Parsnips, a humble root vegetable, is making its comeuppance once again in American meals! Check out this list of tried-and-true parsnip recipes from around the web and give one a try!
When’s the last time you added parsnips to your meal?
Parsnips are related to the carrot and to parsley (parsley at the top, carrot at the bottom).
If you’ve ever seen a bunch of “white carrots” you may very well be looking at a bunch of parsnips, though they do have a similar sweet snap to them, like carrots do.
Sometimes appearing on holiday tables, the lonely parsnip tends to be set aside for the “sexier” side dishes.
Mostly the parsnip ends up as a sad little side dish because of the woody core or merely served as flavorless parsnip puree.
But for us, it’s kind of a hidden gem that can be used in anything.
And when we say anything, we mean snacks, main course—and even dessert.
Most people who love parsnips always admire the snappy, crunchy texture with sweet, earthy notes.
But at the end of the day, cooking with parsnips opens up an amazing world of delicious options!
Understanding the potential in this beautiful vegetable, we have compiled a list of scrumptious dishes to celebrate everything about parsnip.
Our list of 17 best parsnip recipes includes snacks, sides, mains, and a dessert that will make your mouth water. From
Parmesan Baked Parsnips, a warm, hearty Chickpea Curry With Parsnips, sweet and buttery Breakfast Parsnips, and even Parsnip Wine!
So, let’s discover the world of possibilities with parsnips together!
The garlic butter spin on the traditional roasted parsnip is the perfect side dish for roast dinner, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and dinner parties.
The medley of buttery garlic flavor and the sweet, earthy and snappy parsnip enhances the overall dish and helps connect the different elements on the plate.
Honestly, these garlicky parsnips are so easy to make that you can have them as a snack as well.
Mash is one of the popular sides of any roast dinner, and mostly, the mash is made from potatoes.
But have you ever thought of making a mash out of parsnips?
Well, this recipe is all about celebrating the sweet and earthy flavor of parsnip with the smooth textured mash.
In addition, the mash is spiced up with Dijon, honey and a hint of black pepper for the extra zing.
This recipe is worth a try to elevate traditional dinners without any extra effort.
We all have heard about sweet and sticky ribs, wings and even fried chicken but has anyone thought of eating these Asian-inspired flavors with root veggies?
The sweet and sticky parsnip is honestly a genius way of cooking parsnips, and your family will fall in love with every bite.
All you need are a few Chinese condiments and in just 30 minutes, you have delicious parsnips with a touch of sweetness for snacking or maybe for the whole meal.
This Indian-inspired chickpea curry with roasted carrots and parsnip is a recipe with layered flavors, a delightful addition to your table.
The curry basically calls for making a chickpea curry and roasting the carrots and parsnip.
When the dish comes together, the smokiness from the earthy parsnips and carrots create a heavenly taste.
But, that’s not it; it is full of good food like chickpeas, spinach, carrots and of course parsnip.
You will be surprised to have such a hearty bowl of curry any time of the year.
The parsnip gratin combination of parsnips and potatoes bound together with cheese may sound a bit different, but trust, it is one of the most deliciously satisfying dishes.
It is so easy to make; all you have to do is put it in the oven and forget it until your kitchen smells so good.
Just cut parsnips and potatoes into thin discs and cook them in the cream for that smooth and rich texture.
Latkes are one of our favorite ways to introduce hearty root vegetables to the vegetable-resistant in our family, especially the young ones.
These Parsnip and Potato latkes have a wonderfully crunchy outside with a tender, soft inside.
Honestly, they can be a perfect snack for everyone and can be served as the main dish, too.
Moreover, these latkes are so easy to make that you might be coming back to them pretty often, especially if you are looking for good, plant-based snack options.
Vegetable chips have been a trend that we all love for sure.
It has given us many great ideas and a great way to have a healthier version of chips, especially made in the air fryer at home.
And for us, parsnip chips made it to the list.
This easy recipe is deliciously sweet and savory in every bite.
But, most importantly, these chips are crunchy and guilt-free snacks for lazy people like us.
Who knew we could create such beautiful, tasty food at home? (Until we tried it for ourselves.)
The nutty flavor of parsnip rice is a modern take on the concept of cauliflower rice.
This might be the craziest idea of using parsnip but believe us, it is totally worth it because of its texture and flavor.
Even though the parsnip has a sweet taste, it takes on the savory flavors by the different ingredients like onion, parsley and garlic.
Not to forget, the texture is earthy and delicate. Indeed, it is a unique way of eating parsnip as rice.
The parmesan-baked parsnips are crusted with delicious parmesan topping that gives the sweet parsnip a new dimension of flavors.
This snacky side dish, or side dish slash appetizer or or… needs six ingredients and almost no time for preparation; that is how easy it is to make.
But I mean, add cheese to anything and it’s pretty amazing, right?
Honestly, parmesan-baked parsnips will become your favorite snack and a lovely side dish.
So easy and you’ll get a boost of veggie goodness for the day!
The casserole is the ultimate dish for us because you can literally use anything, and it still be so good to eat.
This Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole is packed with mouth-watering flavors and textures.
The combination of small parsnips with carrot, lentils and cheese over the top is very satisfying and filling.
