The versatile rutabaga shines in this simple and interesting, Asian-inspired salad.

The rutabaga is a root vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. It is a cold weather crop that appears in the late fall, and is traditionally harvested after a light frost — which is known to enhance its sweetness. The rutabaga can be eaten in many forms; it is tasty sautéed, baked, mashed, added to stews and soups, and is especially delicious eaten raw.

As a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, rutabagas are high in anti-cancer compounds, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This combination of nutritional benefits helps to promote healthy body functions while adding protection against heart disease and cancer. Rutabagas are also low in calories and high in fiber, making them a vegetable worth adding to your diet.

I love salads! In the summer I am inspired by the bountiful produce available, and find it easy to make vegetables a big part of my diet. It is more challenging to maintain that enthusiasm in the colder months, when the vegetable choices can be less obvious. It is important to remember that we should try to eat foods in season, that are grown locally, and are organic. Winter salads can be just as delicious when you know what to look for and how to prepare them.
This Asian-inspired rutabaga and carrot salad has bright flavors and a crunchy texture that makes it ideal for colder months. I use a vegetable peeler to make the rutabaga paper thin, and a julienne peeler to give the carrot a complementary texture. Rice vinegar, lime juice, scallions and cilantro round out the flavors to make this salad interesting and super healthy. This is a delicious way to incorporate rutabagas into your diet and a great cold weather salad.

4.5 from 2 votes

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Asian-Inspired Rutabaga & Carrot Salad Recipe

The versatile rutabaga shines in this simple and interesting, Asian-inspired salad.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Vegetables

Keyword carrots, cilantro, red onion, rice vinegar, rutabaga

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 small rutabaga
• 3 carrots
• 4 scallions trimmed and diagonally sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tbsp creamy Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp unsweetened rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Trim and peel rutabaga. Cut in half and, with flat side down, cut each half vertically into 4 sections. With a vegetable peeler, make peels from each of the 8 sections of rutabaga and place in a bowl.
2. Using either a sharp knife or julienne peeler, julienne the carrots.
3. Place shaved rutabaga, carrots, scallions, cilantro and red onion in a bowl.

4. Combine rice vinegar, lime juice, mustard and olive oil, mixing well. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Toss all ingredients together and adjust seasonings if necessary. Arrange on plates to serve.

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Kristen Coffield

I am a passionate advocate for food as medicine, life navigator and culinary coach. This is my space for sharing what excites, inspires and motivates me to live my best life. It began as a recipe blog for nourishing, simple, weekday meals and has become something much bigger… a guide to resilient wellness. I am excited to share my knowledge of how daily habits can cumulatively help you to live like you mean it and age like you want to.