This creamy Parsnip Gratin layers sweet, earthy parsnips with Gruyère, fresh thyme, garlic, and cream, then bakes until bubbling and golden. An elegant make-ahead side dish for holidays and special gatherings. Video!
Move over holiday potatoes! This parsnip dish is a delicious flavor combination. It also adds an unexpected side to the lineup. And it works so well to make ahead and reheat, which is a bonus for a holiday meal. So good.
This is the Best Recipe for Parsnips
Parsnips are so soulful to me. Beneath their rough-and-tumble exterior is this unexpected sweetness, earthiness, and depth – kind of like some of my favorite people!
And they were practically made for gratin. Layered with Gruyere, fresh thyme, garlic, nutmeg, and cream, they bake into something deeply comforting and surprisingly elegant, with a bubbling golden top and the most heavenly aroma.
This Parsnip Gratin comes straight from my catering days, where it was always a huge hit at holiday gatherings. Best of all, you can make it ahead and simply reheat it before serving – one less thing to think about when you’re entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Parsnip Gratin!
Unexpectedly delicious. Sweet, earthy parsnips pair beautifully with nutty Gruyere, fresh thyme, garlic, and cream for a gratin that’s rich, savory, and just a little unexpected.
Made for the holiday table. Bubbling golden cheese and beautiful layers of tender parsnips make this an impressive vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a special dinner.
Make it ahead. Bake the gratin ahead of time and gently reheat before serving – something I especially appreciate when oven space is precious during the holidays.
What are Parsnips?
Parsnips are cream-colored root vegetables that look a bit like white carrots, but their flavor is sweeter, earthier, and nuttier, with a subtle spice. Roasting and baking bring out their natural sweetness, which makes them especially delicious paired with savory cheese, cream, and herbs – and perfect for gratin.
Parsnip Gratin Ingredients
- Parsnips: Parsnips become wonderfully sweet, earthy, and tender as they bake. Look for firm, smooth parsnips. Feel free to substitute Yukon gold potatoes or peeled russets for half of the parsnips.
- Onion and garlic cloves: Feel free to use a yellow onion or a white onion. These add savory, aromatic depth that balances the natural sweetness of the parsnips.
- Heavy whipping cream: Creates the rich, velvety sauce and gives the gratin its decadent texture. Do not substitute half-and-half or milk.
- Spices: Fresh nutmeg (or ground), white pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Fresh thyme: For savory complexity and earthy, woodsy flavor. You can also substitute fresh sage.
- Flour: A small amount helps thicken and stabilize the cream sauce as the gratin bakes. Use regular all-purpose flour or substitute rice flour.
- Gruyère cheese: Nutty, savory, and wonderfully melty. Use grated gruyère cheese for the smoothest melt. Manchego can be substituted.
How to Make Parsnip Gratin
1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F and place a sheet pan on the lower rack to catch any overflow. Peel the parsnips, then use a mandolin or sharp knife to slice them into 1/8-inch slices (the thinner the slices the faster they will bake!). Thinly slice the onion and grate the cheese. Use butter to grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Assemble. Set aside the prettiest slices of parsnips for the top layer, then layer the parsnips and onion with 2/3 of the gruyere cheese and 2/3 of the thyme, reserving the rest for the top. Press down and make sure the layers are even (it’s okay if the inside layers are messy!).
Arrange the top layer of thin slices in neat overlapping rows.
3. Make the cream sauce. Heat 3 cups of heavy whipping cream in a saucepan. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, the remaining thyme, white pepper, flour, and garlic. Once simmering, pour over the layered parsnips. Tilt the baking dish to get the cream in all the nooks and crannies!
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top, add a few more thyme leaves, and a sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
4. Bake. Cover tightly with parchment paper and foil (for a tight seal) and bake for 45-60 minutes (depending on thickness) on the middle rack. If your parsnip slices are thicker than an 1/8-inch, you will need to cook the dish longer with the foil on (don’t worry if it seems watery).
5. Finish. Once the parsnips are fork-tender, remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes uncovered, letting it get bubbly and beautifully golden brown. Let rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature before serving. This helps the gratin set and thicken.
Parsnip Gratin Recipe Tips
This is one recipe where the details matter. These tips will help ensure your gratin turns out tender, creamy, and beautifully set.
- Avoid very large or older parsnips. These can sometimes have a tougher, woody core. If these are all you’ve got, you can cut the parsnip lengthwise and remove the firm center before slicing.
- Don’t substitute the heavy cream. Firstly, do not substitute whole milk or half & half for the heavy cream, or the gratin will end up watery.
- Aim for 1/8-inch thin parsnip slices. Using a mandolin makes this so much easier to make. If you don’t have a mandolin, slice the parsnips as thinly as humanly possible.
- Use freshly grated nutmeg. Freshly ground nutmeg is more aromatic than the pre-ground spice. Buy whole nutmeg (often sold in jars in the spice section of supermarkets) and scrape it against the finest holes of a box grater, or use a micro-plane grater. It’s totally fine to use ground nutmeg, but whole will give the dish that extra special flavor.
