Maple and thyme roasted parsnips
Parsnips are never better than after the first cold snaps, and maple suits them perfectly. Roasted in a hot oven, then glazed with maple syrup and fresh thyme, they turn golden, caramelized and tender. Here is the recipe, with the trick for coring big parsnips and the method for freezing some.
Parsnips are one of the nice surprises of the fall markets, and roasted, they are hard to beat: in a hot oven, their edges brown and caramelize, their centres turn tender, and a drizzle of maple syrup toward the end brings out their sweetness. Fresh thyme adds just enough fragrance to balance it all.
Our version draws on two published recipes, the maple thyme roasted carrots and parsnips published by Chatelaine and Nigella Lawson's maple-roast parsnips, published by Food Network. For everything about parsnips, from harvest to cold room, see our guide to fall root vegetables.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Season
- Fall and winter
- Rating
- Not rated yet
Ingredients
- 900 g (2 lb) parsnips, or 6 to 8 medium parsnips
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive or canola oil
- 2 ml (½ tsp) salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) pure maple syrup
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 5 ml (1 tsp) dried thyme
To serve
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Fleur de sel (optional)
Directions
- Preheat. Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 220°C (425°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare. Scrub and peel the parsnips. Cut them in half lengthwise, then cut the biggest ones into quarters and remove their woody core. Trim the pieces so they are all about the same thickness, 1 to 1.5 cm.
- Coat. Put the parsnips on the baking sheet, drizzle them with oil, season with salt and pepper and toss with your hands. Spread them in a single layer, cut side down.
- Roast. Roast for 20 minutes, until the underside starts to brown.
- Glaze. Mix the maple syrup and thyme. Turn the parsnips with a metal spatula, then drizzle them with the mixture and toss to coat them well.
- Finish. Continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until the parsnips are tender and well caramelized. Watch the last few minutes, because the syrup browns quickly.
- Serve. Transfer the parsnips to a dish, garnish with thyme sprigs, add a little fleur de sel to taste and serve right away.
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Choosing and preparing parsnips
Choose firm parsnips, small or medium. Big ones are not to be snubbed, but their centre is often woody, and Montana State University advises removing it. America's Test Kitchen, which compared parsnips with and without their cores, finds that centre tough and recommends removing it before roasting the parsnips; some of its tasters even found it slightly bitter. To remove it, cut the parsnip in half lengthwise, then into quarters, and slide the tip of your knife under the core, which is harder than the flesh around it.
Scrub the parsnips well under water to remove soil and sand. Peeling is optional according to Montana State University; we peel them for this dish, like the two recipes we consulted. Then cut pieces of even thickness so they cook at the same pace: the thin tip of a parsnip cooks much faster than the thick end.
If you grow your own parsnips, wait for the first cold snaps: according to the same university, their flavour only fully develops after two to four weeks at temperatures close to freezing. And wear gloves to dig and strip garden parsnips: we explain why in our root vegetable guide.
Why we add the syrup halfway through
Both recipes we consulted add the maple syrup at the start, with the oil. Chatelaine roasts at 220°C (425°F) for about 35 minutes, with 30 ml (2 tbsp) of syrup for about 900 g of carrots and parsnips, turning the vegetables halfway through. Nigella Lawson roasts at 200°C (400°F) for 35 minutes and uses much more, about 100 ml for 1 kg of parsnips.
We went for a middle ground, 45 ml (3 tbsp) for 900 g of parsnips, at 220°C, but we add the syrup and thyme halfway through, when we turn the parsnips. It is our choice: the parsnips first have time to brown in the oil, then the syrup coats them and caramelizes during the last 10 to 15 minutes, with less risk of burning on the baking sheet. Still keep an eye on the end of the cooking, because sugar browns quickly.
A Chatelaine trick to dirty fewer dishes: toss the vegetables right on the baking sheet, with your hands.
Variations and pairings
The Chatelaine recipe uses half carrots, half parsnips, and it is a very good idea, with the same preparation. You can also swap the thyme for rosemary, add a pinch of chili flakes with the syrup or finish with a little orange zest. Montana State University also suggests ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, which go very well with parsnips.
These roasted parsnips go well with a pork roast, poultry, a tourtière or a lentil dish. For a complete fall meal, serve them with our pickled beets. And for other ways to bring maple into your recipes, see our article on replacing sugar with maple syrup.
Sources
- Maple Thyme Roasted Parsnips and Carrots, Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer, Chatelaine, excerpted from Fraiche Food, Full Hearts.
- Maple-Roast Parsnips, Nigella Lawson, Food Network.
- Parsnips, Montana State University Extension, 2014.
- Coring Parsnips, America's Test Kitchen.
- Freezing Turnips or Parsnips, National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to peel parsnips before roasting them?
It is not mandatory: according to Montana State University, scrubbing them well to remove soil and sand is enough. For this recipe, we peel them, as both recipes we consulted do, the one from Chatelaine and the one from Nigella Lawson.
Do you have to remove the parsnip core?
For big parsnips, yes. Montana State University advises removing their woody centre, and America's Test Kitchen finds it tough and recommends removing it before roasting them; some of its tasters found it slightly bitter. For small parsnips, it is not necessary.
How do you store parsnips before cooking them?
In the refrigerator, in a perforated plastic bag, unwashed, after removing the leaves. They keep about three weeks or more that way, according to Montana State University, which advises keeping them away from strong-smelling foods like green onions and leeks.
Can you freeze parsnips?
Yes, raw and blanched. The National Center for Home Food Preservation advises choosing small or medium, firm parsnips, washing, peeling and cutting them into 1.25 cm (½ in.) cubes, then blanching them for 2 minutes in boiling water, cooling them in cold water, draining them well and packing them with 1.25 cm (½ in.) of headspace.
Why are parsnips better after frost?
According to Montana State University, their flavour is not fully developed until the roots have spent two to four weeks at temperatures close to freezing, in the fall or early winter. That is why many gardeners leave some in the garden over the winter.
