This recipe for easy Roasted Parsnips is simple, fast and adaptable, making it an ideal vegetable side dish. Naturally sweet and earthy, and pretty to boot, pair these caramelized parsnips with fish, chicken or steak.
Table of Contents
What is a Parsnip?
Parsnips are the underrated, less known cousin of carrots. This white root veggie that looks shockingly like an albino carrot shares some of the same flavor characteristics you might be familar with.
Parsnips have a mild, sweet and earthy flavor. Roasting them in the oven allows the naturally occurring sugars to caramelize, deepening the flavor for the better.
High in fiber, potassium and folate, parsnips are healthy as can be. They're also terrifically versatile! Eat them cooked or raw, whole or puréed for a tasty and beautiful alternative to carrots.
They also contain a bit more starch than carrots, making them ideal for turning into mashes or soups. If you have been wanting an alternative to mashed potatoes, give parsnips a try!
So do yourself a big favor and grab a bunch of parsnips on your next grocery run. I promise you'll love them!
Why you will love this roasted parsnips?
Roasted parsnips, how I love thee. Let me count the ways! While that might be a departure from Shakespeare, the sentiment remains. This delicious side is everything you could possible want from your veggies:
- Naturally gluten free!
- Vegan!
- Paleo/Whole30 friendly!
- Sweet!
- Pretty!
Requiring just one sheet pan (which can be lined with parchment for easy clean up) and almost no prep, this recipe is a weeknight dream. Simply cut the parsnips, toss them in oil and seasonings and roast them in the oven.
While the parsnips roast, their naturally occurring sugars begin to caramelize. The flavors become deeper and more pronounced. And I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a sucker for gorgeous golden brown edges!
The recipe is also super simple, intuitive and easy enough to change based on your preferred flavor profile. Feel free to riff on the recipe using the full range of your spice cabinet. The options are nearly endless!
Ingredients
This straightforward recipe requires just a handful of ingredients. Here is everything you'll need:
As I stated above, this easy recipe for roasted parsnips is merely a template. Feel free to substitute the spices for whatever you like. I've listed many more possible flavor variations below!
How to Roast Parsnips
This recipe for roasting parsnips takes just about 10 minutes of prep. It is so simple!
Step 1 - How to Cut Parsnips
Preheat the oven at 425°F. As with most vegetable recipes, the first step is to prepare your produce. You may be wondering whether or not to peel the parsnip skin.
My recommendation is to work on a case-by-case basis - if the parsnips are larger (like in the photo below) I'd recommend removing a thin layer of the skin for best results. If they are small and young, you can leave the skin on.
After peeling, cut the parsnips into 2.5-3 inch batons. If the core feels at all woody or tough, remove it it.
TIP: Like apples, cut parsnips will begin to oxidize and turn brown when exposed to air for long periods. I don't recommend preparing the veggies until you are ready to roast them. Or keep them dipped in a bowl filled with water to avoid browning until use.
Step 2- Oven Roasting Parsnips
Place the parsnip batons into a large bowl or a dish. Add dried herbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well.
TIP: I find that it is easiest to get all the flavors evenly distributed when I use my hands.
Arrange the tossed batons on baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove them from the oven. Turn all the parsnips so they can brown evenly. Pop the tray back into the oven for another 10 minutes until fork tender, golden and crisp.
Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
FAQs + Storage and Freezing
Honestly, it depends on the parsnip. Smaller parsnips are generally younger and have more tender skin. For those, just scrub them clean and you are good to go.
However, I recommend peeling older parsnips as the skin can become tough. Larger, older parsnips also tend to have a fibrous "woody" core. If this is the case, please remove it prior to roasting.
Nope! The beauty of roasting vegetables is that the oven does most of the work. Simply pop the prepared parsnip batons into the oven and roast as directed. You'll end up with beautifully fork tender veggies that have lightly crisp edges. Divine!
The dried herb mix I used for this recipe contains oregano, basil, parsley and thyme with a dash of chili flakes. That said, parsnips are quite adaptable, sage, rosemary, coriander and chives also works great. Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors!
Parsnips are in peak season from late fall to early spring, with the best harvest being smack in the dead of winter. During the colder weather, starches are converted to sugar, producing a sweeter, more tender vegetable.
Since larger roots tend to be older and tougher, I recommend searching for small to medium pieces. They should be firm, ivory in color and free from blemishes or shriveling.
While I'm of the opinion that roasted vegetables are best straight from the oven because of the fleeting nature of their crisp edges, there's no reason you can't make these roasted parsnips in advance. I recommend reheating in the oven for best results!
