I feel like parsnips are seriously underappreciated. I know they don't look like much, but what they lack in appearance they make up for in the flavour department.
They're little bit sweet and a little bit nutty, and pair beautifully with all sorts of fall and winter flavours.
Parsnips are often served as a soup or puree, or braised in soups and stews, but my hands-down favourite way to enjoy parsnips is to roast them until they're meltingly soft and dark brown around the edges.
Cider-Roasted Parsnips is the Perfect Side Dish for Fall
Roasted parsnips are an essential dish in British cuisine, where they're commonly served with the traditional Sunday roast and are one of the trimmings that often accompany Christmas dinner.
This version takes the traditional roasted parsnip recipe and adds a little splash of sweet apple cider and maple syrup for a boost of fall flavour. As they bake, the cider reduces into a glossy glaze that bumps up the sweetness level, though a dash of cider vinegar balances things out by adding a much-needed pop of acidity.
The beauty of this dish is that it looks beautiful and tastes amazing, but requires just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep work. No fuss, no muss.
How to Prepare Roasted Parsnips
Roasted parsnips are one of the simplest side dishes you can prepare this time of year. To achieve delicious caramelized perfection, you just need to follow this simple formula:
- Pick Smaller Parsnips: Bigger parsnips tend to get a tough woody core, so try to pick smaller parsnips if you can. That said, if all you can get is big fat parsnips, never fear - just cut out the woody core and carry on with the recipe.
- Peel and Cut Into Matchsticks: Parsnips can be a little challenging to cut into similar-sized pieces, because they're kind of cone shaped with a fat top and a really skinny bottom. I find the best way to work around this is to cut into 2" lengths, and then cut the skinny bottom part in half, the next part in quarters, and the top part (if I have a really long parsnip) into sixths.
- Toss with Oil and Seasoning: Toss the parsnips with oil in a large bowl to make sure they get evenly coated. Add lots of salt and pepper, and whatever other seasonings you want. Another one of my favourite combos is a splash of maple syrup and a generous dash of powdered ginger.
- Don't Crowd the Pan: Use a large baking pan, and spread out the parsnips into an even layer so that there's room for all the liquid in the pan to cook off. If the pan is too crowded, the parsnips will steam instead, and won't get those lovely crispy edges you're looking for.
- Roast in High Heat: The hotter the oven, the sweeter the parsnips. I find the sweet spot is around 450F, which gets you the perfect blend of tender softness and dark brown caramelization. Make sure to give the tray a shake partway through the roasting process to help the parsnips cook evenly.
More Ways to Enjoy Parsnips
While roasting is by far and away my most favourite way to enjoy parsnips, they're equally delicious in soups, stews, casseroles, and yes, even dessert.
Here are two oldies-but-goodies from my archives that feature parsnips:
And here are a few more delicious parsnip recipes from some of my favourite bloggers:
- Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup from Crumb Top Baking
- Parsnip Corn Chowder from The Yum Yum Factor
- Creamy Parsnip Puree from The Food Blog
- Parsnip Crisps from Food Meanderings
- Sausage and Veggie Bake from Family Bites
- Five Spice Pear and Parsnip Cake from My Sweet Mess
//
Print
Sweet and Sticky Cider Roasted Parsnips
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A splash of apple cider and maple enhances the natural sweetness of roasted parsnips in this easy-as-can-be side dish. Perfect for pairing with roast chicken or pan-fried pork chops.
Ingredients
-
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 2" sticks
- ¼ cup sweet apple cider
-
2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
-
½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, toss parsnips with cider, olive oil, cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Tumble onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast in preheated oven, tossing occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the cider has completely evaporated and parsnips are tender and lightly caramelized around the edges.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Canadian
Kelly Neil says
Oh my goodness apple cider vinegar and maple syrup?! Together?! you are a freakin' genius!! These look AMAZING!! Shared!
★★★★★
Bhawana says
oh my god. loving this crispies made using parsnips. bookmarking your recipe to try out. fabulous idea.
★★★★★
Jamie says
I love the combination of apple cider and maple syrup! What a great flavor combination!
★★★★★
Terri Gilson says
I wasn't a parsnip fan when I was a kid because I only ever had them boiled, but roasting them in a GAME CHANGER! And these are roasted with all my fave flavours - yum!
★★★★★
Lizet Bowen says
Mmm, I love the cider and maple addition.
★★★★★
Sean@Diversivore says
Heck yes. I love parsnips but I don't make them often enough. This is a perfect, simple, tasty, go-to kind of recipe! The cider vinegar is such a great idea too (love that distinctive sweet/sour flavour with root veggies). Great stuff!
★★★★★
Alexandra says
Such a delicious side dish! I really appreciated you including the tips on finding the best parsnips also :)
★★★★★
Ann says
It’s very cool that I saw this recipe on your blog! I just have parsnips now in my refregerator. It is quite a specific product, and usually I add it to vegetable pillow for fish disges. But the most common problem with roots is that they are not really universal in culinary, and we cook something from them 1-2 times, and then I forget about this product. Your recipe is very original and it is a great alternative to french fries. I like that it is possible to cook a wide variety of sauces, and it will be delicious anyway. Thank you for the idea!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks, Ann. I love the idea of pairing parsnips with fish... that's a combination I haven't tried before, but it sounds delicious!
SugarLoveSpices says
We simply add them to soups or puree but this way are much tastier! Next time we get parsnips we'll try them roasted like this!
★★★★★
Cathy says
I love this! What a great side dish for autumn dinners! It's naturally sweetened with an excellent blend of flavours.
★★★★★
Sharon says
These look very good! I've only tried parsnips once and it was a recipe that called for them to be baked with almond butter. It didn't knock my socks off and parsnips kind of fell off my radar. Well they are back on it now with this recipe! I love roasted veg in the fall and winter. Thanks for sharing this Isabelle!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Yeah, that doesn't sound like it would be a great intro to the the wonderful world of parsnips. I don't blame you for writing them off. :)
Hopefully you'll give them another try, though... I promise this recipe will restore your faith in the deliciousness of parsnips!
Colleen says
Oh my these look so yummy! I love parsnips but have never tried them like this. Which I must remedy asap. The apple cider addition sounds amazing. Thank for the shout out on my recipe, too!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Anytime, Colleen! Your recipe looks amazing. :)
Leanne says
I love parsnip so I'll have to give this a try! Such a great side dish for the holidays! And thanks for the shout out on my soup recipe!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks, Leanne. Your soup look delicious... it's on my list of things to make later this week, because it's about to get cooooooold here in Toronto.
Bernice Hill says
So. Much. YUM. Thank goodness my parsnip hating kids are out of the house now. I can make these all damn day! Seriously, though this is such a great idea and should be nice and tasty!
★★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks, Bernice! I guess there are perks to being an empty nester. :)