Rumbledethumps is a traditional Scottish dish made with mashed root vegetables, often combined with fried onions and cabbage, covered in tasty cheese and oven-baked until golden.
I first ate Rumbledethumps at a little pub in the Scottish Highlands when I was on holiday there many years ago. It was served as a side dish to accompany the meaty pie we ordered and smothered in a tasty gravy.
I wasn't sure what rumbledethumps was, but as it turned out I needn't have worried! It was a delicious combination of mashed potatoes and swedes, mixed with savoury cabbage and fried onions, covered in golden melted cheese. It was the Scottish version of mashed potatoes!
Back home, I recreated the dish many times, experimenting with different combinations of vegetables. I've made it both with cheese and without; and used various combinations of vegetables. The version I am sharing today uses sweet potatoes (you may know them as yams) in the mash, but I've made it with great success using carrots instead.
This dish is very similar to Irish colcannon or English bubble and squeak, although I think the covering of cheese on the rumbledethumps gives them the edge!
The purists amongst you may say that this isn't an authentic version of rumbledethumps. However, I would say there are many versions of this dish as there are families in Scotland. This is my version and I love it!
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Ingredients for rumbledethumps
These are my suggested vegetables, but you can mix and match them to suit your own taste.
- Root vegetables - for this recipe I used a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes and swedes. The traditional rumbledethumps recipe only calls for potatoes and swedes, but I love the nutty flavour that a sweet potato adds. You could try adding carrots and/or parsnips instead. If you have leftover mashed potatoes and other root vegetables you could use those instead of boiling fresh!
- Onions - the onion should be peeled and cut into a coarse dice. I used white onion. You could use red onions but they might change the colour of the finished dish somewhat.
- Cabbage - I used savoy cabbage because that was what I had available. White cabbage is also great to use. The cabbage should be finely shredded and the inner core discarded.
- You will also need a small amount of butter for softening the onions and cabbage, and salt and black pepper for seasoning. I prefer using butter rather than oil in this recipe as the butter adds heaps of flavour.
- Grated cheese (not pictured) - this is optional but highly recommended. Whether you cover the dish with grated cheese depends on what you intend to serve it with. I normally use grated cheddar or a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella.
**See the printable recipe card at the end of this post for exact quantities**
What to do
This is a simple recipe. If you can make a bowl of mashed potatoes you can make rumbledethumps!
Peel the root vegetables (potatoes, carrots and swedes) and cut them into chunks. Place them in a pan of cold lightly salted water, bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to mash. This will take 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size.
While the vegetables are cooking, melt the butter in a pan and saute the onions until they are starting to soften (about 5 minutes).
Add the shredded cabbage to the onions and pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low.
Allow the vegetables to steam, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has softened. This will take about 10 minutes. Keep the heat low so the vegetables do not burn. Add an additional tablespoon of water if they seem to be drying out.
Once the root vegetables have cooked, drain and mash them. You can add extra butter if you wish.
Stir the cabbage and onions into the vegetables, taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper if necessary.
Tip the vegetables into an oven-proof dish. If you don't intend baking the vegetables with cheese you can skip the next 2 steps and serve them immediately.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Tips for a perfect outcome
This is such an easy recipe to make, there aren't too many tips I can give you 🙂 .
- When sauteing the onions, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid so the onions can steam in the butter as they release their juices.
- Keep the heat quite low so the onions do not burn, and stir them occasionally.
- Do not add too much water to the cabbage. Cabbage contains a lot of moisture so 2 tablespoons will be sufficient to start with. Keep your eye on it and stir occasionally. Add an extra tablespoon or two of water only if necessary.
Variations
Use any combination of root vegetables in the ratio of half potatoes/half other vegetables. Carrots and parsnips give a nice flavour and french beans add extra colour and texture.
You could also use kale instead of cabbage, and leeks instead of onions.
To make this into a complete meal, and to add extra protein, stir in a handful of crispy fried bacon.
For a creamier dish, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of cream into the mash.
For a crunchier topping, why not crush a packet of cheese and onion crisps and combine them with the cheese before baking?
