Can you make parsnip purée ahead?

Yes, indeed! A parsnip purée is a great make-ahead dish. Especially for winter holiday meals with many moving parts. You can certainly reheat parsnip purée in the microwave, but I prefer doing so in a pot over low heat. You may find you need to add a little bit of water or more butter or cream since the purée can lose moisture in the refrigerator.

Do parsnips need parboiling before roasting?

Absolutely not! Boiling parsnips before roasting will add moisture and prevent caramelization in the oven. This Malliard Reaction - a tasty chemical reaction that happens when plant sugars and amino acids in meat cook to higher temperatures - happens best in the absence of moisture. So boiling parsnips before roasting will allow the roots to absorb water, which can then create steam during roasting. The parsnips may still brown toward the end of roasting, but not as well.

Can you substitute carrots for parsnips?

Why, yes! Carrots and parsnips hail from the same plant family and are both roots. So carrots make a great substitute for parsnips in this recipe. Since the starch content of the carrots will be slightly different, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid in any recipe you choose.

Roasted Parsnip Purée [Rich, Creamy & Easy]

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound or about 6 medium parsnips, peeled and trimmed
1 teaspoon of kosher salt (less if using table salt)
3 tablespoons of avocado, olive, or safflower oil
¾ cup of heavy cream
½ cup of milk
3 tablespoons of butter, ghee, or olive oil
⅛ teaspoon of ground black or white pepper
Chopped fresh Italian parsley, thyme, or rosemary leaves, optional

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Before you begin, wash your hands, gather your ingredients and equipment, and read through the recipe carefully. This is a chef's mise en place, and getting everything in place is just as helpful in the home kitchen.

Preheat your oven to 400° F.
Peel the parsnips with a vegetable or y-shaped peeler. Make a thin slice with a sharp knife to remove the stem and woody tip of each parsnip.
Chop the parsnips into same-size pieces about an inch in size. Coat the parsnips with oil and season them generously with about half a teaspoon of kosher salt. Spread the parsnips in one layer on a rimmed baking pan.
Roast the parsnips for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pieces are fork-tender and a deep golden brown. Shake the pan after the first 15 minutes to encourage more browning on all sides. Or flip the pieces with a spatula or tongs.
Cool the roasted parsnips for five minutes, then place them in a blender with the heavy cream, milk, remaining half teaspoon of salt, ground pepper, and butter. Blend until smooth. Add more heavy cream, milk, vegetable, or chicken stock as necessary to reach your preferred consistency (or even water, in a pinch). Aim for a thickness like mashed potatoes.
Taste the purée, and add more salt and ground pepper, if you like. Garnish with fresh chopped herb leaves or a dollop of sour cream, plain yogurt, crême frâiche, or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Store leftovers chilled for up to a week. Or freeze. Warm parsnip purée over medium heat in a pot on the stove, adding water, stock, or milk as needed to thin it out. Or microwave leftovers adding additional liquid as necessary.

Notes

Chef's Tips

On consistency. The water content of parsnips will vary, and so will how much the pieces dry out during roasting. The additives in your heavy cream will also affect the thickness of the purée (yes, there are starches in most heavy creams that thicken when exposed to heat and force such as blending). So how much heavy cream and milk you end up using depends on a few different factors. The best approach is to add heavy cream, milk, or vegetable stock a bit at a time to reach a mashed potato consistency. Any combination of heavy cream, milk, or stock works to thin the purée.

Vegan parsnip purée. Since this recipe roasts the parsnips in the oven (instead of simmering) you can easily make it without dairy. To replace the cream, you can substitute almond (or another nut) milk and your favorite plant-based butter alternative. You can also thin the purée out with vegetable stock. Add it slowly so you don't end up with parsnip soup. One cup of almond milk and three tablespoons of plant-based butter alternative is a good starting point for replacing the dairy in this recipe.

Without a blender or food processor. European chefs were making silky vegetable purées long before electric blenders arrived on the scene. If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can send the roasted parsnips through a potato ricer. Or force them through a mesh sieve (strainer) with a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon. The latter takes a bit of elbow grease but can be done with patience and effort. Once the parsnips are smooth, whisk in the remaining ingredients.

Author: Chef Christina
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Side Dishes
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: French
Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

Serving Size: One-Half Cup of Parsnip Purée
Calories: 229
Sugar: 5.1 g
Sodium: 229 mg
Fat: 18.6 g
Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
Protein: 2.1 g
Cholesterol: 33.9 mg

Keywords: parsnip puree, parsnips recipe, how to cook parsnips, roasted parsnips