorry, but I’m not *too* familiar with hearts of palm so I can’t give you proper swap advice. But I’ll do some research!
This sounds DIVINE & I plan on trying it next week! What animal protein do you think it would pair well with? Seems a little carb heavy to be a full meal for me personally!
Hi there! I add beans because I’m pescatarian, but it will also go beautifully with salmon, chicken or seared tofu.
i cooked some shrimp and threw it in there and its was delish.
This was so comforting and delicious, and I can’t wait to have the leftovers! It already has a surprisingly creamy texture, but I think I’ll try reheating it with a little milk or half and half to help loosen up the orzo and enhance the creaminess some. 10/10!
That sounds delicious, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
eating this right now- so yummy! i love that it didn’t really take that many ingredients
So glad you liked it! Just curious, was it the lack of protein that made it a four star?
I am so excited to try this, one question, 1 cup of dill sounds like a LOT, am I just overthinking things?
Hi! I measure the dill before chopping it, which might make it seem like a little less. Also, this recipe is quite heavy and does make a lot of food, so the amount of dill is to cut through that richness! If you’re nervous, I recommend adding half a cup, tasting and then adjusting 🙂 Hope this helps!
This was so delicious! So creamy, and I loved the brightness of the dill. As the reviewer above said, I can’t wait to have this for lunch tomorrow again!
Ahh this makes me so happy! I’m so glad you enjoyed!
i love your vibe and your recipes. I was so excited to make this tonight. Easy and delicious. Thank you for your fun content and interesting recipes. They are inspiring.
I’m so glad you enjoy them! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review, it really means so much to me <3
Lovely recipe! So adaptable. I’m imaging different vegetables and herbs. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment 🙂
This recipe is absolutely amazing!! Reading the comments I think I’ll try and add some beans for protein next time – I have already made it twice we love it so much! I decreased the red pepper flakes b/c I used purple top turnips (no rutabaga around) and it had a lot of peppery spice and added a squeeze of lemon juice which was super helpful in opening up the flavors and cutting the spice a little. When you add beans what steps would you take to do that?
Thank you for this recipe! I moved to Northern Europe and have had to become friends with all the root vegetables, and rutabaga has had me pretty stumped. My family loved this recipe, and they admitted that they didn’t expect to like it when I set it on the table. Full disclosure, I left out the dill because my kids reject it. I only sprinkled on a little bit of parsley for color. The other spices already add flavor, so it was still lovely. We gave this dish our highest “yummy” rating and the family would like me to make it again.
Oh this makes me so happy! And yes, this one isn’t a “looker” haha, but it’s still so comforting, and I’m glad your family liked it!
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