Another delicious topping idea would be to cover the dish with crispy fried onions.
Equipment
As far as equipment goes you will need a large saucepan for boiling the vegetables, and an oven-proof baking dish large enough to hold everything.
Storage
You can assemble this dish up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, bake until heated through and the cheese is melted and golden (20 - 25 minutes).
Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and reheated in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
These leftovers also make a great breakfast. Fry spoonfuls in butter until they start to brown and serve them topped with a fried egg, and perhaps a rasher of bacon.
Rumbledethumbs FAQ
It is said that the word originated back in the day when the boiling root vegetables 'rumbled' in the boiling water. The 'thumps' part of the word is the sound of the vegetables being mashed.
Yes, you can freeze this dish. I would recommend assembling the dish in a disposable aluminium container before freezing so you don't have to put your ceramic baking dish in the freezer.
Cover the dish and place it in the freezer. You can freeze it for 3 to 4 months.
When ready to eat, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, cover with cheese and bake in a hot oven for 20 - 25 minutes until piping hot and golden.
You can serve rumbledethumps anywhere you would serve mashed potatoes. This dish goes well with a roast or sausages and is delicious when topped with a hearty stew such as this slow-cooker braised steak and onions.
A swede is a large purplish-coloured root vegetable. You may know them by different names depending on where you live. In England, they are called swedes, but in Scotland, they are known as turnips. In the US they go by the name of rutabaga.
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Related recipes
I have lots of potato recipes on my vegetable recipes page. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Rumbeldethumps - root vegetable mash
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Baking dish large enough to hold everything
- Sharp Knife for chopping vegetables
- Chopping Board
- Potato peeler optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams potatoes peeled and chopped
- ½ pound / 225 grams sweet potatoes (yams) peeled and chopped
- ½ pound / 225 grams swede (rutabaga or turnip) peeled and chopped
- 1 large white onion peeled and diced
- ½ small head of white or savoy cabbage shredded
- 1 ounce / 30 grams butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
- Peel the root vegetables (potatoes, carrots and swedes) and cut them into chunks. Place them in a pan of cold lightly salted water, bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to mash. This will take 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size.1 pound / 450 grams potatoes, ½ pound / 225 grams sweet potatoes (yams), ½ pound / 225 grams swede (rutabaga or turnip)
- While the vegetables are cooking, melt the butter in a pan and saute the onions until they are starting to soften (about 5 minutes).1 ounce / 30 grams butter, 1 large white onion
- Add the shredded cabbage to the onions and pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low.½ small head of white or savoy cabbage
- Allow the vegetables to steam, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has softened. This will take about 10 minutes. Keep the heat low so the vegetables do not burn. Add an additional tablespoon of water if they seem to be drying out.
- Once the root vegetables have cooked, drain and mash them. You can add extra butter if you wish.
- Stir the cabbage and onions into the vegetables, taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper if necessary.Salt and black pepper
- Tip the vegetables into an oven-proof dish. If you don't intend baking the vegetables with cheese you can skip the next 2 steps and serve them immediately.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese.1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Bake in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Notes
- When sauteing the onions, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid so the onions can steam in the butter as they release their juices.
- Keep the heat quite low so the onions do not burn, and stir them occasionally.
- Do not add too much water to the cabbage. Cabbage contains a lot of moisture so 2 tablespoons will be sufficient to start with. Keep your eye on it and stir occasionally. Add an extra tablespoon or two of water only if necessary.
- Use any combination of root vegetables in the ratio of half potatoes/half other vegetables. Carrots and parsnips give a nice flavour and french beans add extra colour and texture.
- Substitute leeks for the onion and/or kale for the cabbage.
- For a complete meal, and to add extra protein, stir in a handful of crispy fried bacon.
- For a creamier dish add 2 or 3 tablespoons of cream into the mash.
- For a crunchier topping, why not crush a packet of cheese and onion crisps and combine them with the cheese before baking?
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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VJ
Delicious and a great alternative to mashed potatoes!