Today I’m sharing a simple recipe for the best vegetable side dish you’ve never heard of: roasted parsnips.
When baked in a 400F oven, parsnips take on the texture of roasted potatoes with irresistibly golden brown exteriors and caramelized flavor. Who can say no to that? Paired with my all-purpose roasted vegetable seasoning and they are downright addictive.
So if this will be your first time trying parsnips, this recipe, my friend, is the perfect introduction.
Parsnips are a root vegetable that shares the shape and slightly sweet flavor of carrots with a peppery flavor. They are cream-white in color and have a starchy texture, but all of this changes in the oven.
You’ll find parsnips in abundance during fall and through early spring. It’s a great time to take advantage of their delicious benefits and roast them with oil and seasonings. It’s one of my favorite ways to turn vegetables that usually go uneaten into a dish everyone will be asking for seconds like we did with Roasted Radishes & Carrots.
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.
What do Roasted Parsnips Taste Like?
While parsnips aren’t exactly appealing raw, they acquire a nutty, caramelized taste and fork-tender texture when roasted. That’s because roasting brings out the natural sugars in vegetables, giving them a depth of flavor that can’t be achieved when steamed.
How to Cut Parsnips
Once the parsnips are washed and peeled, cut them into ½-inch thick rounds or strips. You want them to be the same shape and size, so they cook evenly, and all the pieces finish simultaneously.
You can also peel and slice parsnips a few nights before cooking, but they do brown when cut and exposed to air, so store them in an airtight container filled with water and 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.
How to Clean & Peel Parsnips Vegetables
FAQ
Can you leave skin on parsnips when roasting?
Is it necessary to peel parsnips?
Do parsnips go brown after peeling?
Do you peel parsnips before roasting?
Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any desired herbs or spices. Roast in a preheated oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. Enjoy the delicious nutty and sweet flavor of roasted parsnips without the hassle of peeling. When it comes to cooking parsnips, most people peel them before roasting.
Can diabetics eat parsnips?
Cooked chopped parsnips contain about 5 grams of natural sugar per cup. Although parsnips are considered a high glycemic index food, a one-half to one cup serving has a low to medium glycemic load so they will not spike blood sugar. Put another way, parsnips are a low glycemic load food and can be included in a diet for diabetics especially when consumed in reasonable portion sizes. In general, consuming foods with high glycemic index or glycemic load values can cause blood sugar concentrations to rise more quickly, which results in greater insulin secretion by the pancreas. Ongoing elevated blood glucose levels and excessive insulin secretion are thought to play roles in the development of type 2 diabetes. For diabetics and pre-diabetics, choosing nutrient rich parsnips and other low-glycemic carbohydrates as part of an overall healthy diet is prudent.
Should you boil parsnips before roasting?
It’s up to your preference, but it is not necessary to boil parsnips before roasting them. If you want a softer texture, you can boil them first. However, they will cook up perfectly well if they go straight into the oven. Should Parsnips Be Peeled Before Roasting? Yes.
Can you eat roasted parsnips?
While parsnips can be consumed in all different ways – raw, mashed, sauteed, boiled, or as soup – we are partial to this roasted option. When you roast a parsnip, it gets caramelized and the natural sweetness comes out. It also gets those little browned, crispy edges that are hard to beat with roasted vegetables.