Air fryer parsnips, roasted plain or honey-glazed, are a delicious and easy side dish. They take just minutes in the air fryer and caramelize beautifully for a naturally sweet veggie side that beats the oven every time.
Roasting parsnips in the air fryer means they’re ready in a flash. These air fryer parsnips cook up lightning fast for a fuss-free side on your busiest nights.
Get that candied sweetness parsnips are known for without any added sugar – the air fryer caramelizes their natural sugars to absolute perfection. Or… add a drizzle of liquid honey to make the easiest honey-roasted parsnips ever! Even veggie-phobes go back for seconds!
Roasted vegetables are delicious at any time of the year, but especially in fall! Here are some other tasty fall vegetable recipes to try: air fryer roasted carrots, air fryer pumpkin, air fryer sweet potato wedges or air fryer roast potatoes.
Scroll down for the printable recipe card, or read on for all the details.
What do you need?
- Parsnips – Choose medium-sized parsnips, that are firm, with no discoloration or soft spots. If the parsnips have tops, make sure they are still fresh and green.
- Oil – The recipe below uses light olive oil, but you can substitute another liquid cooking oil with a high smoke point. Try vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
- Salt – I add a sprinkle of salt to help to bring out the natural flavor of the parsnips. Skip it if you are low-sodium.
- Optional fresh thyme – use to season the parsnips, and/or add as a garnish after cooking.
- Optional liquid honey – add a drizzle of honey for sweet honey-roasted parsnips. You can substitute maple syrup.
How to roast parsnips in the air fryer
Preheat.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C. Preheating is important for this recipe – the air frying time is relatively short, so you want it to be hot when you put the parsnips in.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, just set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes.
Prepare the parsnips.
Give the parsnips a scrub, and trim the tops and bottoms. Cut them into 2-3 inch long pieces around ¾-1 inch thick.
Pat them dry before tossing with oil, salt, and thyme leaves (if using).
Pop parsnips in the air fryer.
Place the parsnips in the air fryer basket or tray, and add a drizzle of honey (if using).
Try to fit them in the basket in a single layer if possible. If they are piled up too much, they will steam rather than roast, and it will be more difficult to get them caramelized.
Air fry parsnips.
Air fry the parsnips for 8-12 minutes, until golden brown and tender.
If the parsnips are piled up, shake the basket (or gently flip with tongs) 2-3 times during cooking to redistribute the parsnip chunks so they cook evenly.
Serving ideas
Serve roasted parsnips as a side dish for a traditional roast meal like air fryer roast beef, air fryer roast pork, or air fryer roast lamb. Or as an alternative to fries.
This recipe is the perfect side to a main dish cooked in the air fryer. Because the cooking time is only 10-15 minutes you can cook them while the meat is resting.
Leftovers
Store any leftover parsnips in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use them within 3 days.
You can reheat them in the air fryer (2-3 minutes @ 360°F/180°C), or snack on them cold straight from the fridge!
Air Fryer Parsnips
Ingredients
- 1 lb parsnips
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves optional, + extra for garnishing
- 1 tablespoon liquid honey optional
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Cut parsnips into 2-3 inch (5-7cm) pieces, around ¾-inch (2cm) thick. Pat dry, then place in a large bowl with the oil, salt, and thyme (if using). Toss to coat.
- Place parsnips in air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Optional step: drizzle with liquid honey.
- Air fry parsnips for 8-12 minutes [Note 1] until tender and golden brown.
Notes
- The exact time will depend on how powerful your air fryer is. Check after 8 minutes, and air fry parsnips for longer if they need it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
