Air Fryer Parsnip Chips

Name: Air Fryer Parsnip Chips
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: ¾ lb large parsnips; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 1 pinch salt; 1 pinch pepper; 1 Tbsp fresh chives; 1 Tbsp fresh parsley

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Never have I fallen so quickly in love as I have with these air fryer parsnip chips/crisps! Just pop the pasnips in the air fryer then eat them like potato chips or use them to scoop your favorite dips!

closeup pf parsnip chips in basket with striped towel

You may think there’s nothing particularly exciting or tasty about the humble parsnip, but you’d be wrong! Although these carrot-like root vegetables are usually available August through May, I always think of them as a springtime vegetable, and one of the things I really look forward to cooking with in the early months of the year.

If you aren’t familiar with what a parsnip tastes like, it’s kind of like a cross between a carrot and a potato. These tasty veggies work great for chips and fries, and have a slight sweetness.

These air fryer parsnips are easily my favorite parsnip recipe. They’re kind of like kettle chips, sweet potato chips, and apple chips all in one!

Table of Contents

🥄 Why This Recipe Works

These parsnip crisps are a more nutritious option than potato chips, and I genuinely think they taste better anyways!
You only need parsnips and oil for great tasting chips, but when seasoned with chives and parsley, they taste a lot like sour cream and onion Pringles.
These air fryer parsnips are gluten-free and vegan, perfect for sharing with friends of all dietary preferences.
Making parsnips in an air fryer is a great way to enjoy a quick snack with minimal cleanup.

🛒 What You Need To Make Parsnip Chips

📝 Recipe Modifications And Substitutions

Parsnips: Can’t make parsnip chips without parsnips!
Olive oil: You can also use vegetable oil, avocado oil, and canola oil.
Salt & pepper (optional): Flaky sea salt and fresh crushed black pepper work great. Paprika would also work well!
Fresh herbs: I like to top them off with freshly chopped chives and parsley for added color and flavor. You can also use other herbs like rosemary and thyme.

🥣 What Equipment Do I Need?

For super crunchy parsnip crisps, you’ll need a mandolin slicer to slice them super thin. You’ll also need an air fryer and a ve getable peeler, if you prefer them without the peel.

🥕 How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Cut the thin tip of the parsnip off and discard or save for another recipe. Peel the parsnip if desired, then slice into thin chips using a mandolin. In a large bowl, toss chips with oil, using your hands or a rubber brush to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated.

Pro Tip: You may need to do multiple batches depending on the size of your air fryer. The parsnip crisps tend to absorb the oil pretty quickly, so you may want to brush the oil onto each batch just before air frying, rather than coating them all at once.

peeled parsnip next to unpeeled parsnip on cutting board

sliced parsnip chips coated in olive oil in pink bowl

Step 2: Cook the parsnip crisps in a thin layer at 375° F for 5 minutes.

Pro Tip: Parsnips come in different sizes! For this recipe, try to pick the biggest ones you can find as the chips will shrink considerably after baking.

uncooked parsnip crisps in air fryer basket

parsnip crisps in air fryer basket after cooking on one side

Step 3: Flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes, adding more time if needed. Parsnip chips should be curling and browning around the edges.

Pro Tip: All air fryers are different, so you may need more or less cook time for ideal results. I recommend doing a test batch. If chips are burning or cooking unevenly, you may need to remove the crispy ones before adding more time to the ones that are still soft.

brown-edged parsnips in air fryer after cooking

cooked parsnip chips in oval shaped bowl

Step 4: Serve chips right away to enjoy them at their crispiest. Eat them plain or sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, chives, and parsley.

Pro Tip: The thinner the chips are sliced, the crispier they’ll be, but this also increases the risk of them burning. I slice mine at my mandolin’s 3mm setting, but if yours are thinner or thicker, this may affect the cooking time.

air fryer parsnip chips in basket with striped towel beside dip, s&p, and cutting board

Still hungry? You can cook more than just parsnips in the air fryer! These air fryer sausage rolls are one of my favs!

🎛️ Oven Instructions

You can still make great chips even if cooking parsnips in an air fryer isn’t an option. You can fry them in a deep fryer or a pan with oil, or bake them in an oven! If using an oven, I find this is the best method:

Step 1: Preheat oven at 375° F.

Step 2: Cut the thin tip of the parsnip off and discard or save for another recipe. Peel the parsnip if desired, then slice into thin chips using a mandolin and toss thoroughly with oil, using your hands or a rubber brush to ensure each piece is coated.

Step 3: Spread the chips in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 15-20 minutes or until crispy, flipping halfway through

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

parsnip crisp in ranch dip bowl beside basket, s&p, parsley, cutting board

These chips are delicious on their own, even unseasoned, but they’re great for dipping too! Here are some of my favorite ways to eat them:

Dip them in homemade ranch or French onion dip.
Satisfy your sweet tooth by seasoning them with sugar and cinnamon or drizzling them in chocolate, honey, or maple syrup.
Enjoy them with/in your favorite sandwich.
Chop up the thin ends of the parsnips we set aside and add them to this 10 vegetable soup!

🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Is it OK to eat raw parsnip?

Just like with carrots, it is totally safe to eat parsnips raw, however I think the taste tends to be better upon cooking.

What is the difference between parsnips and carrots?

While carrots possess a subtle sweetness, parsnips are even sweeter, with a taste somewhat resembling sweet potatoes. The taste is nutty, earthy, and even slightly chocolatey and malty when baked into chips.

How can you tell if parsnips are good?

When parsnips are good, they will be ivory, yellow, or light tan in color and have firm skin. The first sign that parsnips are beginning to go bad is that their skin will start to wrinkle up they may develop soft spots. Parsnips that are slimy or moldy or smell like vinegar should be discarded.

Where can I buy parsnips?

You can buy parsnips in the produce section of most grocery stores August through May. If you can’t find them there you can try local farmers markets or specialty stores like Sprouts, Trader Joe’s and ethnic grocery stores.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

You don’t need to peel the parsnips before slicing them, but you can if you want to!
Instead of discarding the thin part of the parsnips that are too small in diameter for chips, add them to a freezer bag with your other vegetable scraps and use them to make homemade veggie broth!
The key to super crispy parsnip chips is to cut them as thinly as possible. Using a mandolin is ideal, but you can use a knife to cut them if you’re okay with them having more of a French fry texture.
Don’t line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil for these! They need unrestricted air circulation to cook evenly and get crispy.
Unfortunately, this crunchy snack won’t stay crunchy for long! Put any unused parsnip slices in the refrigerator to fry on another day, rather than frying them all up and then trying to revive them at a later time.

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