Parsnip Chips

I’ve always been a fan of root vegetables, and parsnips are no exception.

So, when we started using our new (at the time!) food dehydrator, obviously I needed to find a way to turn parsnips into a crunchy snack!

These crispy chips are super easy to make, and fun to eat. Not only does their flavour - earthy, with a slight sweetness work really well as a chip, the texture is fun, too.

They dry up to a dense crunchy texture, and the edges ruffle a bit in the process. Not only does this make for a fun mouthfeel, they’re kind of pretty - the slices almost remind me of sunny little flowers!

Anyway, these easy parsnip chips are great snack all around, one that the whole family is sure to love.

This quickly became one of my favourite parsnip recipes, and hey - and it’s much healthier than potato chips!

So, let’s look at what you’ll need to have on hand, to put on a batch for yourself!

Ingredients

This recipe uses just 3 basic ingredients - they should all be pretty easy to find, in most larger grocery stores.

As always, I have a few notes for you:

Fresh Parsnips

Parsnips may look like a white carrot on the outside - and they belong to the same family as carrots - but they taste completely different. Think “Earthy and slightly nutty flavour, with a hint of sweetness” vs “bright and sweet”.

Like carrots, though, they’ve got a good amount of nutrients - Parsnips are a decent source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.

Parsnips shrink a LOT as they dehydrate, so I recommend using larger parsnips when you can. Just not TOO large - really large parsnip tend to get woody!

Try to use firm parsnips with a relative even colour - small bits of discolouration can be removed with a vegetable peeler, but you want to avoid big sections / anything that looks like it goes deep.

Olive Oil

Using a SMALL amount of oil is what makes these parsnip chips more of a snack food, than just plain dehydrated veggies - the kind you’d use in an instant soup.

I use Olive Oil because I like the flavor profile it contributes to the parsnips. That said, feel free to use avocado oil or melted coconut oil, if you prefer.

Salt

This one is pretty basic - it’s just to enhance the parsnip taste - but you can vary it a little. While I’ll usually use table salt, kosher salt, or sea salt... sometimes I’ll use smoked sea salt, for a hint of smokiness.

Optional Seasoning

While I’ll usually keep it simple, you can definitely season your parsnip chips with different flavors.

Onion powder and/or garlic powder are an easy way to boost the flavour, or consider dried herbs - I love rosemary or thyme with dried parsnips.

Nutritional yeast will bring a cheesy flavour - or you could use grated Parmesan cheese (the dry, shelf-stable kind), etc.

Equipment

There are two pieces of equipment you’ll need to have on hand, to use this parsnip chip recipe:

A Food Dehydrator

While you can apparently make homemade parsnip chips in a regular home oven, I’m not a fan of running one for hours on end.

A couple years ago, we upgraded our old dehydrator to a Cosori 6 Tray Food Dehydrator, and LOVE it.

It was only like $200 Canadian, and it’s paid for itself MANY times over, between all the Maple Cinnamon Apple Chips and jerkies I’ve been making!

Mandoline Slicer

Optional, but it’s really helpful when it comes to getting your parsnip slices to an even thickness.

I have a Mueller Multi Blade Adjustable Mandoline Slicer.

I ABSOLUTELY love it. We use it all the time, no complaints!

How to Make Crispy Parsnip Chips

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Wash and peel your Parsnips.

Using a mandolin slicer or sharp knife, cut your parsnips into even rounds. Aim to keep them around the same thickness - I like about ⅛" thick.

Place parsnip slices in a large bowl.

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the parsnip rounds, and sprinkle with a bit of salt. (Measure with your heart, not a measuring spoon! You want a VERY light coating, not to drown them).

Gently toss to coat the parsnip slices and distribute the salt. If you’re adding any additional seasonings, do so now.

Arrange your parsnip slices on food dehydrator trays. You want a single layer of parsnip slices on each, with no overlapping.

Dehydrate at 135 F for 6-8 hours. (Actual time will depend on the thickness of the parsnip slices.)

To test for doneness, remove a parsnip chip from the dehydrator and let it cool to room temperature.

It should feel dry to the touch, and be crispy. It should snap if you try to bend it. (Note: If any have too much olive oil on them, they can be dried through and still not snap. That’s ok - judge by the ones that aren’t overly oily!)

Once parsnip chips are all fully dehydrated, allow to cool to room temperature before packing and storing. See below for information on conditioning and storing your parsnip chips.

Condition the Parsnip Chips:

Keep an eye on the vegetable chips for the first 3 days or so.

If you see any evidence of residual moisture in that time frame - droplets on the bag, etc - return the mango leather to the dehydrator and let it dry a bit more.

If at any point you see any evidence of mold, throw the batch out.

Once you’re sure the parsnip chips are fully dry and moisture isn’t coming out, transfer them to an airtight container for longer term storage.

Dehydrated Parsnip Chips Storage

Parsnip chips should be stored in an airtight container, with as little oxygen - and light exposure - as possible.

If sealed into an airtight container WITHOUT OXYGEN, they should be good for a month or so in a cool dark place.

They do taste best when eaten within a few days, though.

Note: Parsnip chips have a shorter shelf life than regular dehydrated parsnip, on account of the oil. The oil and salt is what makes this a snack food, rather than a pantry item for making soups out of, though!

More Dried "Chip" Recipes

Looking to make chips out of fruits, veggies, or more? We have a few more recipes for you:

Bananas Foster Banana Chips
Beet Chips
Cardamom Pear Chips
Carrot Chips
Maple Cinnamon Apple Chips
Pepperoni Jerky
Pickle Zucchini Chips
Zucchini Chips