This Air Fryer Parsnips recipe turns an underrated veggie into a star side dish—with just a few pantry staples. It's simple enough for weekdays, yet special enough for holidays (like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter). Make extra because they disappear fast!
The air fryer is for other veggies too! It works like a mini convection oven—heating up fast and circulating the air to crisp up foods. Some of my favorite vegetables to roast in the air fryer are: Cabbage Wedges, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and Broccolini with Garlic.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Fast: Just 20 minutes, from start to finish! Roasting the parsnips in the air fryer is much faster than an oven. And no pre-heating required.
- Easy: This impressive side dish couldn't be simpler to make! Just toss chopped parsnips with simple seasonings, then air fry until caramelized perfection. A light drizzle of honey at the end adds the perfect kiss of sweetness.
- Crowd Favorite: One bite of that golden honey mustard glaze, and suddenly everyone's asking for this recipe! Never did I expect parsnips to be so popular.
- Healthy: A delicious way to add more veggies to your plate! The air fryer roasts these parsnips with minimal oil. Keep extras for fast meal prep throughout the week.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
You only need 6 ingredients to make the best roasted parsnips with honey. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Parsnips: Available year-round, but peak season is fall, winter, and spring. Choose firm, small ones—they're sweeter and often don’t need peeling. Larger parsnips may benefit from peeling and coring (see Tips section for details).
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard is a game-changer for roasted veggies! It's the secret ingredient in my popular Air Fryer Home Fries! Whole grain adds texture, but smooth ("stone-ground") Dijon works too.
- Garlic Powder: For this recipe, garlic powder is ideal. Because fresh garlic can burn and taste bitter under high heat. That’s why I use garlic powder for dishes like Air Fryer Butternut Squash and Smashed Fingerling Potatoes.
- Honey: It's the magic touch—enhancing the parsnips' sweetness while balancing all flavors. Choose runny honey (not thick) for smooth, thin coverage.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme adds mild, savory flavor and makes a lovely garnish. It’s fantastic with honey (try my Whipped Ricotta Dip for proof)! In a pinch, you can skip it or use one-third the amount of dried thyme instead.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Have extra parsnips to use up? Make Potato Parsnip Leek Soup, Parsnip Shoestring Fries, or Parsnip Mashed Potatoes next!
How to cook Parsnips in the Air Fryer
The air fryer makes it so easy to make perfectly roasted parsnips. They bake in just 15 minutes! Here's how to make this recipe:
1. Mix olive oil, Dijon mustard, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add parsnips, toss well. Keep bowl for later.
2. Spread the parsnips into a single layer in an air fryer basket. (Don't overcrowd the basket).
3. Roast parsnips in an air fryer, until soft in the middle and golden brown on the outside (about 15 minutes).
4. Add honey to the mixing bowl (no need to clean it). Add roasted parsnips and toss to coat in remaining sauce and honey.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Choose small to medium parsnips: Smaller parsnips are generally sweeter. Big parsnips can have woody centers that you may want to cut out.
- Peeling is optional: A lot of parsnips' flavor sits just under the skin (source). Don't bother peeling small, tender parsnips. This saves time and preserves flavor. But if you have large parsnips (like I did on the day we photographed this recipe), then you'll probably want peel away the tougher outer skin.
- How to store parsnips: Parsnips keep the longest when stored in a cool, high-humidity environment. Put them in your fridge's crisper drawer or refrigerate them in a loose plastic bag (such as a produce bag or plastic freezer bag that's not tightly sealed).
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer: The magic of an air fryer is that it circulates hot air all over the food to crisp it up quickly. So make sure the parsnips are spread out in a single layer. If you add too many, they'll steam rather than roast.
- Keep the mixing bowl: Once the parsnips are roasted, return them to the same bowl to evenly coat with honey and every last drop of delicious seasoning!
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Recipe FAQ's
Not always! It's personal preference. Small, young parsnips have tender skin that can be left on. Larger parsnips have thicker skin, so you may prefer to remove it with a vegetable peeler. But try to remove as little as possible—since a lot of flavor sits right under the skin.
Fresh thyme adds mild flavor. It's also softer and more pleasant to eat! If you can't get any, substitute with dried thyme. But remember: dried is more pungent, so only use one-third of the amount. For example, use ½ teaspoon of dried thyme instead of 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme.
Roasted vegetables (from the oven or air fryer) are usually best fresh. But you can reheat leftover parsnips in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) until heated through.
More air fryer vegetable sides:
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Parsnips
Ingredients
- 1 lb parsnips (peeled—optional, see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (grainy or smooth)
- 1½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (see note 2)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon honey (see note 3)
Instructions
- Prep Parsnips: Chop 1 lb parsnips into large bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch/2.5 cm).
- Season: To a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard , 1½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to mix. Add chopped parsnips, then toss to coat.
- Air fry: Scatter parsnips in a single layer in an air fryer basket. (Keep bowl for finishing step—no need to wipe it clean). Without pre-heating, air fry at 380℉ (193℃) until parsnips are soft in the middle and golden brown on the outside, about 15 minutes (see note 4).
- Finish: Add 2 teaspoon honey to the mixing bowl. Immediately transfer roasted parsnips back to the bowl. Quickly toss, to coat parsnips with honey (and any leftover oil/seasonings). Taste and season with more salt and/or pepper, if needed. Garnish with more fresh thyme (see note 2).
Notes
- Parsnips: Choose small to medium-sized parsnips if you can. They tend to be sweeter and have more tender skin (no need to peel). Larger parsnips have thicker skin that you'll likely want to peel. If peeling, take care to remove just a thin layer—much of the flavor sits just under the skin. If your parsnips have a hard, woody core—cut those parts out when chopping.
- Thyme: I recommend using fresh thyme leaves, which have a mild flavor and soft texture. If you don't have fresh thyme, you can leave it out. Or substitute dried thyme. If using dried thyme, use one-third the amount since it is more intense (i.e. 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme = ½ teaspoon dried thyme) and don't garnish with more dried thyme at the end.
- Honey: Use a runny honey (not thick) to ensure a whisper-thin, even coating.
- Air fryer note: Air fryers vary by brand and style (e.g. basket vs. toaster oven). So adjust cook time as needed. It's important the parsnips form a single layer in your air fryer basket. If your air fryer is quite small, bake in batches if needed.
Marie says
Tasty and easy! This recipe makes me want to include parsnips in our regular rotation.
Bri Beaudoin says
Hi Marie! I'm so glad that you enjoyed this parsnips recipe. Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review!