19 Parsnip Recipes That Will Earn the Veggie a Regular Spot on Your Dinner Table (2024)

FAQs

What is parsnip used for in cooking? ›

Parsnips 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. The parsnip is a root vegetable related to both carrots and parsley (and, come to think of it, don't the tops of carrots look a lot like parsley?).

A parsnip is a long, tapered root vegetable. It resembles a carrot in this way, and indeed they are part of the same family. But parsnips don't taste like carrots. They're sweeter—think sweet potatoes—and they have a delicious naturally nutty or earthy flavor.

The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae.

To eat parsnips raw, simply wash, peel, and cut them up. They are sweet and delicious and make a great salad paired with sliced apples, walnuts, and a sharp-tasting green such as arugula. Parsnips can also be boiled, steamed, sautéed, roasted, or fried. Wash and peel parsnips and cut into “sticks” about 1 ½” thick.

Roasted parsnips pair well with just about anything. Try serving them up as the perfect side dish alongside hearty mains such as Creamy Coconut & Red Lentil Curry, Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta, or Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup. Golden parsnips are also a popular side to serve with Christmas dinner.

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.

To prepare: Very small parsnips don't need peeling, just wash them and top and tail. Medium to large parsnips should be peeled and chopped into even-sized chunks, halves or quarters. To cook: Cook in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender.

Both parsnips and carrots come from the same family, but where they differ most is their flavor. Parsnips have a sweeter, licorice-like taste with a hint of spice to them, as opposed to the carrot's sweetness that is more reminiscent of other types of winter squash.

They can be eaten raw — it's just not as common. Most of the flavor in parsnips is right below the skin, so it's best just to give them a good scrubbing rather than peel too much of the outer layer. Larger roots may have a woody core which should be cut out and discarded or saved for stock.

Why is there a parsnip shortage? ›

Persistent rain since October has delayed crop planting and harvests, affecting the availability of parsnips, potatoes, carrots, and more. We are currently experiencing a notable supply gap in fresh produce during the transition between seasons, particularly in the UK and Spain.

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.

Parsley roots are a pale creamy-white, like a parsnip, but less yellow, and are thin and slender like a carrot. They lack that woody part to their roots that large parsnips have, being tender all the way up like a carrot. They taste predominately of parsley, but also of celeriac and parsnip.

They are a nutritional powerhouse packed with vitamins B, C, E, K, and potassium. What sets parsnips apart is their low-calorie content and high fiber, making them an excellent alternative to starchy vegetables like potatoes.

Parsnips have a sweeter, licorice-like taste with a hint of spice to them, as opposed to the carrot's sweetness that is more reminiscent of other types of winter squash. Turnips are another root vegetable that is often compared to parsnips, but the two are from completely different families.

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.

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.

“The main ones being fertiliser up 30-50 per cent, energy and agrichemicals up 15-20 per cent, and plant and machinery costs up 30 per cent.” Inflated parsnip prices at retail have visibly not dented sales at home, but have negatively impacted exports abroad, says Poskitt.