This hearty casserole is so versatile that you can serve it with any rice, roast or even eat it on its own.
Parsnips have always been used as a savory ingredient, comfortably assumed to be in the potatoes and carrots cateogory of things.
The natural sweetness of the parsnips does balance out the savory dishes, and it turns out if you can have a carrot cake, why can’t you have a parsnip cake?
The soft, snack cake recipe with coconut, ginger and cinnamon with parsnip is like a party in your mouth.
It calls for a veritable TON of ingredients, unfortunately, but no spice cake worth its salt (see what I did there) ever came into being tastefully AND quickly.
This cake recipe is worth a try and surprisingly is a best way of using a fall vegetable like parsnips.
12. Parsnip Chowder
Chowder is like a sophisticated cousin of soup and an easy way to chunk up your waning vegetables left in the cold drawer of your fridge.
Chowders often feature filling, starchy vegetables. Thus, using a parsnip for chowder is just perfect.
The creamy sweetness makes for a lovely aperitif to a rich dinner, with a delightful spoon-up of flavors from carrot, potatoes, celery and much more.
The hearty parsnip chowder is what we need on a cozy-making winter night!
What a unique idea! The curried parsnip and rice pudding is another sweet take on the parsnip.
We love this dish because of the contrasting natural sugar of parsnips with fresh apples and a hint of curry and rum.
We know using curry powder in a dessert probably doesn’t sound very tempting, but it works and brings out a delicious and balanced dessert that you didn’t know you needed.
Risotto is a fine dining delicacy that is packed with flavor and a unique dense but creamy texture.
We think parsnip makes for a lovely choice for the risotto.
This parsnips recipe combines mushrooms to give the risotto umami flavor while parsnips balance the texture and savory delight of the dish.
This is another must-try dish on our list.
Carrot and parsnip soup is a traditional way of eating parsnips.
Pureed and blended, it is super creamy and has that unique nuttiness that lingers on your tongue, giving you a sweet tingling mouthfeel.
But what makes this soup so delicious is the genius idea of using miso and cheese with parsnips and carrots.
Will we ever tire of these hearty warm soup recipes for parsnip!
We all love a warming and flavorful caramelized onion soup—gently sweet and earthy—with everything made all the richer with parsnips.
The soup is very easy to make and just needs a few ingredients and you are ready to make this.
This roasted parsnip and onion soup is like a big warm hug in the autumn and winter.
Roasted parsnip and orange salad is elevated with a homemade tahini dressing, and is a hit as an ideal main or side.
The sweet and mildly smoky parsnips go perfectly well with the orange and dash of maple syrup, olive oil, and pecans bringing out the delicious flavour.
This salad is packed with so many flavors and textures like pecans and cumin that will help you enjoy the parsnips to their full potential.
Well, that’s not something you hear every day! “May I have a glass of your finest…Parsnip Wine…”
This recipe calls for some lemon, raisins, and the extracted starchy “juice” from cooked parsnips.
You get to use the leftover taproot into a side dish as you see fit instead of sending it straight to the composter, like you might for other fermented drinks.
The folks over at Practical Self Reliance share lots of good tips to help you along the way, so be sure to give this one your fullest attention before starting.
A simple dish, barely a recipe, but here it is from The Splendid Table, reprinted from Deborah Madison’s vegetarian cookbook.
A lovely short list of rich ingredients, with a warming delight of thick parsnips, cleaned and cut into rounds, heavy on the clarified butter, nuts and maple syrup.
I imagine this to be quite the belly-filling meal, and I hope to try this over the holidays this year, when my whole family is in town.
The bottom line
We hope our bracing list of parsnip recipes helped to answer your dilemma of what to do with parsnips.
And if you could use a little more info before you dive right into the happy world of this delicious taproot, visit our FAQ here!
So try this little sweet vegetable and enjoy your happy food moments.
Each parsnip recipe is unique and full of flavor, ready to be shared and possibly become a new tradition in your meal rotation!
Did you give one of these recipes a try?
19 Parsnip Recipes
If you’ve never tried the delicately sweet, carrot-like flavor of the parsnip, it’s high time you gave one of these Parsnip Recipes a try!
Ingredients
- Garlic Butter Roasted Parsnips
- Parsnip Mash With Dijon And Honey
- Sweet And Sticky Parsnips
- Chickpea Curry With Roast Carrot And Parsnips
- Parsnip Gratin
- Parsnip, Potato And Scallion Latkes
- Easy Baked Parsnip Chips
- Nutty Green Parsnip Rice
- Parmesan Baked Parsnips
- Carrot, Parsnip And Lentil Casserole
- Spiced Parsnip Cake
- Parsnip Chowder
- Curried Parsnip And Rice Pudding
- Creamy Wild Mushroom And Parsnip Vegan Risotto
- Carrot Parsnip Soup
- Roasted Parsnip & Caramelized Onion Soup
- Roasted Parsnip And Orange Salad
- Old Fashioned Parsnip Wine
- Eliot’s Breakfast Parsnips
Instructions
- onsider the humble hero parsnip for your next side dish!
- Choose one of these great recipes to try.
- Enjoy, and let us know which parsnip recipes you chose!