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Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Cilantro Salsa

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Cilantro Salsa

Roasted Carrot Parsnips Cilantro Salsa | Teaspoonofspice.com

Fresh cilantro salsa pairs perfectly with sweet roasted parsnips & carrots – . ~ 

During the height of cookie season and general sugar overload, I wanted to share with you a veggie recipe that is also worthy of a holiday dinner table.

Enter roasted carrots & parsnips.

This dish came from my dietitian pal, Sanna Delmonico, who currently is an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in California. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Napa and Sonoma wine country many times over the years – wining and dining at incredible vineyards and restaurants but one of my most memorable and favorite meals was when Sanna had me over for dinner with her family in her Napa home. She cooked a whole chicken on her grill butterfly style (in her backyard garden that boasts a fig tree), made the most delicious Gnocchi alla Romana and served up a beautiful dish of roasted carrots with a cilantro sauce.

Roasted Carrot Parsnips Cilantro Salsa | Teaspoonofspice.com

Winter veggie side dish: Roasted Carrots + Parsnips with Fresh Cilantro via @tspbasil Click To Tweet

Now this meal was years ago, before the fresh, whole foods movement took storm across the country but was already a way of life in Napa (which let’s face it, is a food nirvana because they can grow and raise such an amazing variety of foods, literally in their back yards!)

Since I’m now getting parsnips in my CSA share, I figured I’d add them, too. When it comes to parsnips, you can cook them like you would any root veggie. They look similar to a carrot and are sweeter than most winter root vegetables. I also love these Roasted Rosemary Parsnips (baked in a mixture olive oil, butter and apple cider – SO GOOD!)

But this recipe is really no fuss – you just need to peel and chop and then you let the oven do the work.

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Roasted Carrot Parsnips Cilantro Salsa | Teaspoonofspice.com

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Cilantro Salsa


  • Author: by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

A healthy and delicious winter veggie side dish worthy of your holiday table. Roasted carrots and parsnips are topped with a cilantro shallot sauce.


Ingredients

Scale

For the parsnips & carrots:

  • 2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks
  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the salsa:

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, toss parsnips and carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil, pepper and salt. Spread out on a baking sheet evenly. Roast for about 30-35 minutes (or until tender) turning them over a few times during cooking.
  2. Right before serving, in a small bowl, mix together cilantro, red onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over vegetables.

And thanks Sanna, for the inspiration all those years ago! (And I have to give food styling credit to my sister-in-law, Kathy, who lent me her gorgeous ceramic baking dish for these photos.)

Roasted Carrot Parsnips Cilantro Salsa | Teaspoonofspice.com

Do you have a favorite holiday vegetable dish? Have you ever cooked parsnips? Ever been to Napa or Sonoma? Tell us – we love hearing from you!

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ea-thespicyrd

Wednesday 11th of December 2013

Seriously yummy looking recipe! Although I don't eat parsnips a lot, I do like them and would love to give this recipe a try. Please tell your SIL I may have to steal her serving dish-love it!!!

Joanne

Saturday 7th of December 2013

I become re-excited about parsnips every winter! They are all too underused in my opinion. I love the salsa you've put on top! What a fun side dish!

Deanna Segrave-Daly

Saturday 7th of December 2013

YEs - we are going to make parsnips the veggie of 2014 - watch out :)

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