This Air Fryer Parsnips recipe with wholegrain mustard, orange and maple syrup is an easy side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas roast dinner. Air Fryer Roasted Parsnips are naturally vegan and gluten-free. They are also a great crispy alternative to traditional French fries!
Table of contents
This recipe yields parsnips that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with an incredible sweet and nutty flavour.
I have dressed my parsnips with orange and mustard for a festive touch, but you can absolutely make plain parsnips by following the method below and omitting the dressing.
Included are some seasoning alternatives so you can mix it up every time you prepare air fryer parsnip chips!
I love the winter season in the UK, humble vegetables like carrots, potato and cauliflower are available in abundance and also cheaply!
The air fryer is used in full swing to make Air Fryer Potato Slices, Air Fryer Indian Potatoes, Air Fryer Cheesy Potatoes and Air Fryer Garlic Fries, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Why you should make these:
- Easy air fryer recipe – this is a great recipe for air fryer beginners as there are minimal steps involved
- Perfectly crispy all over – the Air Fryer is my favourite way to cook vegetables – no need to worry about turning baking trays halfway through cooking as in the air fryer, hot air circulates all around the food equally. Because the air fryer cooks fast, the vegetables do not dry out and overcook.
- Healthier than potato chips/fries – these parsnips are a great way to increase nutrition to your meal and make for a delicious vegetable side dish
- Less oil – the air fryer is a great option compared with deep frying as only a bit of oil is required
- Fibre – this great side dish is an easy way to increase more fibre in the diet
- Great for the whole family – kids will love these sweet air fryer parsnips as a healthy alternative. Parsnips contain less carbohydrates than potatoes.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Parsnips with Honey and Mustard
Full list with measurements available in the recipe card below.
You can jazz up these parsnips with the dressing or use simple ingredients, either way, the end product is absolutely delicious!
- Parsnips
Parsnips are a root vegetable. They have a sweet flavor and are closely linked to carrots. They have a long taproot which is cream-coloured. The best Parsnip season in the UK is winter although they are available throughout the year.
Use the freshest parsnips where possible as they have the best flavour. Look for parsnips that are firm, the skin is not bruised or discoloured, and they shouldn’t smell off.
I love to roast parsnips but they’re also great added to sups like this Roasted Cauliflower, Parsnip and Walnut Soup
- Oil – I have used olive oil but you can also use avocado oil, sunflower oil or cooking oil spray
Dressing:
- Wholegrain mustard – alternatively, use the creamy mustard such as English mustard or Dijon mustard.
- Maple syrup – Maple syrup enhances the sweetness of the parsnips and makes them so irresistible! You can use maple syrup, agave or honey.
- Orange juice and zest – as an alternative, you can use lemon juice
Garnish: (optional)
- Toasted almond flakes
- Pomegranate Arils or dried Cranberries
- Thyme
Variations of seasoned parsnips:
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Taco seasoning
Italian seasoning
Fresh rosemary
How to make Parsnips in the Air Fryer
I have used the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer
Firstly, prepare the dressing for later:
Whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, wholegrain mustard, a little salt and pepper in a jar or small bowl.
Prepare the parsnip chips:
Wash the parsnips under cold water to remove the dirt. Peel parsnips and cut into fries or chips using a sharp knife. Ensure all chips are roughly the same size for even cooking.
You can choose whether to keep the parsnips chunky or thin. The thinner the cut, the more caramelised and crunchier the end product will be.
In a large bowl, toss the cut parsnips with the dressing until well coated.
Arrange the parsnips in the bottom of the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Air Fry at 200 Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
The cooking time is approximately 7-15 minutes depending on the size of your parsnips. Essentially, what you are looking for is crispy edges and the parsnips are golden brown all over.
Mine took 7-8 minutes so I would check on the parsnips at half time and give them a little shake.
Note that the second batch may cook faster as the air fryer will be hot by the time the first batch has finished cooking.
Do not leave the veggies in the air fryer closed as the heat will continue cooking.
Tips
Do not overcrowd the basket as this will steam the parsnips rather than air fry them
Thinner slices will give you crispy fries whereas thick chunks of parsnip will give you softer chips.
Serving Suggestions:
Parsnips are great served alongside a main course such as cauliflower cheese, nut roast or a hearty pie.
You can also enjoy them as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce such as:
Hummus – I love this festive Chestnut Hummus
Garlic aioli
Thousand Island dressing
Storage
Parsnip fries are best eaten fresh but they can be stored away for later.
Once cool, place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer, oven or microwave until hot through.
I do not recommend freezing as the parsnips will loose their texture on defrosting.
FAQs
Yes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 15 minutes or until tender inside and crispy outside and golden brown all over
No, with this recipe, you do not need to boil prior to cooking. Simply cut and cook directly in the air fryer.
Young or small parsnips do not need peeling, however medium or large parsnips should be peeled before cooking.
Yes, simply coat frozen parsnips with maple and mustard dressing or seasoning of choice and air fry at 200C/400F for 12-15 minutes.
Yes, they both cook at the same time so feel free to add carrot fries/chips equal size to the parsnips to the air fryer basket.
Other Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipes
Air fryer Donut Holes (for a quick and easy breakfast)
Instant Pot Baby Potatoes (Garlic and Thyme)
Easy Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Homemade Billionaire’s Hot Chocolate
Loaded Cauliflower Cheese Balls
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Air Fryer Parsnips
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram parsnips
- 4 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoon orange juice
- salt
- pepper
Garnish (optional)
- 3 tablespoon almond flakes lightly toasted
- 3 tablespoon pomegranate arils
- 2 tablespoon thyme
Instructions
- Throughly wash parsnips in running water, then peel the skin.1 kilogram parsnips
- Cut in to halves or quaters (if too thick) using a sharp knife.
- Pat dry using a clean kitchen towel.
- In a big mixing bowl combine all these ingredients.4 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoon whole grain mustard, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 3 tablespoon orange juice, salt, pepper
- Add parsnips and mix, make sure all the parsnips are well coated all over.
- Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 200C/400F.
- Arrange parsnips in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry them for 8 minutes, keep checking after 5 minutes.
- Once light golden and tender, remove in to a serving dish.
- Sprinkle remaining maple-mustard dressing (optional) and garnish.3 tablespoon almond flakes, 3 tablespoon pomegranate, 2 tablespoon thyme
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator/plugin. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.