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Renae Wilson
Renae Wilson
Originally from South Carolina with family roots in East Texas, Renae has been based in Brooklyn for 13 years. A U.S. Navy vet, Renae used her Montgomery GI Bill to fund her culinary & pastry education at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Graduating in 2015, she has since worked as a private chef, freelanced in test kitchens developing in recipes, testing cookbooks for prominent authors, and catering. More recently, she made her debut in the pop-up world serving Southern comfort food under the name “Dear Henry”. A color and glitter enthusiast, her hobbies include budget traveling the world so that she can eat more, dancing, crocheting, engaging in various tomfoolery, baking, and frying the hell out of some chicken cutlets.
published Jul 23, 2021
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This quick sheet pan roasted parsnips side dish has a rich flavor profile thanks to a dukkah spice mix.
Serves4Prep15 minutesCook30 minutesJump to Recipe
Jump to Recipe
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When it comes to vegetables, parsnips fly totally under the radar.Although the root vegetable is shaped similarly to a carrot, its flavor is a little more challenging to pinpoint than its orange brethren.There’s a slight sweetness and earthiness, along with nutty notes and a subtle zippiness that’s almost like celery root.
When thinking of where I would use a parsnip, I follow this guideline: Anywhere that a potato can go, a parsnip can go.It’s just as easy to prep — all you have to do is peel the skin and decide if you want to roast (as we do here), mash, purée, or even leave whole. Another rule of thumb? The smaller the parsnip, the better the flavor.You can even get away with leaving the skin on younger ones.
Roasting the vegetable brings out the flavors that make them so enjoyable.Because of the underlying notes, warm seasonings tend to pair best.I chose to jazz up this easy side with dukkah. Dukkah is an Egyptian spice mix of ground nuts, seeds, and warm spices.Whether you use store-bought or homemade, just make sure to toss the mix with the parsnips when there are only a few minutes left of the cooking or else the spices will burn. Serve these alongside lamb burgers, a pork tenderloin, or just family-style like french fries.
How to Select the Best Parsnip?
When selecting parsnips, try to find ones that are around the same size to get equal roasting.Again, the younger, smaller parsnips will be sweeter and more tender.
Do You Need to Peel Parsnip?
The older and larger the parsnip, the tougher the skin.These will need to be peeled, while smaller ones can be roasted with the skin on.
What to Serve with Parsnips?
Parsnips are not only a versatile vegetable to cook with — they can also accompany many different dishes.
- Serve mashed alongside a pork tenderloin.
- Use parsnips in a beef stew with cipollini onions, red potatoes, mushrooms, and celery.
- Roast them and serve at room temperature with a salad Niçoise.
Roasted Parsnips
This quick sheet pan roasted parsnips side dish has a rich flavor profile thanks to a dukkah spice mix.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 pounds
parsnips (8 to 10 medium)
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons
dukkah or za'atar spice
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF.
Peel and trim 2 pounds parsnips. Halve each parsnip crosswise. Halve each bottom, thinner piece lengthwise. Halve the top pieces lengthwise, then cut lengthwise again into thirds or quarters so they are roughly the same size as the bottom pieces. Transfer the parsnips to a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle the parsnips with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss until evenly coated, then spread out into a single, even layer.
Roast until starting to brown on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the parsnips from the oven. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons dukkah or za’atar spice and toss until evenly coated. Spread back into an even layer.
Return the parsnips to the oven and roast until fork tender and the spices are fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The parsnips can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Roast for 25 minutes without the dukkah spice, let cool, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the dukkah or za’atar and bake for 5 minutes more.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Filed in:
Gluten-Free
Side Dish
vegan
Vegetables
vegetarian
winter