- Let rest before serving. Lastly, it’s imperative to let this sit for 15-20 minutes before serving, to ensure it sets up nicely and thickens.
- Make it ahead! This can be made ahead, baked ahead, and reheated before serving. It’s actually quite good reheated.
What to Serve with Parsnip Gratin
Serve this as a side dish with Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Marsala, or Pan-Roasted Chicken with Grapes. It’s a delicious addition to the holiday table with Oven Roasted Turkey and Homemade Green Bean Casserole. Check out our Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Ideas for more pairing inspiration!
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a warm 350°F oven or microwave.
FAQS
Yes. This is an excellent make-ahead side dish. Bake it ahead, refrigerate, then gently reheat before serving.
I recommend peeling them for this recipe, especially larger parsnips, for the smoothest, most tender texture.
Yes. Replace up to half of the parsnips with Yukon Gold potatoes or peeled russets for a milder gratin
Getting to know parsnips means looking beyond their rough skin to find their surprising sweetness. Have you ever met someone who seemed a bit rough at first, someone you didn’t expect to get close to, but after spending time with them, you began to understand their tough exterior and see their hidden kindness? These are the parsnips of the world. The ones who nourish us in their own special way.
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Watch How to Make It
After you try this Parsnip Gratin recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Parsnip Gratin Recipe
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Christmas recipes, comfort food, Make-ahead, Side Dish, thanksgiving recipes, thanksgiving side dish, vegetable side dish, vegetarian
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 –2 1/2 lbs Parsnips
- 1 medium onion- yellow or white
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream (do not sub half and half or milk)
- butter for greasing the pan
- 1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg ( or ground), more for the top
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon tresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon flour (or sub rice flour)
- 3–4 large minced cloves of garlic
- 6–8 ounces, grated gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel the parsnips and, using a mandolin, slice the parsnips into 1/8 thin slices. The thinner the slices the faster this will bake. If you don’t have a mandolin, slice them as thinly as humanly possible! 😉 Thinly slice the onion and grate the cheese.
- Generously grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter. Place a sheet pan on the lower rack to catch any overflow.
- Layer the parsnips and onion with 2/3 of the cheese and â…” of the thyme -saving the rest for the top- and reserving the more perfect pieces of parsnips for the final top layer. Press down and make sure layers are even. It’s OK if the inside layers are messy. Place the last layer of parsnip slices in nice-looking overlapping rows.
- In a sauce pan, heat 3 cups heavy whipping cream. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, the remaining thyme, white pepper, flour and the garlic and when it just comes to a simmer, pour over the layered parsnips, slanting the baking dish to get the cream in all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, a few more leaves of thyme, and a little sprinkling of nutmeg.
- Cover tightly with parchment and foil (you want a good seal) and bake for 45-60 minutes (depending on thickness) on the middle rack until parsnips are fork-tender. (If your parsnips were perhaps cut thicker than 1/8 of an inch, you will need to cook longer with the foil on.) Also, don’t worry if it seems watery at this point.
- Once fork-tender, remove foil and bake another 15 minutes uncovered, or until golden and bubbly. It is important to let it sit at room temp for 15-20 minutes before serving, so it sets up and thickens.
- You can also make this all ahead, and reheat before serving.
Notes
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can also substitute half of the parsnips with potatoes.
This can be made ahead, baked ahead and reheated before serving. It’s actually quite good reheated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 524
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 481.9 mg
- Fat: 42.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 25.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.5 g
- Fiber: 6.8 g
- Protein: 10.8 g
- Cholesterol: 128.1 mg
Made this for a dinner party the other night and it was spectacular! Made ahead and reheated. Perfection!
Glad to hear this Kim!
Sounds scrumptious & I am def going to make but ave one question. Is the core of the parsnip not woody cause when I bake parsnips I always remove core cause they tend to be woody more often than not.
Hi Lesley, It really depends on the parsnips and when they were harvested. Parsnips can be left in the ground over winter, and when they are, they sometimes develop a tough, woody core. If that’s the case, you’re doing the right thing—just cut it out as needed.
If you freeze, do you bake first or not? Thank you..
Hi Nancy, Bake ahead, freeze, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Move over holiday meal potatoes! This parsnip dish is a delicious flavor combination. It will also add an unexpected side to the line up. And that it works so well to make ahead and reheat is a bonus for a holiday meal. We cut this in half to “test drive” the recipe and used an 8×8 pan. So good.
Glad you gave it a try Michele!
We made this recipe and it was very delicious! We had one issue though. We needed to set the temperature to 375 deg. because we were concerned about our glass 9X13 casserole dish (deep-dish). Despite the lower temperature, after 35 minutes we noticed smoke coming out of the stove vent. We immediately turned the stove off and waited for the oven to clear. It turned out that the liquid was boiling over past the foil covering, falling to the stove bottom and burning. The parsnips were completely cooked even after the shorter time and lower temperature. We’re questioning the need for the high temperature and long bake time given the parsnips and onion are sliced thin and the cream is already hot.
