Puréed Roasted Parsnips

Roasted parsnips are a distinctive alternative to mashed potatoes. This easy parsnip recipe caramelizes the parsnips by roasting them before puréeing and mashing them with butter, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated March 16, 2022
Elise Bauer
Parsnip Puree
Elise Bauer

The easiest way to prepare parsnips is to slice them, steam them, and dress them with butter and salt.

The Best Way to Cook Parsnips: Roast Them!

However, to get the fullest, richest flavor from the parsnips, they should be roasted. The browning caramelizes the natural sugars in the parsnips.

In this recipe, we first roast the parsnips with some butter, then purée them with added water. It's quite simple, but if you've never had parsnips this way, you're in for a treat!

roasted pureed parsnips
Elise Bauer

What Are Parsnips and When Are They in Season?

Parsnips are root vegetables that look like white carrots, and they're in the carrot family. They're in season from fall to spring, but you can usually buy them at the grocery store year round. They have an earthy, mildly sweet flavor, and in this recipe, they're roasted to make their flavor even fuller.

How to Choose and Prep Parsnips 

If you know how to spot a good carrot, you'll be able to spot a good parsnip. Look for the smaller parsnips because they're more tender and flavorful. If the parsnips are soft, dried-out looking, or have blemishes on them, they're past their prime.

More Parsnip Recipes to Try!



From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Puréed Roasted Parsnips

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds parsnips (about 1 1/2 pounds after removing cores)

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted (can substitute extra virgin olive oil)

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1/8 teaspoon dried nutmeg

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

  2. Prep the parsnips:

    Peel parsnips, make a cut off the top of the fat end of each parsnip. This will show you the extent of the inner core.

    Often this core is stringy and woody, especially at the larger end of the parsnip. When you are prepping the parsnips, cut around this core.

    three whole parsnips
    Elise Bauer
    tough core of parsnip
    Elise Bauer
  3. Toss with the melted butter and place in a roasting pan:

    Place chopped parsnips in a medium sized bowl, add the melted butter and stir to coat. Lay out the parsnips on a roasting pan in a single layer.

    toss chopped parsnips with melted butter, lay out in roasting pan
    Elise Bauer
    roasted chopped parsnips
    Elise Bauer
  4. Roast in the oven:

    Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden, turning the parsnips once half-way through the cooking.

  5. Purée the cooked parsnips:

    Put cooked parsnips into a blender or food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups water, and pulse until puréed to the desired consistency. Add more water if necessary.

  6. Season:

    Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
238 Calories
9g Fat
39g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 169mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 8g 29%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 29mg 147%
Calcium 90mg 7%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 836mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.