A parsnip is a cream-colored root vegetable that looks like a pale carrot and tastes sweet and earthy when cooked. Parsnips grow underground, and farmers harvest them in fall and winter. When roasted, they become tender and develop a rich, almost nutty sweetness that many people find delicious.

Parsnips have been grown in Europe for over 2,000 years and were an important food before potatoes arrived from the Americas. Colonial Americans grew parsnips in their gardens and used them in stews, soups, and roasted dishes. Today, you might find roasted parsnips on a dinner plate alongside other root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, or mashed into a creamy side dish.

Raw parsnips are quite tough and have a strong, sharp flavor, which is why most recipes call for cooking them. The cooking process transforms them completely, turning their starches into sugars and making them soft enough to eat. If you've ever tried a roasted parsnip, you know it tastes nothing like its carrot cousins, even though it looks similar.