21 Parsnip Recipes That Will Make You Fall for This Underappreciated Root Vegetable (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits of eating parsnips? ›

Along with vitamin C, parsnips are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps your heart function, balances your blood pressure, and lowers your risk for kidney stones. One serving of parsnips provides about 10 percent of your DRI of potassium.

Parsnips have a long root like carrots while turnips are round like radishes. Parsnips are sweeter than turnips, with a hint of licorice taste. Parsnips are in the same family as carrots, while turnips are in the same family as cabbage. That gives you an idea of their taste and how they can be used.

A root vegetable belonging to the dandelion family, salsify is also known as the oyster plant because of its similar taste when cooked. The root is similar in appearance to a long, thin parsnip, with creamy white flesh and a thick skin.

Store in the refrigerator in an unsealed bag for 3+ weeks. If a raw parsnip becomes soft and squishy, this is a sign of rot and it should no longer be eaten. For better flavor, cook the parsnip with the skin on—after cooking, you have the option to eat the skin or not!

Some vegetables, like celery root, have tough outer peels, which we always remove. Parsnips we assess on a case-by-case basis; the best flavor is actually right below the skin, so we try to avoid removing too much.

Some sensitive people may experience oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and contact dermatitis after they consume parsnip. Rashes or burning sensation in the lips, mouth and throat are some of the symptoms of OAS.

Popular around the world, parsnips are undeservedly overlooked in the mainstream American diet. That's simply not fair, because parsnips are loaded with vitamins, packed with subtle flavors, and are a healthy alternative to potatoes for those limiting their carbohydrate macros.

In some cases, people consuming parsnip for the first time may also experience allergic conditions like dermatitis, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and food allergy symptoms like burning, itching, and swelling of lips and tongue, redness in the eyes, and breathing difficulty.

Parsnips are a source of active plant compounds, such as furanocoumarins, flavonoids and polyacetylenes, including one called falcarinol. These compounds have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-cancer properties, and also act as vasodilators, which helps modulate blood pressure.

A parsnip is a long, tapered root vegetable. It resembles a carrot in this way, and indeed they are part of the same family. But parsnips don't taste like carrots. They're sweeter—think sweet potatoes—and they have a delicious naturally nutty or earthy flavor.

Which is sweeter parsnip or turnip? ›

While they're both root vegetables packed with nutrients, parsnips and turnips are not quite the same—parsnips are similar to carrots and have a sweet, candy-like flavor profile. Turnips, on the other hand, are in the Brassica rapa family and are much less sweet.

They have a lot going on nutritionally: They are filled with vitamins, high in the minerals potassium and manganese, and a good source of fiber. Parsnips can be used in the same ways as carrots, though their flavor is markedly sweeter, especially when cooked, more like a great sweet potato.

Taste: With a sweet and nutty taste resembling candy, parsnips are sweeter than turnips. Conversely, turnips are spicier and more bitter than parsnips, leading certain harvesters to pick them earlier in the season because smaller turnips have a milder flavor profile.

Potatoes vs.

If you're looking for a low-fat or low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes, you won't find it in a parsnip. Nutritionally, potatoes and parsnips are pretty similar, though parsnips have a lot more calcium. If you want something low-carb, you might want to try cauliflower mash.

What sets parsnips apart is their low-calorie content and high fiber, making them an excellent alternative to starchy vegetables like potatoes. In fact, for two centuries, parsnips were the primary source of dietary starch in the US before potatoes took over. But there's more to parsnips than just nutrition.

Parsnips look a lot like carrots, with green, leafy tops and a long, or sometimes bulbous, fleshy root. The root is the edible part of the plant.

Can you eat parsnips raw? Yes, parsnips are perfectly safe to eat raw! This may go without saying for some of you, but I don't blame you at all if you were wondering. Raw parsnips are sweet and nutty, with very subtle hints of licorice.

Being a rich source of fibre, it's no surprise that parsnips help promote digestive regularity. They may also benefit a number of other gut-related conditions, including reflux and diverticulitis. Rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre, parsnips help promote a greater mix of beneficial gut microbes.