Roasted parsnips and carrots with honey (or brown sugar) is a super simple side dish that's rustic, beautiful, and under rated. These sweet and savory, glazed root vegetables pair well with all your favorite main dishes and still budget-friendly.
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Whether you’re planning for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter dinner or a weeknight dinner, everyone will be asking for seconds. Just toss, roast in the oven, and serve!
Preparing delicious mains is probably one of the first things you plan when hosting holiday get-togethers. But, me? Give me all the Southern side dishes!
You probably already have carrots in your fridge. They are colorful, naturally sweet, and cheap! Roasted parsnips, on the other hand, maybe new to you!
What are parsnips?
Parsnips are white root vegetables, shaped much like a carrot, not quite as sweet and have a slight anise or spiced flavor.
When roasted together with naturally sweet carrots, the combination gives you a beautiful presentation with a deep, rich flavor.
Think of parsnips as a carrot's cousin.
Honey adds a warm, floral sweetness to this sweet and savory combination. I also tell you how to roast carrots and parsnips with brown sugar and even maple syrup.
Do you have an air fryer? Try my Air Fryer Roasted Carrots recipe and use both carrots and parsnips!
These roasted carrots and parsnips take less than 10 minutes prep. Serve them with Skillet Green Beans with Bacon, Instant Pot Green Beans and Ribeye Roast!
Do I need to boil parsnips and carrots before roasting?
Absolutely not! Roasting is a "dry method" of cooking and already takes very little time to cook parsnips and carrots. By boiling, parboiling, or blanching these root vegetables before roasting, you are introducing moisture which, unless patted dry completely, will result in steamed vegetables instead of glazed, caramelized vegetables.
Shortcuts
- If you’re short on time or have peeled “baby” carrots on hand, those can be a handy substitution. Just make sure to pat them dry because they can be pretty wet in the bag. Cut them in half lengthwise so they cook faster and look better when served.
- To save time on cleanup, line the sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and grease the foil instead of the pan.
Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients to make honey roasted parsnips and carrots!
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Parsnips - You can usually find them at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and other major grocery stores from fall to early spring, at least here in Alabama.
- Carrots - Pair them with parsnips to enjoy the perfect sweet-savory notes in your side dish.
- Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil - Both oils work well for roasting. Olive oil has a subtle, savory depth, while vegetable oil is neutral (it doesn’t add extra flavor).
- Table Salt or Kosher Salt - Either one works. Just use the right amount depending on which you choose.
- Black Pepper - You can skip this one, if like. I usually use it, but sparingly.
- Honey or Light Brown Sugar - Honey is the magic touch that adds a glossy coating and enhances the caramelization around the edges! Brown sugar has a mellow molasses flavor and creates a thicker, stickier glaze.
Substitutions & Variations
If you're wondering if you can roast potatoes, carrots, and parsnips together, the answer is yes! Just make sure the potatoes are cut into pieces of similar thickness so they finish cooking at the same time. You can also add sweet potatoes!
- Use whatever mix you have on hand - If you don’t have an even amount of carrots and parsnips, that’s totally fine. Just combine what you have to make about 2 pounds total. The recipe works great with more carrots than parsnips, and still comes out flavorful and balanced.
- Make this side even more colorful - Carrots come in purple, too! A combination of white parsnips with orange and purple carrots makes not only a delicious side dish, but a colorful one, too!
- Roasted carrots and parsnips with maple syrup - Trade out the honey with real maple syrup for a deep, rich flavor iconic with fall aromas.
How to roast carrots & parsnips
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
How to cut parsnips and carrots for roasting
- They are "root" vegetables that need to be scrubbed and cleaned, first.
- Peel and cut the parsnips and carrots into even pieces. The larger ends will need to be cut into fourths, while the ends might not need to even be cut in half.
- You can also slice them into round "coins". They will cook slightly faster.
You will have about 5 ½ cups, total, of parsnips and carrot sticks.
- Toss with oil, salt, and pepper (if using).
How to roast carrots and parsnips in the oven
- Arrange the veggies in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. (See my Pro Tips for easy clean up options.) Roast until golden and almost tender according to printable recipe below.
- Brown Sugar (left)
- Honey (right)
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with honey, then return to the oven until caramelized and tender.
How long to roast carrots and parsnips will depend on the size of the vegetables and the thickness of them.
You will have about 4 cups, total, of honey roasted carrots/parsnips.
Pro Tips
- A high temperature like 450°F is crucial to get that desired look and taste of the roasted edges. Carrots hold a lot of moisture. If you bake them at a lower temperature like 350°F, you’ll just get baked carrots and parsnips, not roasted.
- Parchment paper is an option for easier cleanup, but be careful. It tends to slide around when you try to turn the sticky veggies during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Lining the pan with aluminum foil or using a nonstick pan works well, too!
And there you have it! Roasted "honey" parsnips and carrots!
How to air fry carrots and parsnips
Spread the coated parsnips and carrots out into a single layer-ish and air fry at 400F for 7 minutes, drizzle with honey and shake or stir gently. Then, air fry 1 more minute.
Helpful information
Not exactly. Most of the bagged “baby” carrots you see at the store are actually full-sized ones that have been peeled down and carved into small, uniform pieces. That’s how they get their smooth, rounded look. They’re more like shaped mini carrots than true baby ones.
Choosing what spices go with carrots and parsnips really depends on whether you want warm, sweet flavors or savory flavors or a kick of spicy heat. Warm spices include cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Try herbs and savory spices like thyme, cumin and paprika. They can take the heat, so, sprinkle on a little chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or minced fresh serrano peppers.
Honey glazed carrots and parsnips are my favorite, but you can also use brown sugar, maple syrup, date syrup, or a balsamic glaze.
How to Reheat Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
You can use the air fryer, microwave, or oven to reheat your roasted parsnips and carrots—whatever’s most convenient. If you’re using the oven, just place the veggies on a small greased baking sheet and warm them until heated through.
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Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound parsnips (about 4 medium)
- 1 pound carrots (about 4 to 5 medium)
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil (plus more for greasing the sheet pan)
- ½ teaspoon table salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey or 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Peel the parsnips and carrots using a vegetable peeler.
- Cut them into 2-inch pieces. Slice the thickest pieces in half or quarters so they cook evenly. Place them in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the oil over the veggies and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt (and pepper, if using), then stir or toss again.
- Lightly grease a rimmed sheet pan with a couple of teaspoons of oil or coat with cooking spray. Spread the seasoned carrots and parsnips in a single layer on the pan. Do not add the brown sugar or honey yet.
- Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and either sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with honey. Use a flat spatula to gently turn or stir the veggies—they won’t be fully cooked yet.
- Return to the oven and roast for an additional 5 minutes, or until the brown sugar melts or the honey caramelizes. This part happens quickly, so keep an eye on them!
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully flip with a spatula, immediately.
- Yield: about 4 cups honey glazed carrots and parsnips
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Scott
These were so sweet and delicious.
Kathleen
Yes! I love the caramelized flavor!