A classy, stand-out side dish, sautéed parsnips are flavored with wine, butter, and thyme. They’re the perfect addition to any meal – especially Thanksgiving!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: With only five ingredients, this recipe is so easy to make.
How long it takes: 25 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet with lid
Servings: 6
I’m thinking these sautéed parsnips will make an appearance on our Thanksgiving table this year. It’s a toss-up between this recipe and parsnip purée which I really love, too.
Or maybe I’ll make brown sugar glazed carrots or cheesy Brussels sprouts au gratin. Maybe all of them! Every year I make a menu for our family Thanksgiving and I just know my mom will say, Honey, let’s keep things a little simpler and eliminate a few of those dishes. Nooooo! I’m the type that believes that you can never have too many vegetables.
Truthfully, I could stick to stuffing and vegetables and skip the turkey all together. Am I allowed to say that? Maybe I’m a closet vegetarian. Just don’t leave the bacon out of the green bean casserole.
PS: My slow cooker stuffing has become an absolutely necessity for Thanksgiving. I love that it frees up space in the oven and never gets too dry.
About This Recipe
What are parsnips? I bet some of you have ignored these “white carrots” at the grocery store, not knowing what they taste like, or thinking that they would taste like pale carrots.
Parsnips are root vegetables like carrots, but they have a flavor all their own. Some people describe parsnips as sweeter tasting than carrots, with a nutty, earthy flavor. I personally think they have an almost spicy, kind of herby thing going on.
Nutritionally speaking, parsnips bring vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate to the table, along with fiber. They’re rich in antioxidants and low in calories.
Perhaps not the prettiest food in the world, parsnips are one of my favorite things. They’re the perfect unexpected ingredient in soups and pasta, and they also shine on their own. My mom once made parsnip cupcakes and they were AMAZING.
What You’ll Need
For this recipe, you’ll need four good-sized parsnips, a dry white wine such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, olive oil, butter, and thyme. I usually use dried thyme but if you have fresh, that’s even better.
Young tender parsnips do not need to be peeled. Simply scrub them well, trim toff he ends and any small hairy roots. Larger, more mature parsnips are usually peeled. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a thin layer. Peeling or not is really the cook’s preference.
Sometimes a large parsnip will have a woody center. If you notice that the center seems much tougher when you slice off the top end, it may need to be removed. However, the centers usually soften when cooked and are perfectly acceptable in soups and purées.
Store parsnips in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, wrapped in a plastic bag. They’ll keep for at least two weeks.
Make It Your Own
- Rather have carrots? You can easily substitute carrots for the parsnips, or cook a combination of the two.
- Looking for a dairy-free recipe? Omit the butter and add an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Store leftover parsnips in a covered container. They can be refrigerated for up to four days. Cooked parsnips can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, warm them in a skillet over low heat until hot. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
More Sides & Vegetables
Sautéed Parsnips Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large parsnips, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup dry white wine (chardonnay, dry riesling, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add parsnips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, covered.
- Stir, cover again and cook for an additional 5 minutes
- Uncover, increase temperature to medium-high and cook until parsnips are tender and browned.
- Add wine and continue to cook until wine is almost completely reduced. Add 1 teaspoon butter and melt, sprinkle with dried thyme.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Carrots can be substituted for the parsnips, if desired. A combination of carrots and parsnips is nice, too.
- Dairy-free alternative: Omit the butter and add an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I just read somewhere that “white” vegetables are not to be ignored! They are very nutritious and include parsnips (of course), mushrooms, kohlrabi, jicama, and cauliflower. I’m sure there are others.
Thanks, Rach, for posting this yummy recipe. I think I would add just a bit more butter, though, to counteract all that healthfulness :)
Parsnips are my favorite vegetable. And I’d never eaten one until I met my husband and lived in England. Isn’t that crazy? Normally we roast them after tossing them in a little oil, salt, pepper and rosemary, and then drizzle with honey in the last few minutes of cooking. But I’m always looking for a new way to enjoy them, and this gives me a reason to open a bottle of wine! Hooray for that. :D
Honey on roasted parnsips would be amazing! You have to try parsnip cupcakes – my mom made them, I think it was this recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/933517/spiced-parsnip-cupcakes. They were so good and super unique.