You may have noticed I’ve been on a burger kick lately. They’re just so EASY and quick, a godsend on a weeknight. So I figured, eventually, that I should put together some kind of burger-propriate (totally a word) side. I came up with these super easy parsnip shoestring fires, made all the more awesome because the slightly caramelized natural sweetness of the parsnip was paired with a nice little kick from a Cajun spice blend. You’re welcome. Go make these! They’re addictive enough that the two of us polished off 8 parsnips-worth with no shame!
PrintSpicy Parsnip Fries
These parsnip fries are naturally sweet, which makes the cajun-style seasoning all the more delicious! An easy alternative to their deep-fried potato cousin!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Category: Rachael Bryant / Meatified
Ingredients
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled, trimmed and sliced (see below)
- 1 tbl arrowroot starch
- 2 tbl Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbl avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Peel the parsnips and trim the ends. Cut in half, then into quarters. Cut the quarters lengthwise into thin shoestring-style fries.
- Add the parsnips to a large bowl with the arrowroot starch, seasoning and oil. Toss to coat evenly.
- Line a baking sheet and spread the parsnips out evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the parsnips over. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the edges have begun to brown / caramelize.
What does the arrowroot do in these? I’ve never cooked with it before. Thanks
Hi Casey, the arrowroot is added to help the parsnips crisp up a little. Otherwise they end up rather soft – but still delicious!
Make sure you oil your baking sheet separate from oiling the fries. Is the temp right? I burned the crap out of mine…
Hi Jacob, you are right, you need to line the sheet as I stated otherwise the parsnips will stick. I usually use foil, which makes cleanup a breeze. I use a standard convection oven and find the temperature to be just fine. Is your oven gas heated and should I therefore make a correction for that?
do you have your own recipe for the seasoning?
making these tonight 🙂
I use this recipe from Emeril Lagasse as a base – personally, I reduce the salt, but play around with it until it suits your tastes 🙂
Hi there! I’ve made these a couple of times now. Love them but I had different results because I had to guess how much 8 parsnips are. Here in the Netherlands they come in many sizes. Can you tell me in cups or weight? Thank you!
About 1 lb of parsnips – they were pretty small and thin! Thanks for asking, I will amend the recipe 🙂
great, thank you!