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Peeling Your Root Vegetables? These 12 Recipes Say Don’t Bother

Like creamy parsnip purée and shawarma-spiced carrot salad.
Shawarma spiced carrots with date and herb salad on a plate
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore

We’ve all been there: standing over the sink, hanging onto slippery carrots, skins chaotically soaring across the kitchen. Peeling root vegetables is one of those steps that we all do without questioning why. In many, if not most dishes, peeling is simply not worth the effort. Why spend more time to get less flavor and texture? When all you want is a comforting root veggie soup or a snackable dip, skip the finicky peeling with these 12 recipes. Just remember to scrub thoroughly and you’re golden. Like produce buried deep in the ground, your peeler may not see the daylight after exploring this list.

  • Bowl of beige pure on light pink tablecloth.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams
    1/12

    Parsnip Purée

    Parsnips are underappreciated—and so, so delicious. This four-ingredient side is as easy as it gets and highlights the essence of parsnip-ness.

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  • Mapleglazed carrots on a platter sprinkled with flaky salt and chile flakes.
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura
    2/12

    Maple-Glazed Carrots

    With their sweet-hot kick from maple syrup and red chile flakes, these oven-roasted carrots will have everyone asking for more.

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  • Grilled mushrooms and root vegetables recipe
    Photograph by Jessica Pettway, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    3/12

    Grilled Mushrooms and Root Vegetables

    This dish is perfect for long winter days when you want to flood the house with toasty, irresistible aromas.

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  • Roasted carrots and root vegetables with green salsa on a gold plate
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    4/12

    Roasted Roots With Green Salsa

    Level up roasted root vegetables with a zippy fresh tomatillo salsa.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Dish Meal and Bowl
    Photo by Alex Lau
    5/12

    Parsnip Skordalia

    This riff on the Greek classic swaps out potatoes for parsnips, which gives the dip a touch of sweetness that pairs well with the feta and chiles.

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  • This image may contain Food Dish Meal and Platter
    Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Angharad Bailey
    6/12

    Slow-Roasted Chicken With Honey-Glazed Carrots

    When you use a lidded pot for this roasted chicken, it gently steams the bird and makes it juicier than ever.

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  • Image may contain Animal Seafood Food Sea Life Lobster Plant Dish Meal Fries and Produce
    Photograph by Jessica Pettway, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    9/12

    Carrot and Habanero Tamales

    A tamal filled with carrots, habaneros, and garlic is chef Maricela Vega’s celebration of how the harvest from summer and fall floats into wintertime.

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  • Image may contain Plant and Food
    Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    10/12

    Shaved Carrots With Charred Dates

    Tangy, crunchy carrots meet soft and sweet blackened dates for literally everything you want in one bite.

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  • A bowl of potato leek soup topping with fried herbs and served with lemon wedges.
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown
    11/12

    Leveled-Up Potato Leek Soup

    A creamy potato soup without the puréeing, plus a crunchy, fresh topping you'll want to scatter on everything.

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  • Image may contain Animal Seafood Food Lobster Sea Life Dish Meal Plant Fries and Bowl
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Andy Baraghani, prop styling by Emily Eisen
    12/12

    Grilled Carrots With Avocado and Mint

    You actually don’t have to bother with peeling the carrots for this recipe—not only do the thin skins pack lots nutrients, but you’ll also get a better char with them on.

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Nina works across Bon Appétit and Epicurious, solving mysteries like “Why do beans make us fart?” and “What is that white stuff oozing out of my chicken?” She also edits and produces recurring columns like It’s That Simple and has even developed a recipe or two. Before joining the editorial ... Read More
Associate Editor, Cooking