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With their sweet maple and sage glaze, these sous vide parsnips are an absolute must-make side dish for any holiday dinner, or really any dinner at that!
Cooked to perfection using sous vide methods, you never have to worry about them being over or under cooked, and the caramelized glaze at the end makes them perfection even for the pickiest of eaters.
This is the side dish that will cost you almost no hands on time whatsoever, but will have everyone begging for more. They'll say you're a genius...you'll be the talk of Thanksgiving!
Ok, maybe we're exaggerating just a touch, but these sous vide parsnips are freakin' delicious. And if I'm being totally honest, I'm not even a real huge parsnip fan (although I'm pretty in love with these parsnip fries too...).
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Why This Recipe Works
- Maple and sage is an iconic holiday flavor - perfect for Fall holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- They come out perfect every single time with no guessing using sous vide cooking techniques.
- Brown butter gives them a delicious nutty flavor.
- A majority of the cooking is hands off so you can focus on other things.
- They can be made in advance and quickly caramelized when ready to serve.
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and the benefits of sous vide cooking.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Parsnips look basically like a white carrot if you've never seen one before. It is a root vegetable with a sweet, earthy flavor and slightly starchy texture. When you're buying them, look for ones the size of a medium carrot if possible as they will be more tender the smaller they are.
Fresh sage is always preferably to dried as it has a sweeter, lighter flavor than the dried.
Good quality pure maple syrup is always recommended as well as the flavor is the best.
Make sure to use unsalted butter to make the brown butter so you can control the salt content of the dish.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 180°F (82°C).
Place the butter in a skillet and heat it on medium low, cooking 5-10 minutes until the butter has turned a light to medium brown color. Set aside to cool.
Cut the ends off the parsnips and peel them using a vegetable peel.
Cut them in quarters, lengthwise, so they caramelize evenly.
Place the parsnips in a bowl and add all the ingredients. Toss to coat them.
Place the parsnips in a vacuum seal or Ziplock bag (if using the water displacement method, which is recommended for this recipe).
Cook for 2 hours. Remove bag from water bath.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat.
Add the parsnips (and any cooking liquid left in the bag) and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned and caramelized.
Remove from heat and serve immediately, drizzled with any butter left in the pan.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using the water displacement method as the parsnips will float and it's easier to release excess air from the bag using this method.
- If the bag starts to float, open the top slightly and let excess air out. You can also weigh it down with these sous vide magnets that I really like for dishes like this.
- Watch the brown butter as it cooks to make sure it doesn't burn.
- If you have limited time, you can also just use regular butter and skip the browning part - the results will still be good.
Serving Options
This is a pretty versatile side dish that can really be served with anything. Because we're publishing it during the holidays, here are some other holiday classics they go well with:
- Truffle mashed potatoes
- Sous vide ham
- Sous vide turkey breast
- Sous vide rib roast
- Roasted acorn squash
- Traditional stuffing
- Air fryer biscuits
- Sous vide asparagus
Frequently Asked Questions
Sous vide vegetables are typically cooked anywhere between 180° (82°F) to 190°F (88°C) depending on the type of vegetable. These sous vide parsnips are cooked at 180°F.
Smaller, thin parsnips do not need to be peeled, but larger one should be peeled as the skin can be tough. I tend to peel them all just to be safe.
Parsnips do not take longer to cook than carrots. They tend to take around the same amount of time, depending on the size and thickness of each.
Storage and Reheating Options
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warm.
These sous vide parsnips can also be made in advance. Just cook them in the water bath as prescribed in the recipe, place them in an ice bath for 20 minutes, then store them in the fridge (in the bag they cooked in) for up to 5 days until ready to use. When ready to serve, brown per the recipe and serve.
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Recipe
Sous Vide Parsnips
Ingredients
- 1 pound parsnips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 180°F (82°C).
- Place the butter in a skillet and heat it on medium low, cooking 5-10 minutes until the butter has turned a light to medium brown color. Set aside to cool.
- Cut the ends off the parsnips and peel them using a vegetable peel.
- Cut them in quarters, lengthwise, so they caramelize evenly.
- Place them in a vacuum seal bag with remaining ingredients (including browned butter) and cook for 2 hours.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the parsnips (along with butter in the bag).
- Brown on each side, about 1-3 minutes per side and serve with any butter left from the pan on top.
Expert Tips:
- I recommend using the water displacement method as the parsnips will float and it's easier to release excess air from the bag using this method.
- If the bag starts to float, open the top slightly and let excess air out. You can also weigh it down with these sous vide magnets that I really like for dishes like this.
- Watch the brown butter as it cooks to make sure it doesn't burn.
- If you have limited time, you can also just use regular butter and skip the browning part - the results will still be good.
Nutrition
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