Leftovers should keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in a clean airtight container.
Sure! Roasted veggies like parsnips handle being frozen quite well. Place them in zip top bags, remove as much air as possible, and they should keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Flavor Variations
Parsnips, like their carrot cousins, are extremely adaptable to a wide range of flavor profiles. I recommend you experiment to find your favorites! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Simple : Use a simple spice blend like Italian Herbs or Herbes de Provence. Some other simple blends include:
- Italian Seasoning.
- Thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt n pepper.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, olive oil, salt n pepper.
- Honey mustard, olive oil, salt n pepper
- Indian spiced : Sub in ground cumin, ground coriander, chili and lemon. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
- Moroccan : Use Ras al Hanout spice blend, dash of paprika, and honey.
- Sweet : Swap in butter for the oil and opt for warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar or maple syrup to highlight the sweetness! This would make a perfect side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or holidays.
Serving Ideas
Once your parsnips are roasted, the applications are quite numerous. Here are a few ideas:
- Serve roasted parsnips over grain bowls or salads. Add some nuts for crunch!
- Perfect as a simple accompaniment for your favorite grill out dishes like chicken, lamb or steak.
- Turn your roasted parsnip into a soup - simply toss them into a blender with broth and a bit of cream, then blitz until creamy.
- Serve as an appetizer! Perfect snack to dip in sriracha mayo, horseradish mayo, herbed tahini dip or baked parmesan dip.
- Leftover roasted parsnip makes great base for casseroles or you can top it on pizza or add it to tray bake towards the end of baking.
Other tasty roasted veggies recipes
If you tried this yummy and easy Roasted Parsnips recipe, please let me know how they turned out for you. Comment and rate the recipe below, or tag me on Instagram!
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Roasted Parsnips Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs Parsnips
- 1 ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or dried herb mix)
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 425°F.
- Peel the parsnips and then cut them into 2.5 to 3 inches batons. Now, place the parsnip batons into a large bowl or a dish.
- Add dried herbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well.
- Arrange the tossed batons on baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove them form the oven. Turn all the parsnips and pop it back into the oven to further roast them for 10 minutes until fork tender, golden and crisp.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh pasrsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Like apples, cut parsnips will begin to oxidize and turn brown when exposed to air for long periods. I don't recommend preparing the veggies until you are ready to roast them.
- Leftovers should keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, and will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Simple : Use a simple spice blend like Italian Herbs or Herbes de Provence. Some other simple blends include:
- Thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt n pepper.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, olive oil, salt n pepper.
- Honey mustard, olive oil, salt n pepper
- Indian spiced : Sub in ground cumin, ground coriander, chili and lemon. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
- Moroccan : Use Ras al Hanout spice blend, dash of paprika, and honey.
- Sweet : Swap in butter for the oil and opt for warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar or maple syrup to highlight the sweetness! This would make a perfect side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or holidays.
Erika says
Thanks for the clear instructions and photos! They look tender and "buttery" in the photo, and mine came out just so. Great recipe and instructions.
Farrukh Aziz says
Hello Erica,
You are very welcome and thank you for your valuable feedback! 🙂
Glad you loved it!
Debbie says
I think parsnips are a totally underrated veggie and your recipe is easy and so flavorful. We really enjoyed this , thanks for a great recipe.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
I think I just heard my tummy growl. lol! Must print the recipe. It looks so delicious!
Tristin @ Home Cooked Harvest says
It's been a long time since I have eaten parsnips. Thank you for the reminder of how delicious they are! My kids are really going to enjoy your recipe. Adding to shopping list as we speak!!
Erin says
Thanks for the reminder that parsnips exist! Haha. I need to try them again on my son. Thank you for including 6 different variations to try! I'll start with the sweet one.
Ramona says
I haven't had parsnips in some time and I am glad I came across this recipe as it looks really convincing and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely be trying it out soon!
Lauren Vavala says
Such a great recipe. Parsnips really don't get the love that they deserve - these are going on regular rotation!
Natalie says
I must say I never roasted parsnip before. I love them in my soup and steamed, but roasted... never tried. Well, now I must try this! It looks so delicious. I'm going to make this for dinner today.
Aleta says
I'm always looking for new healthy side dishes to keep things fresh. I would have never thought of roasted parsnips but wow, these look so delicious! Can't wait to try them.
Amy Liu Dong says
I like making an easy dish like this, and this one looks really delicious! Thanks for sharing!