In Season: How to Cook With Parsnips

In Season: How to Cook With Parsnips
This lesser-known root vegetable deserves more love. Lubo Ivanko/Shutterstock
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Parsnips may be the paler, lesser-known cousin of the carrot, but they really deserve their day in the limelight.

This humble root vegetable, related to both the carrot and parsley, is mild and sweet with a bit of the tang and bite that you would associate with parsley. Simply treat them as you would potatoes or carrots.

I like to use them, together with onions and lemons, as a bed for roasted chicken. Cooked and pureed, they make a great side dish for roasted pork. They can add starch and substance to stews, soups, and casseroles, and they’re delicious when simply roasted, fried, or sauteed, especially after being improved with a bit of butter and rosemary.

For more inspiration, I’ve created three easy, wintery recipes to showcase parsnips in all of their glory.

First, we tackle the basic technique of roasting parsnips, a hands-off and delicious method that you can apply to all sorts of vegetables. I roast them together with potatoes, carrots, and onions for a colorful winter medley. Roasting vegetables concentrates their natural sweetness and gives them an extra depth of flavor, especially if you let the edges caramelize. Dressed with a creamy vinaigrette, this makes a wonderful side dish for roasted pork or chicken—which you can cook in the oven at the same time. Or, for a light mid-week supper, simply add a fried egg on top.

To go down a slightly different path, I roast parsnips with potatoes and leeks until they’re all sweet and caramelized. Then I puree them with broth and a bit of cream into a thick, golden, and creamy soup. You can make it as smooth and velvety or as thick and rustic as you like. I like dressing it up (or down) with different garnishes.

Finally, there’s a chunky soup that only uses the stovetop—a hearty, warming combination of vegetables and beans that captures all of the goodness and nourishment of winter’s produce. It’s like love in a bowl.

Quick Tips: Parsnips

Buying

Look for small to medium parsnips that feel firm to the touch with no bruising.

Storing

Store in the fridge for up to a week until you’re ready to use them.

Using

Scrub them clean and peel them like you would carrots.
Victoria de la Maza
Victoria de la Maza
Author
Victoria de la Maza is an award-winning cookbook author, columnist, and international TV host. Passionate about great food, she combines American traditions with her European heritage to create classic-with-a-twist recipes and ideas for stylish entertaining at home. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter, "Diary of a Serial Hostess,” at VictoriaDeLaMaza.substack.com
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