The Easy Way to Honey Roast Parsnips and Carrots

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Bored if flavourless mushy veg? Want to know how to add some serious flavour? Try these gorgeous honey roast parsnips and carrots! Simple to make, PACKED full of flavour, and mostly importantly… NOT boring! Keep reading for the easy recipe…

Glistening honey roast carrots and parsnips in a bowl set over a black plate.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Like a lot of kids, I didn’t like many vegetables when I was young. And I struggled as I grew up too! The ONE method that changed my mind was roasting. It brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables, and there’s barely any hands on effort! All you need to do is peel, chop, mix and cook. That’s IT.

Mary Poppins once said, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”. Well in this case, it’s honey! Creating a beautiful caramelisation, the flavour it adds is out of this world!

A black bowl with lots of honey roast parsnips and carrots inside, set over a beige napkin.

Ingredients

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here’s everything you might need to know…

Parsnips – Best when in season (Oct-Mar in the UK).
Carrots – You can usually get decent carrots all year round. Try and mimic the size and shape of the parsnips, to help with even cooking.
Oil – I prefer olive oil for flavour. But if you are going to hike up your oven temperature to cook something else at the same time, you might be better with sunflower or vegetable oil. As these have higher smoke points.
Honey – I tend to us runny honey as that’s what I always have in. But you could try using any type you like! So long as it’s not solid, as this won’t be easy to mix in with the parsnips and carrots.
Rosemary – Fresh rosemary has a FAR better flavour to dried. Plus, a fresh sprig or two looks lovely in the final dish! Don’t substitute it if you can help it.

Honey roast parsnips and carrots in a black bowl topped with a rosemary sprig.

Emma’s top tips

Cut all the vegetables so they’re roughly the same size. This will help them cook more evenly.
Give your roast vegetables a good mix about half way through the cooking time to even out that beautiful caramelisation and prevent burning.
Remember – the bigger your vegetables, the longer they will take to cook. The smaller they are, the faster they will cook.
Are you cutting them a different size to me? This WILL affect the cooking time! Make sure you keep a close eye on them.
The rosemary will not look pretty after being cooked. Save a fresh sprig or two for presentation purposes, to really give that WOW factor on the table!

A black bowl filled with lots of honey roast carrots and parsnips.

Timings

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here’s some time managing info to make your life easier!

It will only take around 5-10 minutes to peel and chop your veg.
Allow 15-20 mins to preheat your oven (this will vary depending on your model).
Roasting will take about 35 mins, but this could change if you cut your vegetables larger or smaller.

A bowl of roast parsnips and carrots on a black plate.

Honey Roast Parsnips and Carrots – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to serve 4-5 as a side.

350g (2 Cups) / x 3 Parsnips
300g (1 + 1/4 Cups) / x 4 Carrots
2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Honey
Salt
6 Rosemary Sprigs (Plus extra for presentation)

Essential equipment

Chopping Board
Peeler
Sharp Knife
Roasting Tray

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 210°C/Fan 200°C / 410F.

Start by peeling the vegetables. I find it easiest to use a speed peeler. (350g | 2 Cups parsnips, 300g | 1 + 1/4 Cups carrots.)

Peeled parsnips and carrots on a chopping board.

Now you need to cut them all to roughly the same size. I usually cut them into 5cm / 2″ batons, but i know that parsnips can often have a very thin end. So just try and keep them as even as you can.

Chopped carrots and parsnips on a chopping board.

Next, tip your prepared vegetables into a roasting dish.

Chopped carrots and parsnips in a roasting pan.

Then add the olive oil (2-3 tbsp), honey (1 tbsp), and season generously with salt. Now get your hands in there and give it a really good mix, to ensure everything is evenly coated.

Finally, place the rosemary sprigs (x 6) throughout the roasting dish.

Chopped, oiled and seasoned parsnips and carrots topped with honey and rosemary in a roasting pan.

All that’s left to do is place it into the oven to cook for around 35 minutes. Check and mix well at the halfway mark to prevent any burning, and even out the caramelisation.

Roasted carrots and parsnips in a roasting pan.

To serve, remove the rosemary sprigs and place your honey roast parsnips and carrots into a warmed serving bowl/dish. If you like, you can pop a couple of fresh rosemary sprigs on top to make them look even more appetising!

A bowl filled with honey roast carrots and parsnips, with a light brown napkin to the side.

Serving suggestions

Every family has their own traditions when it comes to a Sunday roast or Christmas dinner. These honey roast parsnips and carrots are almost always a part of mine! Served with a few gorgeous crispy roast potatoes of course. And don’t forget the Yorkshire puddings!

Naturally, these pair well with any joint of meat. But if you’re looking for something a little different, this easy vegetable wellington works wonderfully too.

Sprigs of rosemary on a bowl of honey roast carrots and parsnips.

FAQs

What can I use if I’m cooking for a vegan?

The honey encourages a beautiful caramelisation, that tastes absolutely divine. But obviously this isn’t vegan. To achieve the same result for vegans, you could try using agave syrup or golden syrup in place of the honey. Alternatively, you could try a different approach altogether and use a tablespoon or two of a nice balsamic vinegar. That would result in a similar caramelisation, but have a deeper, sharper flavour.

Can I make honey roast parsnips and carrots in advance?

You can peel and chop them in advance, and store covered in the fridge until needed (up to 1 day ahead), but I would definitely cook them fresh on the day you need them.

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