Parsnips are our new favorite root veggie in this month’s in-season pick—here’s what to know about them.
Late fall into winter is the perfect time to lean into cozy soup recipes and large sheet trays of roasted cold-weather veggies. But if another side dish of Brussels sprouts or broccoli is leaving you bored and tired, let us introduce you to the humble parsnip—the ultimate food to eat this December.
“They’re one of those vegetables like turnips, rutabaga, and celery root that can get people through winter months,” says Lee Jones, a farmer behind The Chef’s Garden.
Wild parsnips are thought to have come from Roman times in the southern part of Europe, around the Mediterranean, according to FoodPrint, a project led by GRACE Communications Foundation to increase public awareness of current food systems and advocate for sustainable alternatives. The parsnip was then brought north toward France, Britain, and Germany. It was even starchy food for people in Medieval Europe before potatoes came to the new world (also once the most common livestock feed).
But if you haven’t seen many parsnips on restaurant menus, or even in your supermarket, it’s worth seeking out. “They’re often overlooked by Americans, especially urban consumers,” says Juliet Glass, director of communications at FRESHFARM, a non-profit that operates producer-only farmers’ markets in the Mid-Atlantic region. The crop thrives in cold temperatures, and even notably failed in the West Indies before making its way to the Americas. But it’s slowly finding its place on farm stands, and into side dishes, all over the United States.
Parsnips grow underground, similar to a carrot, and also have a leafy-green top. But, unlike carrots, parsnips are harvested after the first frost, so the greens tend to wilt quickly and aren’t particularly flavorful. You’ll usually find the root itself sold, Glass says. Additionally, parsnips don’t grow as uniform as carrots do and typically have a long, skinny bottom and heftier top, she adds.
Though they look like their carrot cousins, they can’t be eaten raw and tend to be a little pricier, Glass says. This is because they’re planted in the spring and harvested after the fall’s first frost, so they take up quite a bit of real estate on a farm, she explains. Comparatively, carrots tend to grow faster and are more cost-effective for a farmer with limited land.
Similar to other fall foods, like apples, parsnips are put into cold storage to keep the produce fresh, crunchy, and flavorful through the winter, into early spring, says Debra Moser, co-founder of Central Farm Markets in Washington D.C.
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.
How to cook with parsnips
When you’re ready to cook your parsnips, snip any greenery left on the top (feel free to compost that, as there’s not much use for them) and wash the vegetable thoroughly to remove any dirt, Moser says.
You’ll then want to peel the parsnip and cut it lengthwise. If you find that you have a larger parsnip, or there’s a particularly woody core in the center, you can cut out the center to make it more palatable, Glass suggests. Now that you’ve prepped your parsnip, here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy it.
- Add to a soup. Moser finds parsnips are “fabulous” in soup. Glass especially loves them added and blended into potato leek soup for an extra silky texture and some sweetness. You can also add chunks of them into your chicken soup for some extra sweetness.
- Roast them with fall veggies. Moser says they’re “unbelievable” roasted, and she likes to roast them in french-fry shapes and make parsnip “fries” or alongside other root veggies like sweet potatoes and carrots for an easy side dish. Not sure where to start? Try this spice-roasted carrots and parsnips with yogurt and turmeric vinaigrette.
- Puree into a side. Glass loves that their silky texture purees into a smooth and delicious winter side dish. Pair the parsnip puree with a protein, like seared fish or roasted chicken, for a delicious winter plate.
- Sauté in butter. Warm some butter and thyme in a pan and sauté sliced pears and parsnips for a sweet and savory side dish, Glass suggests.
- Mash with potatoes. Add a little extra nutritional value by mashing parsnips into your usual mashed potato recipe, Glass says. If you need some extra guidance, try these mashed potatoes with parsnips and apple or herb smashed root veggies recipes.
- Bake. If you’re tired of classic roasted veggies, Glass encourages thin-slicing parsnips with layers of cheese and milk and making an au gratin style side dish. If you’re looking for something sweet, she said you can also mix parsnips into a parsnip cake for a slightly nuttier flavor than the classic carrot cake.
What do parsnips taste like?
The carrot adjacent veggie is deceiving and doesn’t taste much like the orange root vegetable you’re likely familiar with.
“They’re in the carrot family, but have a sweet and nuttier flavor,” Glass says. “If you like roasted vegetables or vegetables that become sweet and delicious when you cook them, you should give parsnips a try.”
They’re not often eaten raw, and cooking the parsnips gives them their signature toasted caramel-like flavor that’s essential for the cooler months. “What I like about parsnips and what they’re prized for is they’re sweet like a carrot and when they’re cooked they caramelize and have a nutty flavor that comes out,” Glass says. “They get that caramelized crunchy, crispiness or become silky so they do well roasted or in a puree.”
Larger parsnips can sometimes be a little bland, so smaller parsnips are the best choice for a more concentrated flavor that’s slightly sweeter and mild, Moser says. “They’re just delicious,” she adds.
The Difference Between Parsnips and Carrots | FUNNY Vegetable Comparison
FAQ
What do parsnips taste similar to?
Is it safe to eat a raw Parsnip?
Is a turnip and a parsnip the same thing?
What does a parsnip taste like?
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.
Are parsnips high in fat content?
Parsnips are not high in fat, Every 100 grams of parsnips provide just 0. 3 grams of fat, which is considered almost nothing. Parsnips have a high content of complex carbohydrates and fiber, and their consumption is healthy in almost all cases.
Are parsnips sweet?
A cold snap converts the roots’ starches to sugars, making them sweeter. Though parsnips are widely available throughout the fall and winter, the sweetest ones are harvested in spring. These have been overwintered (left in the ground during the winter), so they are high in natural sugars.
Are parsnips starchy?
Take parsnips, for instance. Like other root vegetables, it is starchy but is a part of the parley family. It has a blend of all flavors, from sweet to nutty to spicy to starchy in terms of taste. And once you can extract its flavor correctly in a dish, there’s no going back. What are Parsnips?