Garlic-Dill Parsnip Fries: the fry that skips the nightshade

A craving for fries deserves a real answer, and parsnips give one. Roasted until sweet and tender with crisp edges, then tossed with garlic and fresh dill, they read as a genuinely satisfying side.

Parsnips are a source of fiber and folate, with the fiber feeding the gut community, and roasting them in coconut oil gives their fat-soluble compounds something to ride on. The fresh dill is the leaf, which is welcome on AIP, not the dill seed, which stays out as a seed spice. A simple plant side that earns a place next to almost any protein.

Cut them with a little care and lay them out with room to crisp. Gratitude for a humble root vegetable that does this much is well placed.

Ingredients

• 1 lb parsnips, peeled
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed (reduce or drop for SIBO or low-FODMAP layering)
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped and tightly packed (dill weed, the leaf; not dill seed)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

• Cut the parsnips into fry shapes, about 2 inches long and a third of an inch wide. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Stir together the melted coconut oil, crushed garlic, dill, and salt. Pour it over the fries and toss to coat evenly.
• Roast at 375F for 25 minutes. Turn the fries, raise the oven to 450F, and roast 10 minutes more, until tender inside with crisp edges.

Air fryer variation

Toss the cut parsnips with the oil, garlic, dill, and salt as above, then air-fry in a single layer, shaking the basket partway through, until tender and crisp at the edges. A starting point is roughly 400F for around 15 minutes, but this time and temperature are a sensible range and untested here, so check the fries for doneness and add time in short bursts as needed.

*Adapted from grazed-and-enthused*