21 Parsnip Recipes That Will Make You Fall for This Underappreciated Root Vegetable (2024)

The pale parsnip is so much more than a carrot without the color. Parsnips are delicious and interesting, and they absolutely deserve our attention. Despite the fact that they're infrequently eaten or lost in a cornucopia of side dishes at the Thanksgiving table, these hearty root vegetables have serious culinary backbone. That's why we firmly believe that parsnips should feature on our tables far more often than they do.

Parsnips are typically a cold-season root vegetable, and they're ideally harvested after the first frost (a cold snap makes them sweeter). Adaptable and healthy, high in fiber, vitamin C, and minerals (especially potassium), they are versatile enough to carry a vegetarian entrée, diversify a salad, or create a creamily comforting soup.

How do you prep and cook parsnips? They can be peeled before use, but their skins are an additional source of flavor, so scrubbing up a batch to roast is a cinch. They can be used uncooked and are refreshingly crisp in salads. They turn mellow and soft after boiling—and are easy to mash and purée—while roasting emphasizes their sweetness. They can even be used in dessert! Explore the delicious world of the parsnip with our best recipes. We promise you'll be glad you did.

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Parsnip Onion Tarte Tatin

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An upside-down savory tart that shows off the sweet side of parsnips and onions. The vegetables are cooked gently on the stovetop, then topped with store-bought puff pastry and baked—just like a tarte tatin.

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Roasted Squash and Parsnip Soup

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Your new favorite soup recipe features winter squash, parsnips, apples, and nutty brown butter. It's spiked with aromatic fresh thyme and musky sage for even more flavor.

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Carrot and Parsnip Soufflé

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Parsnips get fancy in this sublime root vegetable soufflé. Combined with their better-known, brighter-colored cousin, the carrot, they bring elegance and sweet vegetal flavor to an airy soufflé.

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Light and Bright Beef Stew

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Fresh dill and white wine balance the sweetness of parsnips and leeks in this slow-cooked and brothy beef stew. It's just the thing to make when the weather turns cold.

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Parsnip Rosemary Muffins

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Start the day with parsnips—in these delicate and not-too-sweet muffins. They're made with yogurt to keep them light, fresh rosemary makes them fragrant, and grated parsnip adds moisture and a subtle flavor.

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Shaved Parsnip and Grapefruit Salad

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The assertive flavors of bittersweet grapefruit segments and flat leaf parsley offset the sweet crispness of raw parsnip in this vibrant salad.

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Creamy Braised Parsnips With Sage

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If you already know and love roasted parsnips, you're ready for braised. Parsnips are cooked in chicken stock flavored with sage until tender, then finished with cream for serving.

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Parsnip and Pumpkin Seed Fries

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Powdering pumpkin seeds and tossing the parsnips in the nutty coating adds crunch to these caramel-chewy fries.

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Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Minty Yogurt Sauce

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Roasting emphasizes the sweetness of both root vegetables, but their textures are delightfully different: silky (carrots) and chewy (parsnips). Their combined caramels are balanced by refreshing minty yogurt and fresh thyme leaves.

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Roasted Parsnip Bread Pudding

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Brioche, parsnips, cream, eggs, and white wine come together to make this opulent bread pudding. It checks all the boxes for a main course centerpiece.

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Customizable Vegetable Soup

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For warming many hungry tummies, our customizable vegetable soup allows you to put whatever is in your pantry and refrigerator to good use, ensuring you make the most of what is on hand. Be sure to choose parsnips!

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Orecchiette with Sausage, Chard, and Parsnips

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A rewarding bowlful of sweet sausage, tender parsnips, and magnesium-rich Swiss chard is an easy and hearty reward after a long cold-weather hike.

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Slow-Cooker Root Vegetable Confit

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If you don't have a slow cooker, this recipe may convert you: parsnips, beets, carrots, and fennel are poached in a spiced oil and topped with pistachio pesto. Red wine vinegar adds essential acid to the sweet vegetables.

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Chicken Soup with Dill Spaetzle

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Abundant fresh dill brightens the dumplings in this soothing chicken and parsnip soup.

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Chorizo Parsnip and Olive Bites

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For individualized co*cktail snacks, pair spicy chorizo with warm, roasted parsnips, and salty olives.

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Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes

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Move over, carrot cake! Parsnips have arrived in cupcake town, and these moist, cardamom-rich confections will be a conversation starter.

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Winter Vegetable Red Curry

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The heat of chile is always a fine foil for the sweetness of parsnips. Spicy red curry paste and rich coconut milk pull together this mouthwatering vegetable curry.

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Spanish Clam Soup

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Briny clams, smoky paprika, fresh herbs, and sharp white wine are mellowed by soft-cooked parsnips.

