Maple Roasted Parsnips

Maple roasted parsnips are sweet, soft and sticky with an earthy, peppery and toffee-like flavour. They’re a delicious side dish for meats like chicken, turkey and pork, and vegetarian dishes like nut loaf or burger patties.

I love the sweet, earthy flavour of parsnips. Yet not everyone likes them as I do. It seems that parsnips are an acquired taste and texture.

I guess only those of you who enjoy parsnips would have found yourself on this recipe page. However, if you’re reading because you’re curious, I hope I can help you fall in love with parsnips, too—or, at the very least, combine them in your diet occasionally.

If you are looking for other side dishes to complement your meals, check out my other recipes.

What do parsnips taste like?

Parsnips are closely related to carrots. They have a similar sweetness but are more nutty and earthy in flavour. It is this flavour people either enjoy or don’t.

Or it may be the texture people don’t like, as cooked, they become quite soft. Overcooked parsnips can be mushy and, if they’re old, quite woody and dry.

I encourage you to try these roast parsnips. No pressure, but why not give them a go?

Are parsnips good for you? Nutritional benefits

Adding a variety of veggies to your meal repertoire is always a good thing.

Parsnips are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin involved in blood clotting and regulating blood calcium levels. They also contain falcarinol, a phytonutrient that may be protective against some cancers.

Not that I’m proclaiming they’re any health miracle—nothing is!

It’s about getting variety in your diet and remembering that enjoying what you eat is as important as what you’re eating. If you don’t enjoy them, why eat them?

Now, let’s get to the recipe.

Why try maple roast parsnips

In this recipe, the maple syrup brings out the parsnips’ delicate, sweet, earthy taste. They’re so good I could devour them as a snack!

Even if you’re not as enthusiastic about roast parsnips as I am, they’d be delicious alongside roast meats, veggies or nut loaf.

For this recipe, you want to use young, small-medium parsnips and cook them on high heat to give them a yummy, crispy, toffee-like coating without overcooking them.

What you need for maple syrup parsnips

To prepare this parsnip side dish, you will require:

• Parsnips: choose small young parsnips that don’t have a woody centre.
• Olive oil: is lower in saturated fat than butter, which is normally used in maple glaze. However, you can switch it with butter if that is your preference. Hey, I totally support preparing vegetables in whatever way you enjoy most.
• Maple syrup: provides a sweet caramel flavour to the parsnips. If you don’t have access to maple syrup, try dissolving brown sugar in the olive oil before coating the parsnips.
• Black pepper: freshly ground pepper provides flavour and a contrast to the shiny surface of the parsnips.
• Pinch salt: balances out the sweetness of the maple syrup and brings out the flavour of the parsnips.

You could vary the recipe by adding some sprigs of rosemary or topping with fresh herbs once cooked.

How to prepare roast parsnips

Preparing these parsnips is just a matter of tossing in the olive oil, maple syrup, pepper and salt. Then, spread on a lined baking tray and roast until golden brown and crispy. Ta-dah.

Main dishes to pair with maple parsnips

These sweet and peppery roast parsnips are great as a side to meats like roast chicken, turkey or pork, or vegetarian dishes like a lentil or nut loaf.

They are perfect for everyday dinners or a festive side dish.

How long can you keep roasted parsnips?

After cooling, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to four days.

To reheat, spread them out on a lined baking tray and warm in the oven at 180°C until they’re heated through and regain some crispiness.

Should you peel parsnips?

In this recipe, use young parsnips, unpeeled.

When young and small parsnips don’t need peeling—they simply need cleaning and can be cooked whole or cut lengthwise or into rounds.

However, older parsnips generally need peeling, as the skin can be thick. The central core, which can be fibrous, may also need to be cut out. Older, large parsnips are best kept for soups and stews.

How to store parsnips for freshness?

Unwashed parsnips should be stored in a cool, dark place along with carrots. They can also be stored in the crisper of your fridge. To extend freshness for up to two weeks, wrap them in a paper towel and place them in a plastic bag. You won’t want to keep them longer than this.

Once your parsnips have become wrinkled, shrivelled and limp, although they are still probably okay to eat, they are likely to be woody and dry. Combine them in a soup or stew before they reach this stage, or peel, pre-cut and freeze them, ready for soups. Another great option is my scrumptious parsnip cake recipe.

Maple roasted vs. maple glazed parsnips: Is there a difference?

A glaze is a translucent sweet or savoury sauce that brings shine to food and can be applied before or after cooking. It could be the icing added to doughnuts after cooking or a drizzle applied to roast pork during cooking—aka maple glazed pork.

You can cook maple glazed parsnips, such as steamed or blanched, before coating in a maple glaze.

These roasted parsnips are coated in a maple dressing before cooking, which allows the natural sugars to caramelise as they cook, creating a crispy texture while bringing out the earthy sweetness of the parsnips. Roasting in the syrup means the flavours meld together.

Have you tried this parsnip with maple syrup recipe?

I’d love to hear if you’ve tried this roasted parsnip recipe and whether you enjoyed it.

If you’d like to cook more with parsnips, you can generally substitute them where you’d use potatoes. You could even try them mashed or grated in a hash brown.

Looking for more delicious side dishes?

You could prepare roast carrots, or Brussels sprouts like these parsnips.

Carrots pair well with honey, and Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar. So, you could switch maple syrup with these.

Alternatively, you may like to try some of my other simple and delicious sides recipes, such as shaved Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and prunes or green beans with feta and almonds. Or try something more substantial like my sensational polenta chips or herby potato salad.