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Home » Recipes » Parsnip recipes: 48 seasonal ideas for fall & winter

Modified: Jan 2, 2023 by Vee

Parsnip recipes: 48 seasonal ideas for fall & winter

Parsnips are in season from September through March, so you'll see a lot of roasting, soups, and stews to go with the cooler temperatures. These parsnip recipes are organized into 9 categories and I hope you enjoy them throughout the entire season.

Jump to:
  • What do parsnips pair with?
  • Roasted
  • In the oven
  • On the stove top
  • Mashed & pureed
  • Fries
  • Raw
  • Soup
  • A full meal
  • Baked goods

What do parsnips pair with?

Parsnips are sweet and nutty, especially when roasted. Darker sugars and warm baking spices enhance those flavors, whereas most green herbs nicely complement them.

Parsnips also work well with licorice flavors like tarragon, star anise and fennel. Juniper berries are the main flavor in gin, which is why both of those also pair well.

  • Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, dates, and brown sugar
  • Herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage, bay, parsley, marjoram, and tarragon
  • Spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, mustard seed, cumin, cardamom, caraway, star anise, juniper berries
  • Nuts: pine nuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts
  • Fruits: apples, pears, kumquats, limes, and oranges
  • Vegetables: carrots, celery root, garlic, and fennel
  • Drinks: cider, gin, and stout beers

Discover even more flavors from this food pairing tool.

Roasted

Arguably the easiest way to enjoy parsnips is to toss them with some oil and spices, then roast until soft and caramelized. Many of these recipes use maple syrup, brown sugar, and honey to bring out the sweetness when roasting.

Maple roasted parsnips with tahini-honey dressing and hazelnuts recipe by Carolines Cooking
Maple roasted parsnips with tahini-honey dressing and hazelnuts
Cinnamon & brown sugar roasted parsnips and grapes recipe by Running to the Kitchen
Cinnamon & brown sugar roasted parsnips and grapes
Honey roasted parsnips with pecans, pomegranate, and feta recipe by Hurry the Food Up
Honey roasted parsnips with pecans, pomegranate, and feta
Roasted parsnips with romesco sauce recipe by Feasting At Home
Roasted parsnips with romesco sauce
Coffee glazed, roasted vegetables with mascarpone polenta recipe by The Floating Kitchen
Coffee glazed, roasted vegetables with mascarpone polenta
Garlic butter roasted parsnips recipe by A Spicy Perspective
Garlic butter roasted parsnips

In the oven

Whether roasting or baking, there are a lot of oven-based parsnip recipes worth trying. Maple flavors continue to show up here, but don't overlook other pairings like a cheesy gratin or a panzanella salad with pumpkin bread.

Parsnip and carrot rostis with mushrooms & wensleydale sauce recipe by Kitchen Sanctuary
Parsnip and carrot rostis with mushrooms & wensleydale sauce
Autumn harvest panzanella salad with pumpkin bread recipe by The Floating Kitchen
Autumn harvest panzanella salad with pumpkin bread
Maple spiced winter vegetable & kale bowl recipe by The Floating Kitchen
Maple spiced winter vegetable & kale bowl
Healthy autumn nourish bowls recipe by My Diary of Us
Healthy autumn nourish bowls
Maple glazed acorn squash stuffed with apple & parsnip recipe by Feasting at Home
Maple glazed acorn squash stuffed with apple & parsnip
Parsnip gratin with gruyere and thyme recipe by Feasting at Home
Parsnip gratin with gruyere and thyme

On the stove top

Parsnips can be pan-roasted, but also prepared in several other ways on the stove top. This method cooks faster and the caramelized notes are more subtle than when roasted in the oven.

Larger parsnips can have a woody core that might be more noticeable with this cooking method. Either buy small to medium sized parsnips, or consider cutting away the core.

Pan roasted parsnips with ginger, turmeric, and coriander recipe by Savory Spin
Pan roasted parsnips with ginger, turmeric, and coriander
Winter vegetable curry recipe by The Cookie Rookie
Winter vegetable curry
Sweet potato, turnip, and parsnip latkes recipe by Kitchen Confidante
Sweet potato, turnip, and parsnip latkes
Chicken sausage fall vegetable hash recipe by Nutmeg Nanny
Chicken sausage fall vegetable hash

Mashed & pureed

Parsnips are excellent when mashed, but don't think they'll fool anyone as a substitute for mashed potatoes. You have to be interested in and work with the flavor of parsnips.

One reason people like using parsnips is they can be healthier than potatoes if you are concerned about blood sugar. While parsnips have more sugar than potatoes, they have a lower glycemic index.

