Air Fryer Parsnips

I try to introduce my kids to new foods (things they’ve never had or familiar foods prepared in unfamiliar ways) on a regular basis. My choice a couple of weeks ago was roasted parsnips.

I’m so glad I chose these because my kids (all of them) were willing to try the parsnips. They then proceeded to eat more than one! These will likely end up as a regular feature on our menus.

Ingredients

(Adapted from this recipe.)

• 1 lb. parsnips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)
• Several dashes salt and pepper
• A dash or two of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika

Instructions

Wash and peel the parsnips. Cut them into sticks. Place the parsnip sticks into a bowl, drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Toss until the sticks are coated well with the oil and seasonings.

Preheat the air fryer. Lightly grease the basket. Arrange the parsnip sticks in the basket in a single layer. Cook at 400°F for 6 minutes. Open the air fryer and shake the basket so the sticks flip over. Replace the basket and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until the edges of the sticks are golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

Notes

You’ve probably noticed that this recipe is very simple—it doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or equipment! This is one of the great things about it. It would be convenient to prepare on a busy weeknight. However, my favorite thing about these parsnips is that my kids actually ate them! My older kids dipped theirs in ketchup (like French fries) and my youngest ate them plain.

These have a nice savory flavor when prepared as described above, but you could easily make changes to the recipe to get a variety of different flavors. Keeping with a savory theme, you could season them with herbs such as thyme and rosemary. On the other hand, if you’re craving something sweet, you could sweeten them with honey or maple syrup. Parsnips don’t have a strong flavor on their own (they taste kind of like a cross between a potato and a carrot, with nutty undertones), so you can easily customize them using your favorite seasonings and sauces.

Have you introduced your family to any new dishes recently? If so, I’d love to hear about them!

This will be my last post before Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy a wonderful day of fellowship with loved ones. If you’d like something fun to do with your loved ones on Thanksgiving, then consider my Questions to Ask Around the Thanksgiving Table. We’re having many guests, so we may pull these out this year to use during dinner or afterwards while we are eating pie and this delicious Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler. See you after the holiday!

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Busy Monday, and Weekend Potluck.