I am and always will be in love with roasted vegetables. I believe in magic that a roasted vegetable does to the dinner table. Think about it, almost every vegetable can be roasted, without a complicated recipe, and everyone loves it. Picky kids, who won’t touch a brussels sprout? Don’t boil it, take a break from the boil or steamed versions. Try roasting it and it will bring a whole new side to your former nemesis, vegetables and I think you will be in for a welcomed change of pace. Smiles at the dinner table.
What Vegetables work the Best?
I love root vegetables – potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots are the ones you think about and are clutch performers when it comes to roasting. However, when I am working with clients we open the fridge and see all types of alternative roasters: broccoli, the aforementioned brussels sprouts and zucchini, bell peppers and yes onions.
If you don’t think it can be roasted, I suggest you do it. Try it. You may not end up loving it, but it is worth the experience – why not? Don’t let that just sit in your fridge or pantry and throwing it away because you didn’t want to try. That’s just wasted cash.
Oil is your friend, don’t be a Skimper
Once you have done your prep work with the veggies by cutting them into bite-sized pieces, it is time to generously coat them with some amazing olive oil. You should use enough that when you are done tossing them, the vegetables should have a slick, glossy coating. Generally, one to two tablespoons will do the trick.
What does the oil do? Well, not only does it help the veggies cook more evenly, it also helps them crisp up and that crispiness builds that extra layer of flavor that is lost in your traditional cooking methods.
There are a variety of different oils that you can use while roasting vegetables. I use olive oil. If you like a more mild oil when you roast the veggies you can. Some types of these mild oils are a safflower or a vegetable oil.
What a lot of people forget is the salt. My rule when working with clients is to be generous with the seasoning, just not excessive. You should add just enough salt and other seasonings that each vegetable gets a little love.
Space means Flavor
When you roast the veggies you will want to ensure that they have breathing room. Yes, you will want to ensure they are not crowded, spread them around. Don’t worry you can use more than one baking sheet. Why? Well, when you crowd the veggies they start to steam, instead of roast. Remember, by increasing the surface area of the veggies that are exposed to the heat source, you get more evenly cooked and crispy vegetable and the deeper the flavor you will get.
The oven is also important. When you roast veggies, you need to pre-heat your oven to the proper temperature. I like 425 degrees F. Never place your vegetables in a cold oven.
Roasty is Toasty
When roasting vegetables, they should be cooked until they are tender with a fork and you start to see some charred bits on the edges. It is important to remember that if you are starting off with a softer vegetable (like tomatoes) they will cook more quickly, while root vegetables like parsnips will cook longer. Smaller diced items will cook faster than larger ones.
So, keep your knife work consistent! If you are new to the roasting game, you should start checking the oven at the 15-minute mark, and keep your eye on them until you start to see the charred edges develop.
I cannot underestimate how important those charred edges are to making roasted vegetables so delicious, so even though you might have reached the fork tenderness and they are at temperature, you need to keep roasting them until you see the tips and the edges turn a toasty brown. The extra 5 or 10 minutes you allow them to roast will yield a better tasting vegetable.
3 Tips for Beginning Roasters to Achieve a Perfect Mixed Veggie Blend
- Roast in stages: As we discussed that different vegetable cook at different rates. So, start with roasting the hardest, longest-cooking veggies first, then start roasting the softer, quicker cooking ones later. Remember, do not crowd the pan or the oven.
- Roast veggies separate Roast veggies individually on separate sheets. This allows you to have better control on each type of vegetable. You can combine them together after the roasting process is over.
- Veggies are friendly: Vegetables like friends, so when you combine similar textures together on the roasting tray it can be done. So, cauliflower and broccoli are similar and can be roasted together. However, you wouldn’t pair cauliflower and sweet potatoes? Butternut squash and potatoes, however, would be a great friendship.