Coffee-crusted venison chops with apple parsnip puree recipe by Reclaiming Yesterday
Coffee-crusted venison chops with apple parsnip puree
Creamy parsnip puree recipe by The Delicious Spoon
Creamy parsnip puree
Rustic parsnip mash recipe by Salt & Lavender
Rustic parsnip mash
Mashed potatoes and parsnips with chives & parsley by Simply Recipes
Mashed potatoes and parsnips with chives & parsley
Parsnip & cauliflower puree recipe by Love & Lemons
Parsnip & cauliflower puree
Crock pot rosemary carrot & parsnip mash (paleo) recipe by Cotter Crunch
Crock pot rosemary carrot & parsnip mash (paleo)

Fries

Move over sweet potato fries, parsnip are the new fall fries. Sweet and nutty, they are a great fall side dish. Here are several recipes to get you started.

Loaded parsnip fries recipe by Cook at Home Mom
Loaded parsnip fries
Rosemary garlic parsnip fries recipe by Running to the Kitchen
Rosemary garlic parsnip fries
Baked parsnip fries with garlic yogurt sauce recipe by Went There 8 This
Baked parsnip fries with garlic yogurt sauce
Curry roasted parsnip fries recipe by Minimalist Baker
Curry roasted parsnip fries
Parsnip fries with truffle oil recipe by Paleo Grubs
Parsnip fries with truffle oil
Baked parsnip chips by My Pretty Brown Fit & Eats
Baked parsnip chips

Raw

While carrots are very commonly eaten raw, parsnips aren't. They definitely can be and are great with a good dip on a veggie platter or in salads and slaws.

Parsnips do oxidize (turn brown) when cut, so be sure to toss them with lemon juice or a vinegar-based dressing to keep them looking fresh.

Pickled crudité recipe by California Grown
Pickled crudité
Raw parsnip salad with dates & sage vinaigrette recipe by It's a Veg World Afterall
Raw parsnip salad with dates & sage vinaigrette
Winter root vegetable slaw recipe by Simply Recipes
Winter root vegetable slaw

Soup

There are plenty of parsnip recipes for soup because their flavor and texture works so well.

If you have larger parsnips with a woody core, consider using them in soups as the core will completely soften once pureed. They might lend a very slight bitter flavor, but most people can't detect that.

Also, if you have parsnips that have gotten soft (but not slimy and don't smell bad), they are still safe to eat. Pureed soups are a great way to give them one last chance before they are composted.

Parsnip soup with leeks & parsley by Simply Recipes
Parsnip soup with leeks & parsley
Carrot, parsnips, and red lentil soup recipe by Supergolden Bakes
Carrot, parsnips, and red lentil soup
Honey roasted garlic, parsnip, and cauliflower soup recipe by Whole Food Bellies
Honey roasted garlic, parsnip, and cauliflower soup
Spicy parsnip & sweet potato soup recipe by Kitchen Sanctuary
Spicy parsnip & sweet potato soup
Roasted parsnip & celery root soup with gremolata croutons recipe by Food Worth Feed
Roasted parsnip & celery root soup with gremolata croutons
Roasted garlic & parsnip soup with sage-lemon butter recipe by Love & Olive Oil
Roasted garlic & parsnip soup with sage-lemon butter

A full meal

Bring it all together with a meal that's well paired with complimentary flavors. For example, the Guinness stew works in the stout-parsnip paring, while the chicken thigh recipe uses herbs that pair well with both apricots and parsnips.

Harvest pork cider stew recipe by Dishing up the Dirt
Harvest pork cider stew
Healthy shepherd's pie with parsnip puree topping recipe by The Modern Proper
Healthy shepherd's pie with parsnip puree topping
Chicken thighs with root vegetables and apricot preserves by Recipe Runner
Chicken thighs with root vegetables and apricot preserves
1-hour fall pot pies recipe by Minimalist Baker
1-hour fall pot pies
Coffee-crusted venison chops with apple parsnip puree recipe by Reclaiming Yesterday
Coffee-crusted venison chops with apple parsnip puree
Guiness beef stew slow cooker recipe by Simply Recipes
Slow cooker Guinness beef stew

Baked goods

Parsnips were used as a sweetener in Europe before sugar became a staple import.

Think of using parsnips in baking like you would carrots for a carrot cake. The idea is similar. In fact, they have about the same amount of sugar as carrots, even more so when picked in winter (they get sweeter after frosts).

Parsnip spice cake with maple-pecan buttercream recipe by Natural Contents
Parsnip spice cake with maple-pecan buttercream
Lemon poppy seed & parsnip muffins recipe by Veggie Desserts
Lemon poppy seed & parsnip muffins
Parsnip buttermilk biscuits recipe by Caroline's Cooking
Parsnip buttermilk biscuits
Parsnip walnut muffins recipe by The View from Great Island
Parsnip walnut muffins

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