Just like potatoes, rutabagas are a type of root vegetable and can be cooked in similar ways to a potato. But they taste (and look) very different from a potato. Rutabagas are orangey yellow in color and have a slightly sweet, cabbage-like flavor. They are in fact related to cabbages. Rutabagas are often sold coated in food-safe wax, to help them last longer. Make sure you fully peel this wax off with a vegetable peeler or paring knife before preparing.