One of the most versatile vegetables around is parsnip. However, despite its versatility, just like all other vegetables, many people throw parsnips away after a few weeks without realizing how wasteful it is to throw away precious food. So what do you do when you have extra parsnips? Yes, you thought that right, you can freeze parsnips easily to maintain their freshness and increase their shelf life. Let’s see how to freeze parsnips below.

Being a root vegetable, parsnips rewards the ones who love eating them, as they are packed with nutrition. Parsnips can be boiled, mashed, fried, or oven-roasted. See Parsnip Fries and Roasted Carrots And Parsnips. Freezing parsnips is very simple but it is important to get some advice before freezing parsnips.

How to Freeze Parsnips? Use 3 Ways Below

Due to high sugar content, parsnips often become a target of insects therefore it’s important to either consume them immediately or preserve them for future use. So as soon as you are left with extra parsnips, grab on to those nutritious pieces and use these 3 techniques to preserve through freezing them for future use.

Fresh parsnips.
Roasted parsnips.
Mashed parsnips.

Let’s get into the details and then you can take your pick and choose the method that works for you!

Technique 1: Freeze Fresh Parsnips

What Will You Need?

Fresh parsnips
Ice water
Baking pan
Freezer bag

5 Steps to Follow to Freeze Fresh Parsnips

If you want to freeze fresh parsnips, follow these simple steps:

When you bring home a bag of parsnips or freshly harvested from your garden, soak them in a bowl of water and scrub using a vegetable brush to get rid of all the dirt.
Cut off the tips and head of the parsnips. Thoroughly peel to get rid of the tough skin. Cut the parsnips into your desired size.

3. Fill a cooking pot with water and bring to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, drop in the parsnips for around 2 minutes. Drain out the hot water and instantly transfer your parsnips into ice water to stop them from cooking.

4. Once cooled, dry them completely to avoid any crystal formation while freezing. Spread the parsnip pieces on a baking tray and flash freeze for 3 hours.

5. Label a freezer bag and transfer the parsnips into it. Lay it flat in the freezer and let them freeze.

Technique 2: Freeze Roasted Parsnips

What Will You Need?

Fresh parsnips
Olive oil
Roasting tray
Freezer bag

4 Steps to Follow to Freeze Roasted Parsnips

A go-to side with any roasted dish, parsnips are sweet, crispy, and crunchy when roasted to perfection and this is how you can freeze them prior to their use

Scrub the dirt off and peel the skin. Cut them into cubes or wedges and roast them the way you usually do. We prefer tossing them in a bit of olive oil, salt, and Italian seasoning before roasting. Spread them on a roasting tray and place them in a preheated oven at 400℉ for 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of your cubes.
Once roasted, let the parsnips cool to room temperature. Freezing them while they are warm will only ruin the parsnips.
After you have cooled your roasted parsnips, divide them into portions and transfer them into a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag properly so that no moisture enters the bag.
Place the bags in the freezer and let them freeze. Don’t forget to label the bag with the name and date.

Technique 3: Freeze Mashed Parsnips

What Will You Need?

Fresh parsnips
Masher
Freezer bag

4 Steps to Follow to Freeze Mashed Parsnips

Who does not love a silky smooth mash? You can easily have it as a side dish but what if you wish to have mash prepared beforehand? Well, here is how you can do it.

Wash your parsnips under cool tap water and scrub with a vegetable brush. Peel off the skin and cut the head and the tips. Slice them into smaller pieces so they are cooked thoroughly.
Drop the parsnips into boiling water and let them cook for a minute or till they are fork-tender.
Drain the hot water and strain the parsnips properly. Now mash the parsnips using a masher till they are smooth or use a fork if you don’t have a masher.
Transfer mashed parsnips into freezer bags and place them separately in the freezer to allow circulation of cold air all around the bag. This fastens the freezing process.

Quick Tips

Though it is a bit time-consuming, it is very important to blanch parsnips. Freezing raw parsnips could turn out to be a disaster as they lose their texture and become grainy. Blanching before freezing locks in the flavor and nutrients as well as maintains the texture of parsnips.

Always make sure to give extra attention to your parsnips at the beginning of your freezing process. Proper scrubbing, peeling, and chopping them, in the beginning, will save your time and efforts later on.

Instead of small, perfectly sized cubes, opt for larger chunks when you decide to freeze parsnips. Small pieces might look tempting on the plate, but they don’t freeze well and start deteriorating at a much faster rate therefore, cut your parsnips in large pieces to make sure they last for a long time in the freezer.

Can you freeze fresh parsnips without blanching?

Although you can freeze fresh parsnips without blanching, it is not recommended to do so as they start losing texture and become soft and mushy. Therefore it is much better if you always blanch them or else the grainy texture will only disturb your taste buds.

Is it okay to eat raw parsnips?

Yes, parsnips are perfectly safe to eat raw! This may go without saying for some of you, but I don’t blame you at all if you were wondering. Raw parsnips are sweet and nutty, with very subtle hints of licorice.

Are parsnips healthy?

Along with vitamin C, iron, calcium, and magnesium, parsnips are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps your heart function balances your blood pressure, and lowers your risk for kidney stones. One serving of parsnips provides about 10 percent of your DRI of potassium.

Conclusion

Just like most other root vegetables, parsnips can last quite a while in the freezer. As long as you have washed, peeled, blanched, and frozen them correctly, they can last for up to 9 months in the freezer. Now that you know everything that needs to be done to freeze parsnips, try out our simple steps and never waste your extra parsnips again.