Many people find vegetables a bit on the boring side. Using traditional methods of steaming or sautéing can result in lackluster side dishes. It can be challenging to find ways to make vegetables interesting and tasty for the whole family, while still being healthy and quick.
Roasting vegetables is a great way to caramelize and bring out the flavor of vegetables. Those who don’t like cauliflower, broccoli or beets often like these veggies when they are roasted. Roasting is an easy and simple method for taking your side dishes from ordinary to extraordinary.
Root vegetables are great to roast and they are perfect to combine since they cook at similar times. Think parsnips, carrots, beets, potatoes, brussels sprouts and winter squashes. Green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, green beans and bell peppers take less time than root vegetables and also blend well together. Use various spices and herbs to change tastes and have new flavor profiles.
The perfect temperature to roast and caramelize your vegetables without becoming overly browned on the outside and not cooked enough in the middle is 400 degrees. Vegetables like asparagus and green beans take around 10 minutes, while brussels sprouts, winter squashes and root vegetables are perfect after 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of
vegetables and your oven. The trick here is not to overcrowd your pan. You want the vegetables to caramelize, not to steam, so make sure they have space and are not piled up on top of each other.
Parchment paper makes for a quick clean-up. Simply place parchment paper or aluminum foil on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with canola oil spray. Place vegetables on sheet and bake. Once done, remove to a plate or serving platter and simply throw the parchment or foil away.
A salmon filet will bake perfectly in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Throw some asparagus or green beans on the sheet pan and have a quick, delicious dinner in no time. Have fun coming up with various flavors to share with your family.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, stemmed and outer leaves removed
- 1 pound carrots or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage or parsley
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- Salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with canola oil spray.
- Toss vegetables together with 1 teaspoon olive oil, cayenne and herbs and place on parchment.
- Roast until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway for even cooking.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
