Parsnip Substitute

Many of us look for parsnip substitutes available globally. But, then, wait no more and read this article to find out. Then, we’ll talk about several parsnip alternatives that’ll amaze you in many ways.

Note that many might not like the taste of parsnip or want a change in flavor. Whatever may the reason is, substitutes are necessary for us. We’ll share several items that can easily replace parsnip in dishes.

Parsnip is a vegetable, and we can replace it with many other vegetables. According to the taste, texture, and recipe suitability, we’ve got around ten substitutes for parsnip in the following sections. Let’s find out.

Best Parsnip Substitute

Some examples can be carrot, sweet potato, parsley, radish, and many more substitutes. However, we’ve got carrot on the top of our list.

We’ll go through each of the substitutes and talk about them in detail.

Carrot

If we consider the shape and size, carrots are the closest alternative to a parsnip. Many consider carrots in their recipes instead of parsnip due to their similarity in appearance.

However, when cooking with carrots, you won’t get the same white color in the dish. But, if you want your recipe to have color just like a parsnip, you can use white carrots instead.

One advantage of using carrots instead of parsnip is that they have less cooking time. So, choose your substitute accordingly.

Next up, we’ve got turnip on our list.

Turnip

Turnip is mainly winter season vegetable. However, it’s compliant with replacing parsnip to a great extent. People like to steam, roast, or stir-fry this food. Instead of parsnips, use this instead. It won’t make your food any sweeter.

However, you can change it with spices or honey. Another thing you should do is look for young turnips because older ones have a bitter taste.

If you store this vegetable well, it will go on for around 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Parsley

Because of their resemblance in appearance, parsley roots and parsnips might be mistaken for one another. However, their grainy meat is infused with a taste that is a cross between parsley and celery. 

The parsley is suitable for soups, blends, smoothies, and similar food recipes. It’s all because of the aromatic qualities that they’re compatible with different dish types.

In addition, whether you bake or fry, parsley will give you excellent taste and flavor.

Radish

Radish is another excellent substitute for parsnip. It tastes sweet and has similarities to parsnips in many aspects.

The taste of the food item will be excellent whether you bake or stir-fry it. For example, the sweetness level of radish is almost the same as a parsnip.

It tastes less sweet than turnips but more than a parsnip. So, adjusting is necessary when you use radish instead of parsnip.

Many people use radish in soups, stews, and similar food recipes. It’s compatible with liquid and semi-liquid dishes to a great extent.

Now, we’ll talk about salsify as a substitute for parsnip.

Salsify

People also know salsify as an oyster plant because of its flavor similarity to an oyster. However, it’s not a common item to replace parsnip in recipes.

However, many consider the salsify a replacement due to its white and creamy interior. In addition, it enhances the flavor of a dish to some extent.

Also, the compatibility of salsify with dishes is low. The best use of this item is in the soups and stews. People hardly use salsify in blends or juices.

An important note is that it’s necessary to boil and peel off salsify before using it in a recipe.

Kohlrabi

You might have heard about kohlrabi. But did you know that it can easily substitute parsnip when kohlrabi is old? Well, learn about this exciting replacement below.

When kohlrabi or German turnip gets older, it gets slightly more vigorous and less sweet. But it still tastes good. So there are a lot of recipes where you can use it instead of parsnip.

If you want to make a warm soup, kohlrabi is the best. Kohlrabi is soft and tasty when you boil them in soup, so you should do that.

Another great substitute for parsnip, known as celeriac, is next on our list.

Celeriac

Celeriac is what we know as the celery root. It has a brown skin color yet with a white root. The taste of the celeriac is different than that of parsnip.

But, the earthy aroma of the celeriac makes it a suitable replacement for parsnip. People use celery roots in soups, stews, and similar recipes.

Arracacha

Arracacha is also a parsnip type. It’s called the Peruvian parsnip. However, it differs from the mainstream parsnip to some extent.

However, it tastes just like parsnip after cooking, making it an excellent substitute for parsnips in many dishes.

Whether you fry or bake, this cuisine is delicious. There are many ways to use this. Gnocchi and dumplings can also be stuffed with the stuffing.

Potato

Potatoes are an excellent substitute for parsnips if you don’t have any other options listed above. Unfortunately, it falls short of the other options presented. However, it’s a step in the right direction.

Potatoes don’t require an explanation, in our opinion. You can bake them, fry them, or cook them. However, as an alternative for parsnips, we recommend adding additional spice.

The last substitution item for parsnip is sweet potatoes, which we’ll discuss next.

Sweet Potato

Another winter vegetable is on our list. It’s sweet potato. The sweetness of the item makes it one of the suitable replacements for parsnip.

You should look for slightly darker potatoes with a thicker skin if you want to use them as a substitute for parsnips. 

The flavor will be closer to that of parsnips. In addition, it’s worth noting that sweet potatoes are softer than parsnips. So, you don’t have to cook them for as long.

So, that would be all the substitutes on our list. We’ll end our discussion with some concluding statements and questions and answers.

How to cook Roast Parsnip

Final Words

From the carrot to the sweet potato, we’ve given ten different replacement options for you to explore. Each of them can replace parsnip in various recipes and dishes.

Now, it’s the individual preference to choose an option that matches the recipe or dish’s suitability. However, carrots, parsley, and radish are the closest alternatives to parsnips.

In the following few sections, we’ll discuss some relevant questions and answers on parsnip substitutes. Our motive is to clear off any other doubts that you may or may not have.

Maybe you’d like to read:

• Potato Ricer Substitute
• Almond Butter Substitute
• 11 Best Broccoli Rabe Substitute 

FAQs – Parsnip substitute

We will talk about around five questions in the next portion of this article. Many ask these questions when replacing parsnips with something. 

So, taking a closer look at the answers will help clear off doubts.

Can I use Jicama to Substitute Parsnip?

Jicama is a type of turnip. It’s widely known as the Mexican turnip. Due to its characteristics like turnips, jicama is good to go as a replacement for parsnip.

If you don’t know what jicama is or what it looks like, see that it’s almost round-shaped. In addition, it has a mixture of golden and brown colors.

According to your preferences, you can consume jicama as cooked or even raw.

Can you use Carrots instead of Parsnips?

Yes, carrots are the best replacement in many ways. Carrots have a similar size, shape, and taste to parsnip.

Also, white carrots are available that are great to use instead of a parsnip. White carrots will turn your recipe a bit white, just like parsnips do.

However, red-colored carrots are also perfect to substitute parsnips to a great extent.

Can I use Potatoes instead of Parsnips?

Yes, both potatoes and sweet potatoes are suitable to replace parsnips.

A significant advantage of using potatoes is that you can cook, bake, or fry them to add to your recipe. Depending on your recipe suitability, you should process potatoes accordingly.

One recommendation from our side is to add additional space when you’re using potatoes to replace parsnips. It’ll enhance the recipe flavor to a great extent.

What does parsnip taste like?

There’re not many food items that have a taste similar to parsnip. So, we can say that the taste of a parsnip is almost distinct.

The closest taste we can find, like parsnip, is in the carrots. Also, as we’ve mentioned before, carrots have a similar size and shape to parsnips.

Parsnips are utilized in various dishes due to their distinctive flavor. Carrot-like sweetness in the parsnip is also present. Also, the earthy flavor is excellent in parsnips.

Can I eat raw parsnip?

Parsnips and several of their replacements are compatible with eating when raw.

But, the taste will more likely be bitter and bland. However, many people consider eating raw parsnip a healthy choice.

It’s worth noting that parsnips taste the best when cooking or frying them. After cooking, it can enhance the flavor of our recipe to a great extent.