Baked Parsnip Chips
Healthy homemade chips made with parsnips! The perfect snack with a little salt and a little crunch.
Ugh, do I have to give up those delicious salty crunchy chips on a paleo diet? Well, sort of...but there are always nice substitutes that satisfy those cravings. Baked parsnip chips are a favorite of mine and are wonderful as a snack or paired with a meal like hamburgers. Using avocado oil is a healthy way to enjoy these, as most store bought chips of any kind mostly use higher processed oils.
This tasty treat is pretty simple to make but does require some attention when baking. So let's get into the details.
How to Make Baked Parsnip Chips
Start by getting a two large parsnips or 4-5 medium sized ones. You'll need avocado oil and kosher salt, but that's it! Three ingredients.
Make sure that the parsnips do not have wax on them, as some stores sell them this way. You'll then need to scrub the parsnips to get off any dirt, but you don't need to peel them.
Mandoline
Having a mandoline is pretty key when making these, as you want to get the thinnest slice possible. Think of the thickness of a dime. The lowest setting of the mandoline is needed to get this thin slice.
Start by slicing the thicker end (the top) of the parsnip. As the pieces get smaller, about the size of a quarter, I like to cut the rest of the parsnip vertically so I don't end up with little button sized slices.
Then place in a bowl and add the avocado oil and salt. Using your hands, mix the chips, oil and salt altogether. Make sure to separate the pieces and mix well so that all the chips have oil and salt on them.
Place a couple pieces of parchment paper on two large baking sheets. It is likely you will need two baking sheets or you can bake one pan at a time. Place the parsnip pieces on the pan so that they are not overlapping.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees. Check them at 10 minutes to see if any are brown and baked. Because they are different sizes they will bake at different rates. It's best to keep checking every 2-3 minutes so you can remove the completely baked chips and let them cool on a tray as the rest of the chips continue baking.
It can be tricky determining if the chip is completely baked in the middle. Make sure the chip is browned and doesn't look translucent and soft (you can also flip them over if desired) . Keep removing chips as they finish baking. It's also helpful to rotate the trays around when placing back in the oven.
After your baked parsnip chips have cooled and are crisp, they are ready to serve! Eat them as a snack or with a meal. Enjoy!
Please note that chips do not store well and are best eaten the same day.
Baked Parsnip Chips
Equipment
- mandoline
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 cups parsnips, very thinly sliced equals 2 large parsnips or 4-5 medium
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Move the racks to the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scrub parsnips to remove any dirt. You do not need to peel them. Set a mandoline at the lowest setting and begin slicing the parsnips with the thickest end first. When your pieces are about the size of a quarter, turn the parsnip lengthwise and slice the rest into strips.
- Place all the parsnip pieces in a medium sized bowl. Add the avocado oil and salt. Using your hands, mix around the parsnip chips, getting oil and salt on all of them.
- Spread the parsnip pieces out on the parchment covered pans so they do not overlap. Place trays on the oven rack next to each other. (If they do not both fit on the same rack, either bake one pan at a time or place on two different racks with one of the left side and one on the right so they are not overlapping.)
- Chips will typically take about 15-25 minutes to bake, but it's best to start checking them at 10 minutes. Due to the varying sizes of the chips they will bake at different rates. After 10 minutes you can remove any chips that are fully baked, placing them on a plate or tray to cool. Look for browned curled edges and check to see that they are no longer translucent. Continue checking the chips every 2-3 minutes, continually removing the completely baked chips. For best results, flip the chips over when checking them as well as rotate the trays around when placing back in the oven. Continue until all the chips are baked and placed on the plate or tray to cool.
- Let cool completely. Enjoy immediately after cooling or within the same day. Please note that baked parsnip chips do not store well overnight.