Parsnips are root-based vegetables and belong to the same family as the carrot. Not many people are fond of Parsnips. But, those who love them cannot stop eating them regularly. It is such a highly nutritious vegetable.
You can use Parsnips as you wish – Boil them and eat, boil and use them in the soup, roast them well, fry them and have as a curry or mash them. It is a versatile vegetable and proves handy for nutritious cooking.
Usually, the parsnips are available in different lots. The use might not be so much on the same day. You would prefer having them between a few days in between. How to preserve them?
Can You Freeze Parsnips? Yes. You can freeze parsnips for up to nine months. You can cut them into small pieces and freeze them safely. But, make sure you blanch them well before freezing. Blanching locks the flavors and texture of the parsnips.
Let us look more into how to freeze fresh parsnips and various dishes prepared with parsnips. We shall also take you through the defrosting procedures.
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Do Parsnips Freeze well?
If you blanch the parsnips, they freeze wonderfully. Else, they don’t at all. They become very soft and mushy and completely different from what they were before freezing.
If you follow the blanching and freezing procedure, the parsnips are sure to freeze well. Even after blanching, you may have some small differences in the texture, but that does not affect the flavor much.
How to Freeze Parsnips?
Parsnips can be efficiently frozen if you follow the steps mentioned below.
- Once you purchase the parsnips, make sure you clean them properly under the cold water. For this purpose, you can leave them in the cold water for about an hour and wash them completely.
- Once they are completely washed, start peeling the skin and cutting them into the desired shapes.
- Now, blanch the parsnips. This is the most important step of preparing the parsnips for freezing. Blanching helps you to retain the texture and flavor. For this, place a bowl of hot water and let it boil.
- Take another bowl of cold water and keep them beside the hot water. Once the water starts boiling well, drop the parsnips in them.
- Allow them to boil for two minutes.
- After two minutes, remove the parsnips from the boiling water and drop them immediately in the cold water for a moment. Please note that you need not drop them in the cold water for more than a minute. Make sure that the parsnips are nicely submerged in the cold water for a moment and remove them.
- Leave the parsnips in the colander for a few minutes and allow them to dry and drain all the water.
- Transfer them to the freezer bags once the water is completely drained out and the parsnips are fully dry. Seal the freezer bags well. Make sure there is no excess air in there.
- Label the freezer bags with the contents and the date before placing them in the freezer.
How to Freeze Parsnips Dishes?
Do you have leftover Parsnips Dishes? Do not worry. We are here to give you the procedure to freeze the various Parsnips Dishes.
Roasted Parsnips
The Roasted parsnips are crispy, crunchy, and sweet. It would make a wonderful partnership with any roast dinner. What if you have leftovers? Let us freeze them.
- Prepare your roasted Parsnips recipe – Blanch them, roast with thyme, drizzle with honey, or any standard method that you want.
- Allow them to cool down to room temperature. You need not freeze the warm parsnips.
- Once they are cooled completely, divide them into different portions, and transfer them to the airtight containers or freezer bags. If you are using the freezer bags, make sure you squeeze out the excess air.
- Label the container or bags and place them in the freezer.
Mashed Parsnips
You can certainly freeze the Mashed Parsnips. But, if you mash them with cream, there are high chances that the texture becomes grainy after thawing. It is common with any dairy product.
Instead, you can freeze your parsnips fresh and mash them whenever you need them.
If you have dairy-free mashed parsnips – you need not worry. They would freeze well. All you need to do is portion them and pack them in sealed bags. Make sure there is no excess air in the sealed bags. Place the sealed bags in the freezer.
Parsnips Soup
Parsnips are one of the best vegetables for a soup. If you have excess soup or leftovers, you can freeze them.
Pour the cooled soup into airtight freezer bags and seal them airtight. Please place them in the freezer until you want to eat them.
Handy Tips for Freezing Parsnips
Freezing the parsnips is straightforward. The following tips might lead to more efficient freezing.
- Always blanch the Parsnips before freezing. Blanching is the best way to lock the flavors and maintain the texture of the parsnips. Else you might end up having soggy parsnips.
- Peel and cut them into pieces before blanching and freezing. This would save a lot of your time.
- The larger chunks of parsnips freeze better than smaller ones.
How long Can you freeze parsnips?
If you have followed the proper procedure of peel and blanch before freezing, Parsnips are sure to stay for almost nine months in the freezer. You can create a stash of the root vegetable at your arm’s distance at all times.
How do you defrost Parsnips?
Defrosting Parsnips is very easy. You have two options.
- You can remove them from the freezer and transfer them to a bowl. Keep the bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours and allow them to thaw.
- You can also directly use them in the cooking pot and cook alongside other dishes. This is best suitable for stew or soup.
Can You Refreeze Parsnips?
Surprisingly, yes. We would not advise any dish or vegetable to be refrozen. But, Parsnips proves them wrong. You can safely refreeze the parsnips. They can hold up well.
If you cooked the frozen parsnips, you could also refreeze the cooked dish. There might be a minor change in the texture, but that is not a big deal.
Can You Freeze Parsnips without blanching?
Yes. You can. But, based on the above reading, by now, you would have understood the importance of blanching the parsnips before freezing.
Blanching helps you to lock the flavors and texture. If you do not blanch, you might have a soggy parsnip at the end.
Can You Freeze Parsnips with Carrots?
Yes. You can safely freeze Parsnips with carrots. Parsnips are best if they are frozen with a range of vegetables. Carrots are one of those vegetables that compliment the parsnips when frozen.
How Long Does Frozen Parsnips Take to cook?
The frozen Parsnips take approximately twenty minutes to half to an hour to cook. Remove the parsnips from the freezer and place them in the non-stick baking tray.
Preheat the oven and place the baking tray. Cook until they are golden and crisp.
How long will Parsnips stay in the fridge?
You can also wrap the Parsnips in the paper towels and place them in the vegetable tray in the refrigerator. In the fridge, they can stay fresh for up to two weeks, not anything more.
How to tell if Parsnips have gone bad?
You can easily identify if the parsnips have gone bad. Some common hints are
- Wrinkled and shriveled up ends
- Extreme softness
- Limpness, i.e., if you hold one end of the parsnip, the other end would automatically bend down.
Can I Blanch Parsnips before roasting?
The choice is yours. Well, you can always blanch the Parsnips before roasting. You may also prefer to skip this procedure. Parboiling will help to avoid dry or chewy parsnips.
How to keep the Parsnips from turning brown?
Similar to Potatoes, the Parsnips can turn brown if peeled, cut into pieces, and exposed to air for a longer time. If you want to avoid this browning, you can peel and place them in the water. You can also sprinkle some lemon juice to keep them away from browning.
Final Words
Parsnips are one of the fewest vegetables that are very versatile. You can eat in different forms, from soups to mashed ones.
The best part is you can freeze them as vegetables and also as a dish as a whole. If you are sure to use them soon, you can also store them in the refrigerator for two weeks. You can place them in the vegetable tray.
Freezing would take a few more steps like blanching, drying, packing, and then freezing. They can stay fresh for up to nine months in the fridge.
Defrosting and thawing frozen Parsnips does not take much effort. You can either leave them to thaw in the refrigerator or directly use them in the cooking pot.
Yes. Freezing Parsnips is as simple as that.
Happy Freezing!