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A truly underrated member of the root vegetable family, these easy oven roasted parsnips are sweet, packed full of flavor, and make the perfect side dish for a holiday table.
Roasting parsnips is the easiest way to prepare this delicious carrot-shaped veggie – with some fresh seasonings and olive oil, you get wonderfully crispy outsides and fluffy, tender insides. When perfectly cooked, you’ll have caramelized roast parsnips that deserve to take center stage at potlucks, family dinners, or as part of your holiday dinners.
Table of contents
Watch the video tutorial
What you need for roasted parsnips
- Parsnips: choose firm white, small to medium parsnips. Larger parsnips tend to have a tough, woody core, whereas smaller parsnips have a better texture and take less time to cook.
- Olive Oil
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder. These all complement the sweet taste of the parsnip – but you can experiment with different seasonings and herbs.
- Parsley: (optional) to garnish.
How to roast parsnips in the oven
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
Prepare the Parsnips: Wash the parsnips thoroughly – if you are using the skin, I recommend using a small veggie brush to make sure you get all the dirt out. If you are not using the skin then peel the parsnips, saving the shredded skins to the side. Cut the parsnips equally into 1-inch thick circles – this is going to help them cook evenly.
Season: Add your parsnip circles to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Drizzle over the olive oil and seasoning and toss well to make sure all of the parsnips are equally coated in the oil and seasonings.
Roast: roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 400ºF/ 200ºC – checking after 20 minutes. Be sure to flip halfway through roasting so both sides of the roasted parsnips are cooked. Roasted parsnips should be fork-tender when they’re fully cooked.
Storage instructions
Fridge: Let your roasted parsnips cool before transferring them to an airtight container and into the refrigerator. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Freezer: I prefer not to freeze parsnips as they take on extra moisture and tend to get mushy. However, if you want to freeze roasted parsnips, allow them to cool before transferring to a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag – they should keep for 2-3 months.
To Reheat: If you’re using frozen, roasted parsnips are best reheated directly from frozen to prevent too much mushiness. Microwave the parsnips in 30-second increments or reheat in the oven at 325ºF/160ºC or in a frying pan with a little butter or oil until warm and slightly crispy.
What to do with parsnip peel?
Parsnip peel is edible and peeling parsnips is completely optional. Just make sure you clean the parsnips really well with a brush before cutting them up. You can easily turn them into parsnip peel chips.
Toss the peels in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking tray and bake for the last 10-12 minutes of your parsnip cooking time. They’ll cook at the same temperature (400ºF/200ºC). Remember to flip them halfway through.
Serving suggestions
Roasted parsnips are an easy addition to any holiday or everyday dinner table and are easily mixed with other hearty veggies like potatoes, rutabaga (turnip/swede), onions, or sweet potatoes.
If you’re serving them as a side dish, pair them with simple grilled protein for an easy weekday dinner – they’re especially good with grilled steak, grilled chicken, or an easy baked salmon.
More roasting recipes
If you try this roasted parsnips recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Easy Oven Roasted Parsnips
Ingredients
- 2 lb parsnips 8 medium sized ones
- 3 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley optional – for garnish
Check the Recipe Notes below for optional add-ins!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
- Wash the parsnips thoroughly and peel them. The skin is edible so you can leave it on – but make sure to wash the parsnips thoroughly and scrub with a veggie brush.
- Cut into medium size rounds with around 1 inch (2 cm) thickness.
- Spread the parsnips across a parchment-lined baking tray and drizzle with the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.Toss well with your hands to make sure the parsnips are well coated and redistribute them so they aren’t too close together.
- Transfer the tray to the preheated oven and roast for up to 25-30 minutes (flipping them halfway), or until they become tender (use a fork to check).
How to Store
- Store: allow the roasted parsnips to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.Freeze: I prefer not to (as they become mushy). However, you can freeze the cooled parsnips in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for several months. Reheat from frozen for the least mushy results.Reheat: you can microwave the parsnips (in 30-second increments – though they’ll be soft). Alternatively, reheat in the oven (at 325ºF/160ºC) or on the stovetop (with a little butter/oil) until warm and slightly crispy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
