When the weather turns cool I immediately start craving warm & cozy foods, likes soups, stews, and roasted vegetables. Now mind you, this doesn’t mean I don’t also enjoy fresh and crisp salads to go along with my meals but warm foods have to be in there. Even a big salad at lunch is going to be full of roasted veggies & sauteed greens during the Fall & Winter.
Roasted veggies are such an easy and delicious way to add a bit of warm & cozy goodness to every meal. Although you have to plan a bit of time in, they’re very easy to make and can roast away while you’re preparing the rest of your meal.
Here are some of my favorite vegetables to roast but almost anything, other than leafy greens, will work. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
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Sweet Potatoes or Yams: peeled & cubed
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Carrots: peeled & left whole or chopped
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Beets: peeled & sliced or chopped
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Winter Squash (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, etc): peeled & cubed OR cut in half, seeds removed, and roasted flesh down
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Parsnips: peeled & sliced or chopped
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Broccoli: cut into florets
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Cauliflower: cut into florets
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Brussels Sprouts: outer layer peeled & either cut in half or left whole
Let’s take a look at my simple, fool-proof, way to roast veggies where they will turn out awesome every time!
Simple Roasted Veggies
Ingredients
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Whichever veggie you want to roast (see above) — choose enough to fill a baking sheet
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1-2 Tbsp olive oil
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Sea salt, pinch
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1 tsp Rosemary — or any other herb or spice of your choice (Oregano, Herbes de Provence, Cumin, Turmeric, or experiment with whatever sounds yummy to you!)
Directions
Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C).
Step 2: Prepare the veggies and place on the sheet or in a bowl.
Step 3: Add the olive oil, salt, & herbs or spices, then combine thoroughly.
Step 4: Spread veggies out over a baking sheet, ideally in a single layer, lined with foil or parchment paper.
Step 5: Roast in oven until veggies are golden brown and tender. Flip 1 or 2 times to make sure all sides get brown. Time varies based on the vegetable. It usually takes about 30-40 minutes but I have noticed that in a convection oven it will go faster, ~20 minutes.
That’s all there is to it! Super easy & sooo delicious!
Roasting veggies is also great to do ahead of time if you like to batch cook your meals. Make 2 or 3 sheets of veggies at a time and then store in the fridge to add to your meals during the week.
If historically you have not been a huge fan of vegetables, but haven’t tried roasting, then I have a feeling you will be pleasantly surprised by the great flavor roasting brings. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
