How to Cook Parsnips

Parsnips are a root vegetable similar to carrots, and they have a sweet, nutty flavor. They are off-white to pale yellow and are high in vitamin C. Parsnips can be cooked in various ways to release their tender, gentle sweetness and are often added to stews. They can also be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a medley of squash, carrots, and other vegetables. Here's how to cook parsnips in various ways!

Ingredients

Baked Parsnips

  • 1-1/2 lbs. parsnips
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper

Fried Parsnips

  • 6 parsnips
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
  • 1/2 cup melted butter

Roasted Parsnips

  • 2 lbs. medium parsnips
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tsp. chopped Italian parsley
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Roasted Parsnips

  1. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 17
    1
    Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
  2. 2
    Prepare the parsnips. To prepare the parsnips, wash 2 lbs. of medium parsnips under cold water, peel them, and cut them diagonally into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) slices. The result should resemble uneven medallions.
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  3. 3
    Toss the parsnips, olive oil, and salt together in a bowl. Toss 2 lbs. of medium parsnips, 2 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 tsp. of Kosher salt together in a bowl.
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    4
    Spread the parsnips in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Dot them with 2 tbsp. of melted butter.
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    5
    Roast the parsnips for 20 minutes.
  6. 6
    Use tongs to turn the parsnips and roast them for another 15 minutes. Roast them until they're brown and tender. Then, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a plate.
  7. 7
    Season the parsnips. Season the parsnips with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle them with 2 tsp. of finely chopped fresh Italian parsley.
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    8
    Serve. Enjoy these parsnips while they are hot.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Baked Parsnips

  1. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 1
    1
    Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC).[1]
  2. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 2
    2
    Prepare the parsnips. Trim the root and leaf ends of 1-1/2 lbs. of parsnips. Scrub them with a vegetable brush as you rinse them under cool water. Peel the parsnips and julienne them, cutting them into long thin strips similar to the shape of long French fries.
  3. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 3
    3
    Place the parsnips in an ungreased 2-qt baking dish.
  4. 4
    Dot them with 1/4 cup of melted butter.
  5. 5
    Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. The parsnips should be submerged in the water, which will cook them once it boils in the oven.
  6. 6
    Sprinkle the parsnips with the spices. Sprinkle the parsnips with 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. of dried parsley flakes, 1/4 tsp. of salt, and 1/8 tsp. of pepper.
  7. 7
    Cover the baking dish and bake the parsnips for 45 minutes or until they are tender. After 35 minutes or so, you can check to see how tender they are by poking them with a fork.
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    8
    Serve. Enjoy these parsnips while they are hot. You can enjoy them on their own or as a side to a meat or vegetable-based dish, such as chicken or eggplant.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Fried Parsnips

  1. 1
    Prepare the parsnips. Trim the root and leaf ends of 6 parsnips. Scrub them with a vegetable brush as you rinse them under cool water. Then, peel them and use a knife to quarter them lengthwise.[2]
  2. 2
    Cover the parsnips with water in a large saucepan. Cover the saucepan.
  3. 3
    Boil the parsnips over medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Boil them until they are tender. After 7 minutes, you can check them by poking them with a fork. When they are boiled, drain them to remove the water.
  4. 4
    Combine the flour and seasoning salt in a plastic bag. Place 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. of seasoning salt in a sealable plastic bag and shake it to combine the ingredients.
  5. 5
    Dip the parsnips into 1/2 cup of melted butter and place them in the bag. To coat the parsnips, shake the bag to toss them with the seasoned flour.
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    6
    Heat the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. It should take about one minute for the butter to be heated enough to sizzle.
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    7
    Add the parsnips and cook them until they're golden brown. After 2-3 minutes, turn them over with a spatula to cook both sides evenly. If they still need more time to be tender and golden brown, keep flipping them over or gently turning them with a fork until they are ready.
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    8
    Serve. Enjoy these fried parsnips while they are hot. You can use them as a replacement to French fries and pair them with a sandwich.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Other Ways to Cook Parsnips

  1. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 25
    1
    Boil the parsnips. Boiling parsnips is a simple and quick way to enjoy their natural flavor. Here is what you should do to boil the parsnips:
    • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water if desired.
    • Trim the root and leaf ends of the parsnips.
    • Scrub the parsnips with a vegetable brush while rinsing under cool water. Peel any part of the outer parsnip that is not favorable to eating.
    • Place the parsnips into the boiling water and reduce to a simmer.
    • Cook for 5 - 15 minutes, until the parsnips are tender.
  2. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 26
    2
    Steam the parsnips. Steaming the parsnips is another quick and easy way to cook them that does not require the use of butter or other spices during the process -- you can add any butter, salt, pepper, or other spices later. Here is how you can steam the parsnips:
    • Trim the root and leaf ends of the parsnips.
    • Scrub the parsnips with a vegetable brush while rinsing under cool water.
    • Peel any part of the outer parsnip that is not favorable to eating.
    • Put the whole parsnips into a steamer and place over boiling water.
    • Steam for 20 - 30 minutes.
  3. Image titled Cook Parsnips Step 27
    3
    Microwave the parsnips. Once you've trimmed the root and leaf ends of the parsnips and scrubbed them under cool water, there are only a few things you need to do to cook the parsnips in the microwave. Here is how you do it:
    • Quarter the parsnips lengthwise.
    • Put 2 tbsp. (28.56 ml) of water into a microwave safe dish.
    • Place the parsnips into the dish and cover.
    • Microwave on high for 4 - 6 minutes.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I cook parsnips in stew?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Treat them like you would carrots. Chop them up small and put them in with the rest of your vegetables, seasoning, herbs, meat, etc. Cook your stew in a slow cooker or simmer for a few hours.
  • Question
    Can parsnips be boiled and mashed like squash or potatoes?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Of course- carrot and parsnip mash goes great with any meat dish - just remember the carrots take longer to cook!
  • Question
    Can parsnips be mixed into minestrone soup?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes. Minestrone soup can, and frequently does, contain parsnips. Chop them up very small though.
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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

  • Parsnips
  • Baking Dish
  • Pot
  • Microwave Safe Dish
  • Baking Sheet
  • Vegetable Brush
  • Vegetable Peeler
  • Knife
  • Olive Oil
  • Seasonings


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References

  1. ↑ http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/baked-parsnips
  2. ↑ http://allrecipes.com/recipe/butter-fried-parsnips/

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 516,186 times.
18 votes - 91%
Co-authors: 19
Updated: January 21, 2022
Views: 516,186
Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Article SummaryX

To cook parsnips on the stovetop, first place 6 parsnips in a pot and fill it with enough water to cover them. Boil the parsnips over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until they’re tender. Drain the pot and set the parsnips aside. Next, add ¼ cup (30 g) of all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt to a resealable bag. Then melt ½ cup (110 g) of butter and dip the parsnips into the butter and place them in the bag. Shake the bag to coat the parsnips with the flour mixture. Heat the leftover butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the parsnips to the skillet. Finally, cook the parsnips, turning them every so often, until each side is golden brown. Keep reading if you want to learn how to fry parsnips!

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