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Pork with Pears and Parsnip Mash

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A beautifully smooth parsnip and potato mash is the perfect resting place for the delectable gravy in this pan-roasted pork loin.

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Roasted Parsnips with Rosemary

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These wedges of parsnip are like chunky fries, their roasted sweetness highlighted by tossing with rosemary before cooking.

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Roasted-Parsnip Soup with Chorizo

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Roasting parsnips before puréeing them adds a rich layer of flavor to this soup. The bright caper tapenade is a genius finishing touch. For a vegan version, substitute vegetable broth and skip the chorizo.

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21 Parsnip Recipes That Will Make You Fall for This Underappreciated Root Vegetable (2024)

FAQs

What are parsnips good for cooking? ›

They are a classic ingredient in some chicken broths and soups, and can also be baked, sauteed, steamed, mashed or pureed, roasted, used in stews and fried, like most root vegetables. Refrigerate them, unwashed, in a plastic bag up to 10 days.

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What root vegetable is similar to a parsnip? ›

A root vegetable belonging to the dandelion family, salsify is also known as the oyster plant because of its similar taste when cooked. The root is similar in appearance to a long, thin parsnip, with creamy white flesh and a thick skin.

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What pairs with parsnip? ›

The flavor of parsnips pairs well with other root vegetables, like beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots. They're also delicious with cauliflower, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. Don't be afraid to roast these parsnips with other veggies of choice for a fiber-rich, delicious side dish.

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When should you not eat a parsnip? ›

Store in the refrigerator in an unsealed bag for 3+ weeks. If a raw parsnip becomes soft and squishy, this is a sign of rot and it should no longer be eaten. For better flavor, cook the parsnip with the skin on—after cooking, you have the option to eat the skin or not!

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Why should you not peel parsnips? ›

Some vegetables, like celery root, have tough outer peels, which we always remove. Parsnips we assess on a case-by-case basis; the best flavor is actually right below the skin, so we try to avoid removing too much.

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Are parsnips healthier than potato? ›

Popular around the world, parsnips are undeservedly overlooked in the mainstream American diet. That's simply not fair, because parsnips are loaded with vitamins, packed with subtle flavors, and are a healthy alternative to potatoes for those limiting their carbohydrate macros.

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Do I need to peel parsnips before cooking? ›

How to prepare parsnips. Young, small parsnips don't really need peeling – just scrub clean and serve whole. Older parsnips should be peeled very thinly with a peeler or sharp knife, then chopped into evenly sized chunks. If the central core is very fibrous, this should be cut away.

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What is the best way to use parsnips? ›

How to Cook Parsnips

adding it to soups and stews,
boiling and mashing it,
shaving it for salads,
and using it in desserts (think carrot cake, but with parsnips).

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What tastes like parsnip? ›

One of the best substitutes for parsnips is parsley roots. Parsley root is very similar in look, and texture to parsnip, but a parsnip is a little earthier in taste. Parsley root is easier to substitute for a parsnip because once it's peeled, you can do just about anything with it.

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Does a parsnip taste like a turnip? ›

While they're both root vegetables packed with nutrients, parsnips and turnips are not quite the same—parsnips are similar to carrots and have a sweet, candy-like flavor profile. Turnips, on the other hand, are in the Brassica rapa family and are much less sweet.

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Do parsnips taste like potatoes? ›

The flavor of parsnips is also very different from potatoes. I, personally, love parsnips. Potatoes without butter and salt are very bland. But parsnips flips the root veggie script.

What culture eats parsnips? ›

The main use in France is in a pot-au-feu, and in Italy parsnips are fed to pigs reared for San Daniele and Parma ham. The Americans, however, cook it in much the same way as the British: as a rich, sweet, glazed vegetable for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Which part of the parsnip plant do we usually eat? ›

Parsnips look a lot like carrots, with green, leafy tops and a long, or sometimes bulbous, fleshy root. The root is the edible part of the plant.

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Can you eat parsnip raw? ›

Can you eat parsnips raw? Yes, parsnips are perfectly safe to eat raw! This may go without saying for some of you, but I don't blame you at all if you were wondering. Raw parsnips are sweet and nutty, with very subtle hints of licorice.

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Are parsnips better for you than potatoes? ›

What sets parsnips apart is their low-calorie content and high fiber, making them an excellent alternative to starchy vegetables like potatoes. In fact, for two centuries, parsnips were the primary source of dietary starch in the US before potatoes took over. But there's more to parsnips than just nutrition.

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What parts of parsnips are edible? ›

Parsnips look a lot like carrots, with green, leafy tops and a long, or sometimes bulbous, fleshy root. The root is the edible part of the plant.

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