Parsnips are a delicious and nutritious root vegetable with luscious, fresh greens growing above the ground.They are native to Eurasia and are produced and grown for their crunchy and fleshy taproot. Parsnips are used to make mouthwatering dishes worldwide.Parsnips are also known by the scientific name of Pastinaca sativa. Parsnips are long, cream-colored skin tuberous roots, which are left in the ground to mature. They are primarily available between fall and winter. Parsnips look like carrots and may also taste slightly like carrots, but it is not a type of carrot. However, it is closely related to the carrot as they belong to the same Apiaceae plant family.Are you enjoying this article on parsnips? Give a read to these fun fact animal articles on what do frogs eat and what do iguanas eat here on Kidadl.What are parsnips?Parsnips are an edible root vegetable with a sweet, fresh earthy flavor. They taste slightly starchy and nutty.A parsnip is a root vegetable belonging to the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family. This plant family is named after the type genus Apium and mainly consists of a variety of aromatic flowering plants such as celery, coriander, carrots, and parsley.The parsnip is a biennial flowering plant. It takes a whole or part of two years to complete its biological life cycle. During the first season, the plant goes through the primary growth phase in which its vegetative structures like leaves, stems, and roots grow and develop. Then the plant goes into a dormancy period for the colder months. During the second season, the plant bears flowers, fruits, and seeds. If the plant is not harvested by the second growing season, the root mostly becomes inedible.What do parsnips taste like?Some people say that parsnips taste like potatoes, others say parsnips taste like licorice, and some think parsnips taste like turnips. Parsnips have an intricate and distinct flavor that may be perplexing to explain in a few words.As you take a bite of this cream-colored root vegetable, you will get a carrot-like sweet flavor yet starchy texture in your mouth. Parsnips may often taste like a potato as they contain starch. However, parsnips do not taste like turnips, as turnips have a woody flavor with hints of spiciness and bitterness. Parsnips retain the same natural sweetness throughout.Parsnips have a sweet, nutty, and starchy taste when eaten. They smell exactly like fresh parsley as they belong to the same aromatic flowering plant species. Though parsnips are usually harvested in the late fall, some farmers leave these vegetables in the ground until winter. Parsnips left in the ground are the sweetest as the starch in the vegetable gets converted into sugar over time. There may be times when parsnips taste weird. Usually, the vegetable is either rotten or was not harvested at the correct time, which can cause the parsnip to taste bitter or like soap.You can keep fresh parsnip out for around a week, or you can store these root vegetables in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Like any other veggies, you can freeze parsnips to keep them longer. To begin with, you need to wash and peel the parsnips, then clean and chop off the ends and inedible parts. Then peel the skin and cut the parsnips into small chunks. Put these parsnip chunks into boiling water and blanch them for a few minutes, but do not boil them until tender. Take them off the heat, take a cold water bowl, and transfer the parsnip chunks from the boiling water to the cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain the water from the parsnip chunks entirely and pat them dry. Store them in freezer bags or store them in airtight containers for around 18 months in the freezer.What are parsnips good for?Parsnips have a tremendous nutritional value that benefits in numerous ways. Parsnips are healthy and good for the digestive system, immune system, and weight loss. Parsnips are good for maintaining overall health, development, and functioning in humans. Having a bowl of parsnips could benefit you to a great extent.There are endless ways to savor parsnips. You can munch them raw or make mouthwatering delicacies using them. Parsnips can be baked, boiled, mashed, pureed, baked, braised, fried, or roasted. Here are a few different ways and recipes to enjoy parsnips.The sweet and crispy flavor of parsnips makes them incredibly delicious when you eat them raw. You can peel, shred, slice, and grate them to serve in a salad. You can sauté or julienne the parsnips as well.The best way to have parsnips is to roast them and enjoy their sweetness. Roasting the parsnips caramelizes the natural sugars in the vegetable, accentuating their sweetness. You can serve roasted parsnips with lamb, chicken, fish, bacon, beef, duck meat, eggs, or other dishes.You can cook spicy parsnip soup by adding chopped parsnip to a variety of vegetables. To make the dish more flavorsome, you can add lemon juice and spices like turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, black pepper, and chili flakes. Garnish it with coriander and parsley. You can also cook soup with roasted parsnip puree.One of the good ways to eat parsnips is by mashing and adding them to recipes. All you have to do is boil the parsnips the way you would boil potatoes until they’re soft and tender in texture, and add butter or olive oil or any other oil of your choice and mash them. You can replace mashed potatoes with mashed parsnips as they are a healthier option and can do wonders to your meals. Mashed parsnip is just as tender, creamy, and thick as mashed potatoes.You can prepare a smooth parsnip puree and add it to your soups, stews, sauces, gravies, milkshakes, and smoothies. You can also add mashed or roasted parsnips to your oven-baked recipes and make delicious cakes, muffins, cupcakes, tarts, and oven mug cakes. You can add chopped and roasted parsnips to your puddings, custards, frozen yogurt, and porridge. Adding roasted parsnips to any other desserts can give it a zingy twist.Parsnip Nutritional FactsParsnips are one of the healthiest vegetables as they have a high nutritional and energy value. They are packed with vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, antioxidants, and many other essential micronutrients that protect against chronic health conditions.This vegetable is laden with soluble and insoluble fiber, which facilitates healthy digestion and immune function. You can include parsnips in weight loss and weight management diets, as they are low in calories and have high fiber, vitamin C, and water content.As per Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI), 1 cup of parsnips is loaded with nutrients including, 26% dietary fiber, 25% vitamin C and vitamin K, 22% folate, 13% vitamin E, 10% magnesium and thiamine, 8% phosphorus, 7% vitamin B6, 7% zinc. Parsnips contain tiny amounts of iron, calcium, and riboflavin as well.Parsnips are healthy and versatile root vegetables with numerous nutrients and health benefits.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do parsnips taste like, then why not take a look at what do insects eat or what do kangaroos eat?
Parsnips are a delicious and nutritious root vegetable with luscious, fresh greens growing above the ground.
