This Air Fryer Roasted Swede is a tasty way to make the most of this often-overlooked root veg. Also known as turnip in some parts of the UK, neeps in Scotland and rutabaga elsewhere, swede has a naturally sweet, earthy flavour that really shines when roasted.
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A simple swede can really cause a lot of confusion here in the UK although usually in the places like Cornwall where it’s more commonly known as turnip and Scotland where it’s variously a turnip or neep. As a turnip more widely refers to a smaller, more tender, vegetable in the same family this can obviously cause some confusion. The variations all make much more sense once you know that the swede’s full name is actually “swedish turnip”. Or if you are in the US then it is a rutabaga which is just a whole other layer of confused!
Swede has almost always appeared in my life boiled then mashed. Either simply on it’s own or mixed with carrot. I’ve got recipes for both so make sure to check these out too.
Roasting swede is a brilliant way to coax out its sweetness and give it a touch of caramelised richness. It also means you can serve it a bit like roast potatoes with crisp edges and buttery soft insides. I’m certainly more more keen to cook swede when prepared this way.
Part boiling the swede first before roasting might seem like an unnecessary step, but it’s the key to getting the best texture. I do exactly the same when roasting or air frying most root vegetables. Swede can be quite hard and fibrous, so giving it a head start in boiling water helps to soften it just enough.
How to Serve
These roasted swede chunks are best served hot straight from the air fryer as they keep their crispy.
Roasted swede makes a great alternative to mashed neeps on a Burn’s night supper. Add some type of tatties (potatoes) like a nice creamy mash, haggis and some whiskey sauce. Or if you prefer, balmoral chicken (the breast stuffed with haggis) is also popular. It’s also a great accompaniment to a good Beef Pie which is traditionally eaten for Hogmanay (Scottish New Year). Also delicious at any time of the year!
You can otherwise treat the swede as a substitute for roast potatoes like I also do with roast sweet potatoes. Or you can add them as just another veg side like you would with roast parsnips and carrots. Mix and match any and all of my roast dinner recipes.
Ingredients
Swede
When choosing a swede, look for one that’s heavy for its size. The skin is almost always a bit gnarly looking but it’s going to get peeled so that doesn’t matter. Just avoid anything that looks/feels heavily bruised. The smaller ones tend to be sweeter and more tender, while the really big ones can sometimes be a bit woody but that’s not always the case.
Despite its knobbly reputation, swede is surprisingly easy to peel. A regular speed peeler will do the job nicely, especially if you trim off the top and bottom first to give yourself a flat surface. You don’t need to go too deep with the peeling – just enough to remove the outer layer and any blemishes.
Once peeled, you need a good sharp knife to cut it into chunks. Swede is a dense vegetable, so trying to hack through it with a blunt knife can be bit dangerous. Cut it into thick slices first, then into chunks – around 4cm or 1½ inches is about right for me.
Oil
I’ve used plain vegetable oil in this recipe because it has a neutral flavour. But you could use any neutral oil you prefer. Just avoid anything too strong or expensive – this isn’t the place for your best extra virgin olive oil.
Seasoning
I’ve just used salt in this recipe, both for seasoning the boiling water and to finish before roasting. Fine salt helps to season the inside of the veg, while the sea salt flakes give a nice hit of flavour on the outside.
If you want to change things up, try adding spices along with the salt. Try garlic granules, smoked paprika, black pepper or dried herbs like rosemary or thyme. Black pepper is a really common accompaniment to swede. A little curry powder or something like a cajun seasoning mix also works really well – but maybe not with a roast dinner!
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Swede
There are two stages of cooking in this recipe. First, the swede is boiled for about 20 minutes until it’s nearly cooked through. It should be soft enough that a knife slides in easily but not falling apart.
Once it’s drained and given a minute or two to steam dry, it’s then air fried for a total of 20 minutes. I tend to give the swede a good shake and turn with 5 minutes to go. If you want the swede to be roasted darker, then you can add further time if you prefer.
How to Air Fry Swede From Frozen
You can absolutely use frozen swede for this. If you’re using frozen pre-chopped chunks, the key is to give them a rinse under warm water first to get rid of any frost or ice crystals. Then just boil them as you would fresh swede until they’re nearly cooked through.
I do find that the frozen swede which is available to buy is chopped very small as they are expecting you to use it for mash rather than roasting. You absolutely can roast this too but the timings will be different and you probably don’t need to boil it first.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Any leftover roasted swede can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a few days. It will soften up but can be re-crisp when you reheat.
You can also freeze the cooked swede. The best way to do this is to open-freeze the pieces on a tray first. Then transfer them into a freezer bag or container. That way, they don’t all stick together and you can grab just what you need later on.
The air fryer is the best way to reheat leftovers. Just put them back in for a few minutes until they’re hot and crispy again. The microwave works too if you’re in a rush, but they won’t stay crispy.
Alternatively, you can repurpose leftovers into other meals. Toss them into an eggy frittata or bubble and squeak. Or mash them up and add them to a curry or soup to bulk things out.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Roasted Swede Recipe (Rutabaga)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 700 g Swede/Rutabaga
- 2 tsp Fine/Table Salt
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
- Put a kettle of water on to boil.
- Peel a roughly 700g Swede and slice off the very ends. Make sure to cut off any brown or nasty spots on the flesh.
- Cut the swede into thick slices then into large pieces. Around 4cm/1½" cubes.
- Pile the swede cubes into a medium saucepan.
- Cover the swede with boiling water in a saucepan. Add 2 tsp Fine Salt and give it a stir.
- Boil the swede on a medium high heat for roughly 20 minutes. Test the swede with a small knife. It wants to be almost cooked through.
- As the swede is nearly cooked, start the preheat setting on your air fryer if required.
- Drain the swede well and leave it to sit for a minute and steam. You want as much water to evaporate off as possible.
- Sprinkle over 1 tsp Sea Salt Flakes and 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil.
- Gently turn the swede cubes in the oil and salt so they are all well coated.
- Move the swede to the air fryer. I do this with tongs to prevent it from breaking up.
- Air fry for 15 minutes at 200℃/390℉.
- Use your tongs to turn the swede over. Or if you are preparing these ahead of time, this is the point to stop cooking and store the swede until you want to finish the cooking and serve.
- Air fry for a further 5 minutes at 200℃/390℉. If after that time you want it to have even more colour, keep cooking until you're happy with it.
Notes
- This recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I managed to fit in around 500g of prepared swede (21 pieces) with more than enough room for air flow. I could potentially fit another 150g with just enough space left.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Lesley says
I love mashed turnip but thought I’d try roasting it for a change. What a great flavour I’ll definitely cook it like this again.