Roasted Carrots and Parsnips With Honey

Peanut butter and jelly, ketchup and mustard...roasted carrots and parsnips? Sure, this duo doesn’t have the renown of some classic food pairings, but it should. You’ll find the two root vegetables cooked together over and over and over, and there’s a good reason—carrots and parsnips are both part of the parsley family, and the earthiness of the caramelized parsnips makes the carrots’ sweetness sing.

This recipe for honey-roasted carrots and parsnips is particularly simple, and the sweet-tart balsamic vinegar glaze makes it a real crowd-pleaser. Kids dig it, but it’s sophisticated enough for a holiday dinner. You can jazz up the balsamic-honey combo if you like (a little chopped fresh thyme or coarsely ground cumin, anyone?), but the recipe calls for just six simple ingredients, plus salt and pepper. Essentially, it’s the perfect last-minute oh-no-we-need-another side dish.

Speaking of prep time, these glazed carrots and parsnips don’t need much of it: The roasted root vegetables can be cooked on two sheet pans up to 2 hours in advance. To reheat, slide them back into the oven while your main dish rests, then drizzle the roasted parsnips and carrots with the warm glaze and serve. You can even prep the carrots and glaze the day before; store them (separately) in sealed containers in the fridge. Parsnips tend to brown once peeled and sliced, so it’s best to prep them shortly before you roast them.