Thanks John, appreciate the feedback and I will note the recipe. Timing depends on the thickness of the parsnips. Most people cut them to about 1/4th inch, then they underdone. Mandolin makes this cook much faster. 😉
We did cut the parsnips to 1/8 inch. We were questioning why the casserole boiled over after 35 minutes. Is the temperature too high at 400 (we did it at 375)? Especially considering that the casserole is supposed to cook another 15 minutes uncovered. We tested our oven temperature and it is accurate.
Shoot. I’m not sure- maybe my oven wasn’t accurate? I’ll have to to retest with my newer oven. 😉
Hi Sylvia, might I sub sweet potatoes for part?
Yes! Sounds fun!
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
We made this exactly, sliced the parsnips paper thin with our mandoline slicer. The flavours are so delicate and rich! We could not get enough. Thank you! Keep sharing your amazing recipes!
Great to hear Raadhiya and thanks so much for reviewing!
this is amazing. made plenty of times and goes get positive feedback
Great to hear Lucy!
Another delicious recipe, Sylvia! Your parsnip gratin was easy to put together and tastes amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
Thanks Ann, really appreciate you letting us know!
I made this for Thanksgiving and WOW! Everyone raved about it. I did it in 2 layers like others suggested to get the sauce more evenly spread. Love your site, thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes.
Thanks Maura, happy to hear you are enjoying!
Lovely dish! I made it without the onion on account of an allergy in our family. It was still delicious.
Great to hear! Thanks so much for circling back and leaving a review, very appreciated!
I discovered this recipe maybe 8 years ago. I had never had parsnips but was looking for a new vegetarian dish for Thanksgiving. My husband and I went crazy for this and it’s now a Thanksgiving tradition! I could eat the whole pan of it myself it’s so delicious! It’s been a hit with friends and family too. I’m so glad I found this; thanks for the recipe!
I really love this one too- and this makes me so happy! Happy Thanksgiving Stephanie and thanks for coming back and reviewing! Always appreciated.
I made this last year to great acclaim as my contribution to the Christmas table. I can’t make it Christmas this year because my niece now makes it regularly.
So I’ll have to find something else on this wonderful site, which won’t be a difficult exercise, tbh.
Still I’m about to make this wonderful dish for Friday night’s thanksgiving dinner at an American friend’s here in York, England. 🥰
I’m so glad you and your niece have been enjoying it!
Very nice low carb recipe. Better than potatoes.
So glad you enjoyed Vincent!
Made this with Christmas dinner. While slicing the parsnip took a lot of time, it was delicious. Well worth the effort. Everyone had seconds!
Awesome Lynn!
Made this for Christmas Day, mostly with Gruyere but also with some Jarlsberg cheese. Bought myself a mandoline for the job as I’ll need it for the very many times I’ll be making this in the future. Totally awesome, like everything else on FeastingatHome. (Btw, today I typed in “fasting at home” in error, which might well be what’s required 🙂
Haha, I feel the same. Glad you liked this one!
This was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. It was the hit for Thanksgiving! Have to admit the expectations were low for a parsnip dish from the others—-but, all were raving over it! So gooood!
Yay Tad! Great to hear and hope you guys had a lovely Thanksgiving. x
This did in fact become a new favorite dish that I’ve since made a couple of times, and passed on to people who also loved it when they tried it. Followed the recipe to the letter, and everything was perfect. Another vegetarian dish that you can serve devoted carnivores without annoying them (or really even raising their suspicions).
Well played.
Glad you have enjoyed this and thanks for your comment. 😉
I am very excited about making my first parsnip dish, but am only cooking for 1.5. Is there a way to halve the recipe?
Yes Jordan, feel free to halve the recipe!
This is the third or fourth time I have made this recipe and people just Rave about it it is so good but it’s so so bad for your arteries but what the hell it’s only once a year and I’m still alive with no artery problems.
Thanks
Haha, yes, I hear you. It’s pretty decadent. I recently made it with a bechamel sauce using nut milk trying to do a lower fat version. It just wasn’t quite as good.
The recipe states to not replace heavy cream. Would a thicker bechamel with reduced fat milk not work here though? Really want to make this for the holidays but would like to make it a bit lighter if possible.
Hi Daniel- this might work! I havent tried it, but seems like it should be OK? I’ll try to give it a test run this week. 🙂
Love all your recipes! Want to try making this for Thxgiving but want it a bit lighter.. it says to not substitute milk for heavy cream. What about making a thicker bechamel with lower fat milk, would that not work?
Hi Derek, I haven’t tried, but seems like it should work fine!
As the principal cook in a household of three twenty-somethings, two of whom are vegetarian, it can be difficult to find things that all three of us enjoy equally. I can happily say that this recipe has made the list. It was delicious!
I used applewood smoked gruyere (about twice as much as the recipe intended if I’m honest). Will definitely be using this to show off at thanksgiving!
Yum! Sounds tasty!
Very tasty. However, I wouldn’t recommend the method of pouring the sauce on last thing. It doesn’t filter through to the bottom layer properly. I would recommend pouring a small amount of sauce over each layer before adding the second half at the end.
I see your point here Ryan. Thanks for the feedback!