Parsnip chips are an easy baked snack that make a great alternative to potato chips! You can use this easy cooking method with practically any root vegetable, to make your own crunchy snack at home.
Why You’ll Love Them
They’re nutritious. Parsnips contain important vitamins and minerals like potassium, folate, vitamin C, and calcium, and they have more fiber than white potatoes. They make a great side dish for a healthy burger, or you can serve them as an appetizer with your favorite dip.
They’re unique. This recipe makes an unexpected side dish! Parsnips are in their peak season starting in the Fall months, but are often available year-round in grocery stores. Be sure to look for ones without bruises on the outside, and make sure you don’t buy parsley root by mistake, as they look very similar. (Sort of like a white carrot.)
They’re delicious. Parsnips are slightly sweeter than a traditional potato, similar to sweet potatoes. If you love sweet potato chips, you’ll probably love these, too.
They are easy to make. Just slice, toss with oil & salt, and bake! No deep fryer required.
They’re baked instead of fried. You won’t have to worry about oil splatter as you cook, and these baked snacks will have less overall fat than a deep-fried chip.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What do you need to make parsnip chips?
- Fresh parsnips
- Olive oil
- Salt
That’s it! This simple combination makes a simple, crunchy chip that is a little salty, with a hint of sweetness from the natural parsnip flavor. If you’d like a more seasoned chip, feel free to add a pinch of garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, black pepper, or thyme.
Prefer to use the air fryer? You can’t cook as many crispy chips at once in an air fryer, since most air fryer baskets are smaller than a traditional oven pan. However, you can use the same temperature in the air fryer, if you prefer. In that case, be sure to check on the chips after just 10 minutes, since the air fryer tends to cook slightly faster than an oven.
How to Make Crispy Parsnip Chips
1. Slice the parsnips.
For the best results, you’ll need to slice the parsnips into paper-thin pieces. I recommend using a mandolin slicer for the most consistent slices. If the slices are too thick, they will be more chewy than crunchy, so slice them as thin as possible if using a knife.
It’s most important that the slices are consistently sliced, so they will finish cooking around the same time. Very thin slices will cook faster than thicker slices, so be sure to watch the pan as it bakes if you end up with different thicknesses.
Pro Tip: Parsnips will shrink as they bake, so if you cut very small pieces, the baked chips will be tiny! For larger chips, cut the parsnip on a diagonal, which will give you longer, more oval-shaped pieces and slightly bigger chips.
2. Bake.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the parsnip slices to the pan. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and toss well, rubbing the olive oil into each slice. (If you would prefer to do this in a large bowl, you can! I just try to offer as little to clean up as possible.)
Arrange the slices into a single layer without overlapping pieces, then sprinkle generously with salt. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and flip over the slices to help them crisp up evenly. Remove any slices that have turned brown, so they don’t burn.
Return the pan and bake for 5 more minutes. On average, the chips should be done in a total of 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how thinly they are sliced. Be sure to watch the oven as the cooking cycle ends, so you can remove any chips before they burn.
3. Enjoy!
Let the chips cool completely on the pan so they can crisp up. Once they are cool, they are ready to serve! Transfer to a plate and serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. (Like ketchup, ranch dressing, or special sauce.)
Leftover chips can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but they will lose their crispness. You can spread these out and bake for 5 to 10 minutes at 350ºF again, to help crisp them up again.
Parsnip Chips
Ingredients
- 1 large parsnip (no need to peel)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a mandolin slicer or sharp knife, cut the parsnip into paper-thin slices. The thinner they are, the crispier they will be. (For larger chips, cut the parsnip on a diagonal. The slices will shrink as they cook!)
- Place the parsnip slices on the prepared pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss well, and rub the oil into the slices so they are evenly coated. Arrange them into a single layer without overlap (use two baking sheets if you need to) and sprinkle the tops with salt. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, pull the pan from the oven and remove any thinner pieces that are already brown and crispy. Flip the slices over, and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. At this point, more slices should be crispy. If you have a few pieces that still need to cook longer, they can bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. Let the chips cool completely on the pan, then they are ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (See notes for tips.)
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this parsnip chip recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
Oooh so parsnip was the mystery ingredient in yesterday’s photo! Very clever! I’m not really into the superbowl but my favourite snack that I suppose might be superbowl-related is nachos or blue corn tortilla chips and salsa. Yum!
I love nachos, too! Austin is seriously craving chips and salsa lately, so we may have to get some this weekend for the big game. 😀
These sound great!!! I haven’t tried parsnip in awhile so I will have to next time I go to the store-you are pushing me to try new things and I LUV IT…thanks! 🙂
It’s funny, I haven’t liked parsnips in other things I’ve tried– but they make an awesome chip! Hope you try them soon!
they look so pretty when done baking! yum
I was wondering what to do with the last 3 parsnips in the bottom of my fridge…
Thanks!!!
T
Is there an alternative to coconut oil that is less coconutty? My husband really hates anything remotely coconut, but I’d love to have an alternative to parsnip chips!
Grass-fed butter is a great alternative to coconut oil.
I might have missed where you said it…but what temperature should you bake the parsnips?
Thanks!
350 degrees.
Ahhh parchment paper, thats what i was missing! No matter how much I oiled they always stuck to the foil or sheet and I ended up with veggie chip crumbles. Going to pick some up an try again.
I have to say that these didn’t work out very well. They tasted okay coming out of the oven and after they cooled off. But after I put them in a pyrex container for the night, they got really soggy and the flavor changed. I’m not sure how to avoid the moisture problem.
I’m sorry to hear that! I’ve actually never tried storing them, since we typically eat the whole batch in one sitting. Maybe not sealing the container would have helped with the moisture issue? They might need air circulation.
Hi Megan,
This is a wonderful recipe. I love root vegetables recipes packed with all the vitamins and minerals and this one is just AMAZING! I made it today and was gone in 5 min. I had to make it again …my toddler loves it too! Thank you for all the info and this great website! I am a huge fan! Everything I tried from your website was tasty and healthy!
Megan,
i was looking today to see if you had a recipe like tortilla chips already. do you think you can come up with something like tortilla chips using cauliflower or something besides corn? i plan to try this myself, but since you’re the expert i was hoping i could tempt you to try so i can actually get something good. ha!
i cannot eat tortilla chips, but miss the taste and crunch.