Parsnips in the Thermomix®

When are parsnips in season?

Outdoor crop from September to March, especially sweet after the first frost.

• JanOutdoor crop
• FebOutdoor crop
• MarOutdoor crop
• Apr–
• May–
• Jun–
• Jul–
• Aug–
• SepOutdoor crop
• OctOutdoor crop
• NovOutdoor crop
• DecOutdoor crop

Outdoor crop: fresh European harvest. Protected crop: greenhouse or covered cultivation. Stored: European harvest kept in storage.

Buying and storing parsnips

Parsnips look like a white carrot: cone shaped, cream to pale beige, with a nutty, sweetish aroma. Shops usually stock just one variety. Reach for small to medium roots (150 to 300 g): they are more tender, sweeter and have fewer woody fibres in the middle. Very large parsnips can turn fibrous at the core and become too starchy. The greenery at the top may be slightly wilted, but it should still be green. Yellowing tops are a sign the root is past its best.

Store parsnips in the vegetable drawer of the fridge: take them out of the packaging, lay a slightly damp cloth over them and keep them cool like this for two to three weeks. To freeze, peel the roots, cut them into pieces and blanch briefly, then cool in cold water and freeze. Kept like this they last up to 12 months and go straight from the freezer into a pot to cook along.

Preparing parsnips in the Thermomix®

We prepare parsnips much like carrots. For our Parsnip and Carrot Soup we put peeled, roughly cubed parsnips into the mixing bowl together with the carrots, cook them at 100 °C on speed 1 until soft, and then blend on speed 10 for 10 seconds into a creamy soup. The nutty, sweet aroma of the parsnip pairs beautifully with the carrot and gives the soup a natural sweetness.

For steamed parsnips in the Varoma: spread the pieces over the Varoma tray and cook at Varoma temperature on speed 1 for about 20 to 25 minutes. This keeps the aroma and texture particularly well.

The most common mistakes with parsnips

• Buying roots that are too large. Very large parsnips develop a fibrous, woody core that stays unpleasant to chew even after cooking. Choose small to medium roots, and with bigger ones cut the core out after peeling.
• Leaving parsnips out of the fridge. At room temperature parsnips quickly lose moisture and turn soft and shrivelled. Always store them cool and slightly damp, never left out in the open on the worktop.
• Seasoning too early without checking doneness. Parsnips need enough cooking time before their characteristic sweetness fully comes through. Taken out of the Varoma too soon, they stay starchy and floury. Test with a knife: it should slide in without resistance.

Goes well with parsnips

These seasonal ingredients are in season at the same time, ideal for combining:

LeeksSavoy CabbageBrussels SproutsKaleMushroomsSpinach

Parsnips in the monthly calendar: