Simple Honey and Mustard Roasted Parsnips

Simple Honey and Mustard Roasted Parsnips are a perfect side dish – they’ve got just enough personality to stand out, but also understand their supporting role. Oh and they’re really easy to make, too!

Parsnips are like the long-forgotten cousin of carrots. Perhaps you just pass them by, not really sure what to do with them – well, I hope to change that.

I love how food and our senses can evoke long-ago memories – it’s something that never ceases to amaze me. My mom used to bread and shallow-fry parsnips for me as a kid and I loved them so much! My memory of them is so strong that I can almost taste them as I write this.

The sweet earthiness that is different from any other root vegetable, parsnips make regular appearances in my fall and winter cooking. Whether they’re combined with potatoes to make the ultimate mashed potatoes or roasted with other roots alongside a whole chicken, I never tire of them.

They add an unexpected pop of flavor that is just perfect.

Let’s get into it!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these tasty parsnips:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make these roasted parsnips are easy to find and readily available at any grocery store.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Parsnips: A parsnip is a light, cream-colored root vegetable from the carrot and parsley family and looks just like a carrot. It’s a naturally sweet vegetable, similar to a carrot, but the sweetness is more earthy in flavor. Use medium parsnips that are firm and look fresh without dried-out ends.

Dijon mustard: Use Dijon mustard for its sharpness, which lends a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the parsnips and honey. Maille is the brand that I use and is my favorite among all of the brands of Dijon, but if you don’t have Dijon mustard, you can double down on the whole grain mustard as a substitute.

Whole grain mustard: Slightly more subtle than Dijon, whole grain mustard also brings a sharpness in flavor, but also the texture from the mustard seeds. Maille is my favorite and what I use, but if you don’t have whole-grain mustard, you can substitute Dijon or even a high-quality honey mustard.

Honey: Honey provides a little sweetness, but also has the effect of rounding out the sharpness of the mustard. You can substitute brown sugar or maple syrup if you don’t have honey.

Apple cider vinegar: Some acidity rounds out the flavor of the honey mustard sauce. You can substitute it with white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.

Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme pairs nicely with mustard and also provides a nice pop of green to the finished dish. Substitute with fresh rosemary or parsley if you don’t have thyme.

Garlic: Use one clove of fresh garlic and grate it on a microplane, if you can, as it will emulsify into the sauce more easily and not burn when roasting.

Let’s Make Simple Honey and Mustard Roasted Parnsips Together: STEP BY STEP

Steps 1 & 2:

First, make the honey mustard sauce by whisking the olive oil, mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated garlic, salt and pepper.

Second, stir in the fresh thyme leaves and set aside.

Steps 3 & 4:

Third, using a vegetable peeler, peel the parsnips and discard the peels.

Next, cut the parsnips in half, crosswise, so that you have a thicker end and a thinner end.

Steps 5 & 6:

To cut the parsnips into ‘french fry’ shapes, take the thinner end and cut it in half, lengthwise, and then cut each half again lengthwise.

For the thicker end, cut them into quarters, lengthwise, and then standing each quarter upright, remove the core by cutting it from top to bottom.

Steps 7 & 8:

Finally, place the parsnips onto a sheet pan and toss them with the honey mustard sauce, making sure each one is coated and that they are spread out into a single layer.

Drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and roast them in a preheated oven for about 25 mintues.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve these parsnips alongside a simple roasted chicken, these Beer Braised Beef Short Ribs, or a pot roast.
• Match them up with Hot Honey Roasted Carrots, Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Rosemary, Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Orange Vinaigrette, Potatoes Anna, and Beet and Butternut Squash Salad for all of your holiday side dish needs.

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE:
Store the parsnips in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REHEATING:
To reheat in the oven, place everything in an oven-proof pan or dish with a splash of water and cover with aluminum foil. Place in a 375-degree oven until warmed through. Remove the foil for last 5 minutes, so the parsnips can crisp back up. On the stovetop, place everything into a sauté pan with a splash of water or cream and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through. And finally, you can also reheat everything in the microwave in 30 second intervals until they are warmed through.

FREEZING:
These parsnips freeze well in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Recipe Card

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