21 Parsnip Recipes That Will Make You Fall for This Underappreciated Root Vegetable (2024)

The pale parsnip is so much more than a carrot without the color. Parsnips are delicious and interesting, and they absolutely deserve our attention. Despite the fact that they're infrequently eaten or lost in a cornucopia of side dishes at the Thanksgiving table, these hearty root vegetables have serious culinary backbone. That's why we firmly believe that parsnips should feature on our tables far more often than they do.

Parsnips are typically a cold-season root vegetable, and they're ideally harvested after the first frost (a cold snap makes them sweeter). Adaptable and healthy, high in fiber, vitamin C, and minerals (especially potassium), they are versatile enough to carry a vegetarian entrée, diversify a salad, or create a creamily comforting soup.

How do you prep and cook parsnips? They can be peeled before use, but their skins are an additional source of flavor, so scrubbing up a batch to roast is a cinch. They can be used uncooked and are refreshingly crisp in salads. They turn mellow and soft after boiling—and are easy to mash and purée—while roasting emphasizes their sweetness. They can even be used in dessert! Explore the delicious world of the parsnip with our best recipes. We promise you'll be glad you did.

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Parsnip Onion Tarte Tatin

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An upside-down savory tart that shows off the sweet side of parsnips and onions. The vegetables are cooked gently on the stovetop, then topped with store-bought puff pastry and baked—just like a tarte tatin.

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Roasted Squash and Parsnip Soup

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Your new favorite soup recipe features winter squash, parsnips, apples, and nutty brown butter. It's spiked with aromatic fresh thyme and musky sage for even more flavor.

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Carrot and Parsnip Soufflé

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Parsnips get fancy in this sublime root vegetable soufflé. Combined with their better-known, brighter-colored cousin, the carrot, they bring elegance and sweet vegetal flavor to an airy soufflé.

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Light and Bright Beef Stew

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Fresh dill and white wine balance the sweetness of parsnips and leeks in this slow-cooked and brothy beef stew. It's just the thing to make when the weather turns cold.

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Parsnip Rosemary Muffins

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Start the day with parsnips—in these delicate and not-too-sweet muffins. They're made with yogurt to keep them light, fresh rosemary makes them fragrant, and grated parsnip adds moisture and a subtle flavor.

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Shaved Parsnip and Grapefruit Salad

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The assertive flavors of bittersweet grapefruit segments and flat leaf parsley offset the sweet crispness of raw parsnip in this vibrant salad.

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Creamy Braised Parsnips With Sage

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If you already know and love roasted parsnips, you're ready for braised. Parsnips are cooked in chicken stock flavored with sage until tender, then finished with cream for serving.

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Parsnip and Pumpkin Seed Fries

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Powdering pumpkin seeds and tossing the parsnips in the nutty coating adds crunch to these caramel-chewy fries.

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Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Minty Yogurt Sauce

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Roasting emphasizes the sweetness of both root vegetables, but their textures are delightfully different: silky (carrots) and chewy (parsnips). Their combined caramels are balanced by refreshing minty yogurt and fresh thyme leaves.

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Roasted Parsnip Bread Pudding

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Brioche, parsnips, cream, eggs, and white wine come together to make this opulent bread pudding. It checks all the boxes for a main course centerpiece.

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Customizable Vegetable Soup

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For warming many hungry tummies, our customizable vegetable soup allows you to put whatever is in your pantry and refrigerator to good use, ensuring you make the most of what is on hand. Be sure to choose parsnips!

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Orecchiette with Sausage, Chard, and Parsnips

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A rewarding bowlful of sweet sausage, tender parsnips, and magnesium-rich Swiss chard is an easy and hearty reward after a long cold-weather hike.

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Slow-Cooker Root Vegetable Confit

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If you don't have a slow cooker, this recipe may convert you: parsnips, beets, carrots, and fennel are poached in a spiced oil and topped with pistachio pesto. Red wine vinegar adds essential acid to the sweet vegetables.

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Chicken Soup with Dill Spaetzle

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Abundant fresh dill brightens the dumplings in this soothing chicken and parsnip soup.

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Chorizo Parsnip and Olive Bites

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For individualized co*cktail snacks, pair spicy chorizo with warm, roasted parsnips, and salty olives.

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Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes

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Move over, carrot cake! Parsnips have arrived in cupcake town, and these moist, cardamom-rich confections will be a conversation starter.

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Winter Vegetable Red Curry

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The heat of chile is always a fine foil for the sweetness of parsnips. Spicy red curry paste and rich coconut milk pull together this mouthwatering vegetable curry.

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Spanish Clam Soup

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Briny clams, smoky paprika, fresh herbs, and sharp white wine are mellowed by soft-cooked parsnips.

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Pork with Pears and Parsnip Mash

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A beautifully smooth parsnip and potato mash is the perfect resting place for the delectable gravy in this pan-roasted pork loin.

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Roasted Parsnips with Rosemary

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These wedges of parsnip are like chunky fries, their roasted sweetness highlighted by tossing with rosemary before cooking.

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Roasted-Parsnip Soup with Chorizo

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Roasting parsnips before puréeing them adds a rich layer of flavor to this soup. The bright caper tapenade is a genius finishing touch. For a vegan version, substitute vegetable broth and skip the chorizo.

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