These Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips are my favourite side to serve with a roast dinner, aside from roast potatoes of course! We love the sweetness they bring to any roast, and the nuttiness when you add a sprinkling of pecans along with the maple syrup. They are optional though, not everyone can eat or enjoys pecans, but if you can I thoroughly recommend you add them!
My Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips are also an excellent choice for serving at Christmas or Thanksgiving. They can be prepared in advance or even frozen until Christmas Eve, leaving you just to roast them on the big day.
If you have a toddler or weaning baby and are wondering how to adapt this recipe for your family, see here >
The Stars of my Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips
The Carrots & Parsnips
When you prepare these, you don’t want pieces that are too thick. For them to cook evenly, you’ll want the carrot and parsnip pieces to be roughly the same thickness. I go into more detail on how to prepare them in the recipe, but when you choose your parsnips, it’s best to buy them singly and to pick parsnips with a thick top and bottom. I find usually when I buy them in a bag, the top half is thick but the bottom is very skinny.
The Maple Syrup
You can use any maple syrup, but if you have it I really recommend using Pearl Milling Company Original Syrup or Aunt Jemima (both the same!) - it’s our favourite on pancakes AND on these roast carrots and parsnips. You’ll only add the maple syrup for the last 10 minutes, otherwise the sugar content will cause the carrots and parsnips to burn.
The Pecans
Add a little extra somethin’, somethin’ to your roast with pecans! These are optional, but if you are a nut fan, I really recommend you add them, especially if your roast is for a special occasion like Christmas or Thanksgiving (and no one has a tree-nut allergy). If you do want to add pecans, you’ll only do so for the last 10 minutes with the maple syrup just so they become lovely and toasted and don’t burn.
FAQ’s For My Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips
Can I prepare these in advance for Christmas & Thanksgiving?
Yes! I always do, even for a regular Sunday roast. And when it comes to Christmas and Thanksgiving, we all want to prepare everything in advance! To prep these the day before you’ll just need to add the carrot and parsnip pieces to a large bowl and add enough cold water so that they are covered with it and refrigerate (or leave in a cold garage). Then you’ll need to drain them 15-30 minutes before you are ready to roast.
If you want to make these weeks in advance, you’ll need to freeze the carrot and parsnip pieces in a reusable food bag or a container. Then the morning before the day you want to roast them, remove them from the freezer and add to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Transfer them to the fridge until 15-30 minutes before roasting time and drain.
Can I feed more people with this recipe?
Definitely! I have done it plenty of times, just prep as many carrots and parsnips as you think you’ll need and use a large or extra large roasting tray. You’ll probably want to increase the amount of pecans you add in too, if using.
How can younger children help make these Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips?
There is a lot of chopping and peeling involved in this recipe but they can help to toss the carrots and parsnip pieces in the oil. Then, once it’s time to add the maple syrup and pecans, you can have them help to do that - just ensure they don’t touch the hot pan.
Can I Store Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips leftovers?
You can store any Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips leftovers in an air-tight container or resealable food bag in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2). You can also freeze them, just defrost for 24 hours in the fridge and reheat in the microwave, turning halfway, until steaming hot all the way through.
For more on safe food storage and reheating read here >
What diets is this recipe suitable for?
My Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips are gluten, diary and egg free. They are also vegetarian and vegan. They can be made tree nut free but simply not adding the pecans.
My Maple Roast Carrots & Parsnips Pair Perfectly With…
Adapting My Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips For Your Family
Eating together is beneficial for families of all ages and stages, for a multitude of reasons; nutritional, behavioural, psychological and for healthy family functioning. This section will show you how to tweak this Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips recipe for sharing with a weaning baby, toddler or a fussy eater, which will help make it easier to eat together as a family.
Making My Maple Roast Carrots and Parsnips Suitable for Baby Weaning
Don’t add salt to the oil. You can leave their carrot and parsnips in one corner of the roasting pan and don’t drizzle with maple syrup - just be sure to remember which are theirs.
How to Serve to Babies & Toddlers
BABY-LED WEANING
On serving, if the carrot and parsnip pieces are too thick, slice them in half longways for 9 months and under. Chop into bitesize pieces for 12 months +. You can crush up a few pieces of pecans if you like for them to try, or you can leave them off.
SPOON FEEDING
6 MONTHS roughly chop and purée using your stick blender, along with the rest of their roast.
7-12 MONTHS roughly chop and pulse in your mini-food chopper along with the rest of their roast until the right consistency is achieved.
1 YEAR + using a sharp knife and fork, chop into small bitesize pieces.
I’ve also added these notes to the bottom of the recipe so you have them to hand when you come to cook. For more info on how I keep my family meals suitable for baby weaning, read here >
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MAPLE ROAST CARROTS AND PARSNIPS
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Scales & bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 500 g carrots, peeled see notes for cooking larger quantity
- 500 g parsnips, peeled see notes for cooking larger quantity
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Maple syrup for drizzling
- 50 g pecans snapped in half lengthways (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220ºc/200ºc fan/425ºf/gas 7 (see notes for if you need to roast at 200ºc/180ºc fan/400ºf/gas 6).
- Top and tail the carrots. Then slice in half lengthways. Long carrot halves should then be cut in half horizontally at the middle. Very thick carrots can be quartered lengthways.
- Top and tail the parsnips. Leave skinny parsnips whole and if thick, slice in half lengthways.
- Add the oil, salt and black pepper to a medium-large roasting pan and add the carrots and parsnips. Toss until well coated. Arrange them in an even layer.
- Transfer to the oven and roast for 35 minutes. Then remove and turn the carrots and parsnips over. Drizzle over a good amount of maple syrup, trying to get some on each piece. Then sprinkle over the pecans and put back in the oven to roast for a further 10-15 mins, until tender and golden. If you are doubling up or have a crowded pan with overlapping, put into oven 10 minutes earlier, and then turn at 30 minutes and roast for a further 10 minutes before removing and adding the syrup and the pecans & continuing to roast for the final 10-15 minutes.
Notes
ROASTING A LARGER QUANTITY
You can cook as much as you like. Use a large roasting pan and if you have a full pan with carrots and parsnips lying on top of each other, add 10 minutes to the next 10 minute cooking time after you have taking the veg out and tossed it.ROASTING AT A LOWER TEMP
To roast at 200ºc/180ºc fan roast for 30 mins, toss the veg around, roast for a further 20 minutes. Then add the maple syrup and pecans and roast for a further 10 minutes.Baby & Toddler
Nutrition
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