Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

SF Cooking School
Nov 6 · 2 min read

There’s something magical that happens when you roast vegetables — particularly sweet root vegetables. The natural sugars in the veggies caramelize and develop a wonderful depth of flavor.

Sweet potatoes and parsnips are a perfect candidate for this preparation. The secret to getting that crispy outer layer on them is preheating your baking sheet. The oiled baking sheet gets nice and hot so when the veggies hit the pan, they get an immediate sear.

This side dish is finished off with crunchy toasted hazelnuts, thyme, and luscious brown butter.

Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes w/Hazelnuts and Brown Butter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Makes 4 servings

2 parsnips (about 1 pound)

1 sweet potato (about 1 pound)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons toasted skinned hazelnuts

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place 1½ tablespoons of vegetable oil on each of two rimmed baking sheets and place the sheets in the oven to preheat while preparing the vegetables.

Peel the parsnips and sweet potato and cut them into matchstick sized pieces, about ½-inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and spread the vegetables out in a single layer, using both sheets to keep from overcrowding the pans. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and carefully toss the vegetables to coat them with the warm oil. Bake until the undersides are nicely browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes, then turn over each piece and return the pans to the oven. Cook the vegetables until browned on the other sides, 8–10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the hazelnuts and mince the thyme leaves. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown and smell nutty, 3–4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the hazelnuts and thyme.

When the vegetables are done, transfer them to a large bowl. Pour in the browned butter mixture and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away to keep the vegetables nice and crisp.

(Recipe from New Flavors for Vegetables by Jodi Liano)

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade