Parsnips are bound to make an appearance on
your table at some point this holiday season. These delicious, but often forgotten (and snubbed), cousins of the carrot are a winter favorite in our house. Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas or just making your Sunday a little special with a fantastic roast, these are a delicious addition to your menu. We thought these ‘snips would be lovely with a little za’atar magic and we weren’t wrong. The lemony warmth of this Mediterranean spice complements the parsnips well and makes this dish a great accompaniment to any meat or fish.
As always, sauces make everything more appealing, and this Lemony Parsley Yogurt Sauce adds the final flourish. It goes really well with other veggies too, so feel free to double the recipe for extra sauce! If you can’t find (or - shock, horror - don’t like) parsnips, carrots would be a great substitute.
Ingredients: serves 4 as a side
One bunch of Parsnips (around 6-8), peeled and cut into sticks
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or other vegetable oil
1 -1/2 teaspoons za’atar
Flaky salt & freshly ground pepper to finish
2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds to finish
For the yogurt sauce:
1/2 cup (125g) plain, unsweetened whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper
Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Prepare the parsnips and place on a roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil, sprinkle over the za’atar and toss well to ensure everything is covered. Roast for 25 minutes, turning the parsnips halfway.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the ingredients together.
Serve the parsnips on a platter, sprinkle over flaky sea salt and a few grinds of pepper. Drizzle over the yogurt sauce and scatter the pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!
