At first glance, parsley and parsnip share little more than the first four letters of their names. After all, most people know parsley as a leafy herb and parsnip as a starchy root. Yet one variety of parsley offers edible roots as well as greens. For this reason, parsley roots and parsnip roots are often confused. In fact, Hamburg parsley, as the root-type of parsley is known, strikingly resembles a parsnip in color and shape.
Parsley Root
Of the members of the parsley family, only the variety most often called Hamburg parsley bears a root suitable for eating. The more familiar curly-leaf and Italian parsleys feature edible greens, but no large root system. Hamburg parsley offers both an edible green and an edible root. It is thinner than a mature parsnip root, and its color is closer to white than parsnip's is. Slice or grate the raw root into salads and veggie-type salad stuffings. Add diced or sliced parsley root to casseroles and stews, or roast it as you would other root vegetables. The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences describes parsley root's flavor as "celery-like."
Parsnip Root
More familiar to U.S. cooks than parsley root, parsnips are more golden than white and somewhat larger than parsley roots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, like parsley root, parsnips offer a celery-like taste. They also resemble parsley root in that they take equally well to fresh or cooked meals. Mash the boiled or roasted roots, or serve roasted parsnips in hardy chunks. Coarsely grated parsnips also make intriguing variations to potato pancakes and savory carrot puddings, but either enhancing or replacing those vegetables.
Calories and Carbs
For dieters and people watching their starch intake, parsley root has the edge over parsnip. Parsnips contain 120 calories in every 1-cup serving, and also contribute 26 g carbohydrates. In contrast, parsley root has 15 calories and 3 g carbohydrates for the same-sized serving.
Nutrients
Although higher in the natural sugars that contribute calories and starch, parsnips contain more nutrients than parsley roots. Each cup of the cooked vegetable contributes about 30 percent of the vitamin C recommended for the day and 4 percent each of the iron and calcium you need. It also contributes 6 g fiber, or about one-quarter of the recommended daily fiber intake. Parsley root contributes no vitamins or minerals and about 1.5 g fiber, or about 6 percent of your daily fiber needs.
Considerations
While root vegetables, such as turnips and beets, offer the "two for one" advantage of nutrient-rich greens along with their roots, parsnip greens are more like carrot greens and not generally considered a vegetable in their own right. Hamburg parsley, in contrast, offers both an edible root and the herbal tops the other parsley types are known for. Parsley greens are rich in iron, iodine and vitamin C.
Suggestions
To get the sweetness and nutrients of parsnips but with fewer calories and carbs, cut your portion in half or combine parsnips with other vegetables. Hamburg parsley root, turnips and rutabagas are all similar in texture and appearance, but all contain less than half of the calories or carbohydrates found in parsnips.
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