14 Ways with Root Vegetables

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Roasted Parsnips

Though mildly sweet like their carrot cousins, parsnips are starchy, like potatoes. Subbing them for spuds, as in this recipe, is a good way to expand your winter repertoire.

Recipe: Roasted Parsnips

Photo by Antonis Achilleos

Chicken Fricassee with Parsley Roots and Chanterelle Mushrooms

This one-pan dinner uses tasty French techniques: Braise the chicken in white wine, then create a sauce by reducing juices and thickening them with egg yolks and crème fraîche. Once it’s cooked, the parsley root is tender yet firm.

Recipe: Chicken Fricassee with Parsley Roots and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Iain Bagwell; Karen Shinto

Sage-infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Sage adds an earthy flavor to these mashed potatoes, parsnips lend sweetness, and sour cream brings a bit of tang.

Recipe: Sage-infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Annabelle Breakey

Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

We love the play between the delicate, slightly sweet purée of turnips and parsnips and the savory cheese- and herb-enhanced meatballs. Serve this soup as the first course for a cool-season dinner party.

Recipe: Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

Photo by Yunhee Kim

Mushroom, Chicory, and Celery Root Salad

The celery root adds a nice crunch to this seasonal salad. We recommend making the dressing a day before serving to allow the flavors to truly come together.

Recipe: Mushroom, Chicory, and Celery Root Salad

Photo by Antonis Achilleos

Rutabaga Hash with Onions and Crisp Bacon

The rutabaga bits cook up tender and mellow, and the dish works as a quick dinner, a side, or for weekend brunch—it’s especially good with soft poached eggs.

Recipe: Rutabaga Hash with Onions and Crisp Bacon

Photo by Annabelle Breakey; written by Margo True

Miso-Glazed Tofu with Parsnips Two Ways

Chef Douglas Keane regularly serves housemade tofu on his tasting menu at Cyrus, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Healdsburg, CA, and uses it in this uncommonly good creation. For her home rendition, cookbook author and teacher Andrea Nguyen likes to roast the parsnips with sesame oil to amplify their sweet earthiness.

Recipe: Miso-Glazed Tofu with Parsnips Two Ways

Photo by Iain Bagwell

Parsnip and Apple Soup

If you're not a fan of fruit-based soups, you could easily substitute potatoes or more parsnips for the apples with equally delicious results.

Recipe: Parsnip and Apple Soup

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Jerusalem Artichoke Slaw

Jerusalem artichokes are nutritionally similar to potatoes. They have a sweet, nutty flavor whether you cook them or eat them raw, making them a great candidate for an unusual slaw.

Recipe: Jerusalem Artichoke Slaw

Photo by Alex Farnum; written by Stephanie Dean

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips

We loved the clever use of parsnip and potato peels as a crispy topping for this creamy mash. There's also a delicious hit of coconut that makes these extra special.

Recipe: Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips

Leigh Beisch

Lamb Shanks and Parsnips with Sherry-Onion Sauce

Cook shanks and parsnips until they're succulent and sweet. Then uncover and brown them while you concentrate the pan juices.

Recipe: Lamb Shanks and Parsnips with Sherry-Onion Sauce

Photo by Leo Gong

Sweet Potato-Parsnip Latkes

These latkes feature sweet potatos, parsnips, and shallots, making them ideal for Hanukkah celebrations. Gingered sour cream complements the latkes perfectly.

Recipe: Sweet Potato-Parsnip Latkes

Iain Bagwell; Karen Shinto

Mashed Celery-root Potatoes

The clean, bracing flavor comes from celery root―the weird, hairy vegetable that baffles many a cook. Here, we just slice off the hairier end, peel and chop the rest of the root, and boil it with the potatoes.

Recipe: Mashed Celery-root Potatoes

Photo by Antonis Achilleos

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

These electric magenta cupcakes get their color not from the usual food coloring but from puréed roasted beets, which also add a subtle flavor. Don’t use canned or packaged steamed beets—the cupcakes’ color will be drab.

Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

14 ways with root vegetables

Roasted Parsnips

Chicken Fricassee with Parsley Roots and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Sage-infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

Mushroom, Chicory, and Celery Root Salad

Rutabaga Hash with Onions and Crisp Bacon

Miso-Glazed Tofu with Parsnips Two Ways

Parsnip and Apple Soup

Jerusalem Artichoke Slaw

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips

Lamb Shanks and Parsnips with Sherry-Onion Sauce

Sweet Potato-Parsnip Latkes

Mashed Celery-root Potatoes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream