Honey Roasted Parsnips (with Bacon!)

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If you love the combination of sweet and salty, you’ll love these Honey Roasted Parsnips. They’re tender, sweet and caramelized with crispy bacon and fresh thyme. It’s the perfect side dish to serve with a Sunday roast or holiday dinner!

Is there anything more comforting than roasted root vegetables? They’re so sweet and hearty, with delicious, caramelized edges. It’s like eating candy that’s good for you!

During the fall and winter months, these roasted winter vegetables are on repeat in our house, and these baked parsnip fries make a regular appearance on our weekend snack menu!

And if you like parsnips, we're pretty big fans of these brown butter sous vide parsnips.

And now these honey roasted parsnips are in the fall dinner rotation! They’re tender and sweet and so irresistible. I have a tendency to eat them straight off the sheet pan when they come out of the oven!

This recipe is perfect for Christmas day or Sunday dinner served with sous vide chuck roast, honey baked ham or buttery roasted turkey thighs.

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• What are parsnips?
• Ingredients
• Step by step instructions
• Expert tips
• Common questions
• Storage, freezing and reheating
• Make it a meal
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why this recipe works

1. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of parsnips (just like carrots). You’ll love the tender texture and caramelized sweet flavor! 
2. Parsnips roast quickly on high heat, so you can have this side dish on the table in about 30 minutes. That makes this recipe perfect for Sunday dinner or busy weeknights.
3. The addition of fresh thyme adds a pop of flavor and makes for a beautiful presentation.
4. The crispy, salty bacon is the perfect contrast to the sweet, caramelized parsnips. And who can resist bacon, right?! **Try this sous vide bacon for melt-in-your-mouth bacon.

What are parsnips?

Parsnips are long, tapered root vegetables that are closely related to carrots. They actually look like carrots except they’re white (or more precisely, cream colored). They taste sweet with a nutty and slightly earthy flavor.

Parsnips are typically harvested in the fall and winter but they're available in grocery stores almost year round.

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.

For this recipe, you’ll need 1 pound of parsnips that have been peeled and sliced into 1" thick slices. I'm using medium-sized parsnips for this recipe. If you use smaller ones, they'll be more tender and sweet.

Before the parsnips are finished roasting, you’ll add 2 tablespoons of honey (you can use this hot honey too for extra tang and spice). For the best coverage, try to use runny honey. If it’s too thick, it’ll be hard to cover the parsnips. To make it runny, you just need to warm it up a little.

Three sprigs of thyme are added to the honey for a fresh and fragrant flavor. You can substitute dried thyme, but reduce the amount to one-third. Or try using fresh rosemary instead.

To complement the sweet, caramelized flavor of the parsnips, you’ll want to add 2 pieces of bacon that have been cooked and crumbled.

To enhance the nutty flavor of the parsnips, add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg. If you don’t have nutmeg, try substituting garam masala.

Step by step instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

Toss the parsnips with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Roast for 20 minutes.

While roasting, mix the honey, thyme and nutmeg together.

Remove and place the parsnips in a bowl.

Pour the honey mixture and crumbled bacon on top and mix to coat.

Pour them back on the baking sheet and roast for another 5-10 minutes, until browned and caramelized on the outside.

Serve immediately garnished with more fresh thyme.

Expert tips

1. For even cooking, make sure the parsnips are cut into roughly the same size. Otherwise, smaller pieces will burn before bigger pieces are fully cooked.
2. If you cut the parsnips into slices thicker than 1-inch, you’ll need to roast them a little longer. 
3. I prefer to use medium-sized parsnips for this recipe. Larger ones can sometimes be tough and woody.
4. If your parsnips are really large, you may want to cut out the core.
5. Make sure you use a good quality olive oil for roasting the parsnips. You can also use avocado oil if you prefer.
6. Roast the parsnips in a single layer. If you place them too close together, they will steam instead of roast. You can roast them on two baking sheets if necessary.
7. Make sure you wait for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to add the honey mixture and bacon. If you add them too early, they may burn.

Common questions

Storage, freezing and reheating

If you have leftovers, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

To reheat, warm them in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until heated through.

You can also freeze roasted parsnips. Just let them cool completely and place them in a freezer safe bag or container. They should last for about a month in the freezer. Let them defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Make it a meal

For Sunday dinner, we love parsnips paired with this slow cooker beef pot roast recipe.

For date night or a dinner party, I highly recommend serving this roasted parsnips recipe with sous vide pork tenderloin or filet mignon. 

And for other side dishes, parsnips pair well with truffle mashed potatoes, air fryer carrots and sautéed brussels sprouts.

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