Brown Butter Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Serve up a comforting side dish of Brown Butter Roasted Carrots and Parsnips and watch everyone fall in love with these amazing veggies!
Why We Love Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- Carrots and parsnips are some of the best root vegetables winter provides and they bring a great freshness to winter meals.
- Roasting the carrots and parsnips naturally brings out the sweetness of the vegetables so there’s no need to add sugary ingredients.
- This side dish only takes about 30 minutes to make so it’s a great weeknight option.
- Brown butter adds a comforting richness to the veggies so it’s really hard to stop eating them!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Brown Butter Roasted Carrots & Parsnips
VEGETABLES: For this dish, you will need carrots and parsnips. These need to be peeled and cut generally the same size for more even roasting.
BUTTER: To make the brown butter you will need regular butter and can use either salted or unsalted. You want to use butter and not margarine because the milk fat in the butter is what browns and creates that delicious taste you’re looking for.
SEASONINGS: You’ll need some salt and pepper for the vegetables along with olive oil so they roast up perfectly. Then we’re finishing everything off with some fresh parsley for color.
How to Roast Carrots and Parsnips
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut off the ends. Then cut them 1/2-inch thick on the bias (AKA diagonally). This creates more surface area to caramelize on the baking sheet and makes them look fancy.
STEP 2 Place the veggies on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until everything is evenly coated. Spread them out into a single layer and roast the vegetables for 20-25 minutes.
STEP 3 While the veggies are roasting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once there are brown flecks in the frothy butter, remove the butter from the heat and pour it into a large bowl.
STEP 4 Remove the veggies from the oven and put them in the bowl with the butter along with the parsley. Toss everything together until the carrots and parsnips are evenly coated. That’s it!
Tips & Tricks
- Cutting the carrots and the parsnips all the same size, about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick, to allow the vegetables to roast evenly and be perfectly cooked with a little caramelization on the bottom of the veggies.
- Browning butter is really simple and the process is pretty quick so don’t walk away from the butter while cooking, it may burn if you’re not watching it.
- While many people feel peeling carrots is optional because they don’t mind the carrot skin, parsnips do need to be peeled due to their more “woody” like texture so make sure you peel the veggies before you cut them.
- You can roast these vegetables a day or two in advance and then reheat them on the stovetop or in the oven again before you are ready to serve.
Roasting Carrots and Parsnips FAQ
Do parsnips need to be parboiled before roasting?
Roasting parsnips does not require boiling ahead of time, which is good news if you’re making this on a weeknight and don’t have those minutes to spare! Roasting the parsnips will give them a tender texture, especially if you have cut them all the same size. If you are making a dish such as roasted mashed parsnips then parboiling would be a good idea because you want the vegetable so tender that it can be mashed and whipped.
How do you cut carrots and parsnips for roasting?
Carrots and parsnips are generally the same shape, which makes cutting them the same size pretty easy. After washing and peeling the vegetables, cut the carrot or parsnip in half lengthwise, so from top to bottom. If your carrot or parsnip is on the large size you may need to cut each half in half again, just to make sure all of the pieces are of similar size. From there you can diagonally (not straight across, think slanted cuts) cut 1/2 inch pieces. Avoid cutting the carrots and parsnips too small because they will shrink a bit during roasting and if they’re too small they could burn.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Red Potatoes
- Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
- Creamed Spinach with Bacon
- Lemon Parmesan Air Fryer Broccoli
- Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Dressing
Brown Butter Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots
- 2 large parsnips
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Move an oven rack into the top position available.
- Peel the carrots and parsnips and remove the ends. Then cut them into 1/2-inch thick pieces on the bias (AKA diagonally).
- Place the veggies on a baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Use your hand to toss the veggies so they're evenly coated. Spread them into a single layer.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes on the top rack of your oven. Once ready, the veggies will be tender, starting to brown around the edges, and caramelized on the side touching the baking sheet.
- When there are about 5 minutes left in the cooking time for the carrots and parsnips, make the brown butter. Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is foamy and flecked with little brown bits. This can take 2-3 minutes. Pour the brown butter into a large mixing bowl.
- When the veggies are down cooking, add them to the bowl with the brown butter along with the chopped parsley. Toss to coat Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm with your favorite meals.
Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.