Parsnip Puree With Parmesan & Brown Butter

This Parsnip Puree is silky, savory and holiday-table worthy, with Parmesan and garlic blended right in and warm brown butter spooned over the top.

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The Parsnip Side Dish I Should Be Making More Often

I cooked with parsnips pretty regularly in culinary school, but somehow they never made it into my home cooking rotation nearly as often. That’s a shame, because they’re delicious, naturally sweet without being sugary, and especially good when you treat them as their own special thing instead of just a substitute for potatoes.

This recipe is exactly the kind of thing that reminds me why I like them so much. The parsnips are cooked until very tender, allowed to dry off after draining, then blended with warm cream, butter, Parmesan and thyme until completely smooth.

With brown butter spooned over the top, it tastes exactly like the kind of silky vegetable puree you’d get as part of a composed dish at a fancy restaurant (picture it puddled underneath a thick slice of Prime Rib Roast). But it’s also practical enough to make as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish alongside the usual potatoes, stuffing and gravy.

Parsnip Puree Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• parsnips – cook them until they’re very tender so the food processor can turn the fibrous root vegetable into a truly smooth puree.
• garlic – cooks right along with the parsnips, which mellows its sharpness before it gets blended into the puree.
• heavy cream and butter – warmed together before blending so they incorporate smoothly without cooling down the parsnips.
• Parmesan cheese – adds salty, savory depth of flavor that balances the natural sweetness of the parsnips.
• fresh thyme – gives the puree an earthy herb flavor that works especially well with holiday roasts and turkey.
• kosher salt and black pepper – salt the cooking water well, then season the finished puree to taste with additional salt and black pepper after the Parmesan is added.
• brown butter – warmed and spooned over the finished puree for a nutty, toasty final layer of flavor. See my tutorial on How To Brown Butter to get started.

How To Make Parsnip Puree

1. BOIL. Cook the garlic and parsnips in salted boiling water until the parsnips are very tender when pierced with a knife.

2. DRY. Drain everything in a colander, then let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing once or twice so excess water can drain and steam can evaporate.

3. WARM. Return the empty pot to low heat and warm the heavy cream and regular butter just until the butter is melted. Don’t let the cream boil.

4. PUREE. Process the garlic, parsnips and warm cream mixture with the Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed, until completely smooth and silky.

5. FINISH. Spoon the puree into a serving bowl, make a shallow well in the center with the back of a spoon, and drizzle with warm brown butter.

Parsnip Puree vs. Mashed Parsnips

Parsnip puree and mashed parsnips use the same root vegetable, but the finished textures are different. Mashed parsnips can be left a little rustic, while a puree is processed until very smooth.

That’s why I use a food processor here instead of a potato masher. The goal is a silky consistency that can be spooned underneath a roast or served in a bowl alongside more traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas sides.

Make Ahead, Storage And Reheating

• Make Ahead: Make the parsnip puree up to 1 day in advance, but wait to add the brown butter until serving. Refrigerate the puree and brown butter separately.
• Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers uncovered until fully chilled, then cover and store for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. If the puree has thickened, add a small splash of cream as needed. Warm the brown butter separately and spoon it over just before serving.
• Freeze: Freezing isn’t ideal for this recipe because the cream-based puree can lose some of its silky texture after thawing. For a holiday meal, making it one day ahead and refrigerating it will give you a better result.