Parsnip Purée with Caramelized Onion and Toasted Hazelnuts

With their sweet, nutty flavor, parsnips are one of my favorite vegetables to cook with and enjoy during the colder months. This parsnip purée with caramelized onion, rosemary, and toasted hazelnuts is a simple dish perfect for a weeknight dinner, yet sophisticated enough to be a star on a holiday table.

Growing up in Romania, parsnips were a staple in my home, primarily used in our traditional soup mirepoix, along with onions, carrots, and celeriac. Although they were always available in the fridge or cold pantry, we didn’t eat them in any other way.

Seven years ago, when I switched to a whole foods diet, I began experimenting more with vegetables, including parsnips. Their sweet, nutty flavor quickly made them a favorite in various side dishes, purées, and even a gluten-free, lectin-free parsnip cake with olive oil, rosemary, and apple—one of my favorite sweet and savory treats to this day.

This time, I wanted the parsnips to shine on their own. Apart from some aromatics like onion, garlic, and rosemary for extra flavor, this purée is all about the parsnips. While you might be tempted to pick bigger parsnips, they are better when they are smaller.

The inspiration for this dish came a few weeks ago when I ordered a steak at a restaurant. It was served with a side of mashed potatoes topped with roasted hazelnuts—a dish I hadn’t requested, but it immediately caught my attention. While I don’t usually eat mashed potatoes, the pairing of crunchy hazelnuts with soft, starchy purée was so delightful that I decided to incorporate it into this recipe. The hazelnuts not only add a satisfying crunch but also enhance the dish with their rich nuttiness. If you eat nuts, I highly recommend including them.

While you could add butter or Parmigiano Reggiano for extra creaminess and umami flavor, I chose to keep this recipe dairy-free and vegan.

This Parsnip Purée will make a great Thanksgiving side dish.

Ingredients

• 500 grams parsnips, cleaned
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed and chopped
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• 50 grams roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Note on hazelnuts: Preferably, you will use hazelnuts that are already roasted and peeled, as they are already crunchy and have more flavor. Then, you will toast these hazelnuts as instructed in the recipe below.

Instructions

Prepare the Parsnips

Brush and wash the parsnips thoroughly, keeping the skins on to retain their flavor. Roughly chop them into chunks.

Rinse the chunks in cold water, then place them in a pot. Cover with cold water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil.

Cook the parsnips until they are fork-tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Drain the water, reserving 1/2 cup of it to adjust the purée’s consistency if needed.

Using an immersion blender, blend the parsnips until creamy or until you reach your desired consistency.

Cook the Onions and Garlic

In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the rosemary sprig.

Sauté the onions until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for one more minute before removing from heat.

Combine Ingredients

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the parsnips, keeping the rosemary sprig for garnish.

Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the allspice, and salt and pepper to taste, and use an immersion blender to blend until creamy.

Toast the Hazelnuts

In the same pan used for the onions, add the chopped hazelnuts with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt (See note on hazelnuts under the ingredient list).

Sauté the hazelnuts over medium heat until they are lightly toasted and crispy.

Serve

Arrange the parsnip purée on a serving plate. Top with the toasted hazelnuts, the rosemary sprig, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional salt and pepper if desired.

Serve immediately. If you plan to serve it later, transfer the purée to an oven-safe dish and reheat in the oven before serving.

We love serving this parsnip purée with steak, chicken, fish, and a side salad.

More Delicious and Healthy Parsnip Recipes

• Mashed Cauliflower, Celeriac, and Parsnip
• Cream of Celeriac, Parsnip and Cauliflower
• Parsnip and Chestnut Puree with Chives

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Print Recipe

Parsnip Purée with Caramelized Onion and Toasted Hazelnuts

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici, Health Coach – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes

With their sweet, nutty flavor, parsnips are one of my favorite vegetables to cook with and enjoy during the colder months. This parsnip purée with caramelized onion, rosemary, and toasted hazelnuts is a simple dish perfect for a weeknight dinner, yet sophisticated enough to be a star on a holiday table.

Ingredients

• 500 grams parsnips, cleaned
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed and chopped
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• 50 grams roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1

Brush and wash the parsnips thoroughly, keeping the skins on to retain their flavor. Roughly chop them into chunks. Rinse the chunks in cold water, then place them in a pot. Cover with cold water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the parsnips until they are fork-tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Drain the water, reserving 1/2 cup of it to adjust the purée's consistency if needed.

2

Using an immersion blender, blend the parsnips until creamy or until you reach your desired consistency. Add some of the cooking water if needed.

3

While the parsnips are boiling, prepare the onions. In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the rosemary sprig. Sauté the onions until they begin to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for one more minute before removing from heat.

4

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the puréed parsnips, keeping the rosemary sprig for garnish.

5

Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the allspice, and salt and pepper to taste and use an immersion blender to blend until creamy (you can add a bit more of the reserved liquid if necessary).

6

In the same pan used for the onions, add the chopped hazelnuts with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Sauté the hazelnuts over medium heat until they are lightly toasted and crispy.

7

Arrange the parsnip purée on a serving plate. Top with the toasted hazelnuts, the rosemary leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional salt and pepper if desired.

8

Serve immediately. If you plan to serve it later, transfer the purée to an oven-safe dish and reheat in the oven before serving.

Notes

Note on hazelnuts: Preferably, you will use hazelnuts that are already roasted and peeled, as they are already crunchy and have more flavor. Then, you will toast these hazelnuts as instructed in the recipe. Note on the parsnip boiling water: You can keep the water and use it for a soup, sauce, or as a vegetable stock.