Roasted Vegetables Recipe

After the holidays have left me feeling overly full and run-down, I like to swap to some healthier meal options throughout the week. I love making a huge sheet pan of oven-roasted vegetables that I can eat as a side dish or toss into other recipes to make them a little more nutritious. 

This recipe uses all of my favorite vegetables, but the beauty of it is that you can swap them out and make this entirely your own. Try different vegetables, stick to a vegetable theme (like root veggies), or add other spices. However you prepare them, these simple oven-roasted vegetables are as healthy as they are tasty.

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots
• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 2 cups of cauliflower florets
• 3 bell peppers
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 cups trimmed and halved brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Parsley for garnish

How to Perfectly Roast Vegetables

When roasting vegetables, there is a fine line between roasting them and steaming them in the oven. You’ll end up steaming them if you overcrowd your pan. That is the number one thing to avoid. 

The best way to have perfect oven-roasted vegetables is to lay them flat in a single layer. You can even use more than one pan if needed. To get a delicious browned, roasted texture, keep everything spread out.

Instructions

Here are the steps to making these delicious oven-roasted vegetables. 

Step 1 – Wash, Dry, and Chop the Vegetables

Wash all of your produce thoroughly. Be sure to dry your veggies as best you can after washing them, as this will help them roast up beautifully in the oven.

While you’re washing your veggies, you can preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).

Chop your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so that they cook at generally the same speed. I like to leave my zucchini a little on the larger size since it can become overdone quickly. Carrots can be a little smaller since they take a bit longer to get tender. 

Step 2 – Layer Veggies on a Sheet Pan and Season

Get everything nestled onto a sheet pan. Be sure to leave some space and use a second pan if necessary to avoid steaming the vegetables. 

Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat and be sure it all gets back into a single layer before roasting. 

Step 3 – Roast Vegetables

Roast the vegetables in a 400°F (204°C) oven for 15 to 25 minutes until they’re fork-tender and begin to brown around the edges. 

If you notice some of your vegetables, particularly the broccoli, begins to char a little earlier than everything else, you can remove it from the pan. Or roast the broccoli on a separate pan altogether. 

Sprinkle the oven-roasted vegetables with some fresh parsley and enjoy it hot right out of the oven!

Cookware Used

Large Sheet Pan: The largest pan that will fit in your oven works best for this. I use an 11×17” sheet, and it works well, but I think a 16×22” sheet pan would be ideal. It’s likely you got a sheet pan with your oven, but if yours is missing, check out my guide to the best bakeware.

Olive Oil Dispenser: I love using an olive oil dispenser whenever I’m drizzling oil onto ingredients. It makes it impossible to spill and allows you to control the amount much more easily than pouring from the bottle.

Large Spatula: I love a large, flat, nylon spatula for roasted vegetables. It allows you to toss them easily and serve them up quickly, which is always a good thing!

Healthy Recipes with Oven Roasted Vegetables

These are so versatile; you can eat them plain or use them to dress up other meals. These are some of my favorite ways to serve them.

• With chicken breasts and brown rice
• Tossed into a soup for extra nutrition
• With roasted chickpeas, brown rice, and a sprinkle of feta cheese
• On a bed of Israeli couscous with sauteed mushrooms
• With perfectly grilled salmon and a squeeze of lemon
• In a quick stir fry with leftovers from weeknight dinners
• Mixed into a weekend morning frittata or omelette 

Can You Freeze Roasted Vegetables?

Yes! It is a great idea to make a double batch of these oven-roasted vegetables and freeze half of them. Just roast them as above, let them cool completely, and load them into a zip-top bag. They keep well for up to 6 months.

Note that some vegetables, like the zucchini and peppers in my recipe, do have higher water content and may release a lot of moisture after freezing. 

If you plan to freeze your roasted vegetables, it is completely okay to swap out the vegetables I suggest, or just use more of the other veggies and omit the peppers and zucchini.

Possible Vegetable Combinations

You don’t have to use the same vegetables I use. There are hundreds of healthy and delicious combinations you can try. Some I like are:

• Sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets, red onion
• Asparagus and cherry tomatoes
• Acorn squash, brussels sprouts, cauliflower
• Fingerling potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms
• Butternut squash, red onion, fennel, carrots

For the most part, you’ll follow the same directions above. Just keep an eye on your cooking times and adjust as needed. 

Now, It’s Your Turn!

Now that you know how to make oven-roasted vegetables and all the great things you can do with them, it’s time to get roasting.

Choose your favorite veggies, toss them well in olive oil, and keep them well dispersed on your baking sheet and you’ll have a healthy side dish for any day of the week in under a half-hour.

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