You could be missing out on the best vegetables you’ve ever tasted. Your very own oven has the power to transform Mother Nature’s finest produce into something truly remarkable—crispy, charred and full of natural flavor. I’m talking about roasted vegetables.
Roasting vegetables adds a smoky flavor that you simply can’t achieve by cooking in water or oil. While sautéing and stir-frying add sweet caramelization, cooking vegetables in a skillet won’t produce that revered nutty, toasted quality that a dry oven can. From the crispy bits on a broccoli floret, to the sweet core of a carrot, the oven tenderizes vegetables while adding a browned, grill-like flavor.
Even better news? Because you quickly slice, toss in oil, and roast, the process (and clean-up) couldn’t be easier. Great for feeding a crowd, roasted vegetables are an ideal accompaniment to holiday meals.
Even if you’ve roasted veggies in the past and found the results less than appealing, with a few simple tips and techniques I’m confident they’ll become your new go-to side dish.
Here’s everything you need to know about making perfect roasted vegetables every time.
In general, if you can boil, steam, or sauté it, then you can roast it. The main difference between roasting one vegetable over another is the cooking time (more on that later).
Root vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots and winter squashes like acorn, butternut, are fan favorites, but practically every vegetable will thrive in a hot oven. Try onions, bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, green beans and even tomatoes tossed with garlic and olive oil.
Washing: Wash and pat dry all your vegetables before roasting.
Peelings: Potatoes can be roasted peeled or with the skin on. Peel winter squashes and remove their seeds.
Trimming: Snip the ends of green beans and snow peas, slice off the bottoms of Brussels sprouts and core and seed bell peppers.
Chopping: Cut vegetables into uniform sizes and shapes to ensure even cooking. If you have big chunks of potato and tiny broccoli florets, the broccoli will char before the spuds achieve a golden-brown exterior and tender middle.
Oil: Since the ingredient list is short – vegetables, oil, salt, and pepper – quality matters. I suggest tossing your veggies with a good-quality oil, such as olive oil, since the flavor will shine through. You can also use coconut oil and avocado oil if that’s more your style. Don’t be shy, use enough oil to coat all sides of the vegetables with a thin sheen as this ensures even cooking and crisp edges.
Season: Keep it simple with a few cranks of black pepper and sea salt to help coax out the natural flavors of your roasted veggies. Toss and you’re ready to spread them on your baking sheet or roasting pan.
I recommend using a large baking sheet (or two) for two reasons: One, using a baking sheet (and not a roasting pan with high sides) will allow the heat to hit all sides of the vegetables, which guarantees toasty, crispy edges. Second, the goal is to “roast” the vegetables, not steam them. A crowded pan will create steam, so be sure to use a baking sheet that’s big enough to spread the vegetables out so they don’t touch each other. You want that fierce dry heat to hit every inch of the vegetables because the magic is in the heat.
How long you roast depends on the vegetable, and you’ll find general roasting times below. That said, all vegetables should be cooked until browned, either golden brown or dark brown, depending on your preference. The point of roasting is to create a flavorful char, so don’t stop until you get there.
I do all my roasting in a preheated 400-degree oven. Though cooking time depends on the size of your vegetables, with smaller chunks, pieces, and florets cooking faster than larger ones, these are good general guidelines to aim for.
Roast root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots and parsnips) for 30 to 45 minutes.
Roast winter squash (butternut, acorn and pumpkin) for 20 to 60 minutes.
Roast crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) for 15 to 25 minutes.
Roast soft vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes) for 10 to 20 minutes.
Roast thin vegetables (asparagus, green beans and snow peas) for 10 to 20 minutes.
Some vegetables roast to perfection in just 10 minutes, while others can take up to 45. The trick is to partner vegetables that cook in the same amount of time, such as long-cooking carrots and potatoes or faster charring broccoli and tomatoes.
If you want to roast a variety of vegetables, simply add veggies to the sheet pan in order of their cooking time from longest to shortest. For example, start with potatoes and carrots and roast for 20 minutes before adding zucchini and green beans to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. This will ensure all your vegetables come out tender-crisp and perfectly browned.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cold roasted vegetables are excellent in salads and sandwiches.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com.
Here's the last recipe you'll ever need for 3-ingredient, holiday-ready roasted vegetables – AZCentral.com
