How–To: Roast Vegetables

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I’m constantly making roasted vegetables. They’re a simple weeknight side dish staple, and our family’s favorite way to load up on good-for-you produce. While it’s not difficult to roast vegetables, here are my best tips and techniques to ensure you’re set up for success.

3 Ingredients Away from Delicious Roasted Veggies

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook vegetables. I’m such a fan of just tossing everything on a sheet tray, closing the oven door, walking away, and coming back to beautifully browned veggies.

The best part is that you really don’t need to do much to achieve roasted veggie deliciousness. All you need are three ingredients: olive oil, salt, and pepper. In order to get that top-notch taste, the vegetables should be tossed in oil and well-seasoning in order for them to roast properly and taste great. I usually just go with my gut but a good ratio to consider is this:

• 1 lb. Veggies 
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper

The Secret is in the HEAT

Incredible roasted veggies require high heat! If you roast them at too low of a temperature like 350°F, you’ll end up with steamed veggies rather than caramelized veggies. My standard temp for roasting vegetables is 425°F to get those crispy roasted vegetables that are browned and  perfectly tender.

How Long do I Roast Vegetables?

Now that we’ve determined temperature, how do you know how long to roast veggies? Well, that depends what you’re roasting. Firm vegetables like potatoes or carrots need longer cook times than soft veggies like yellow squash and zucchini. Timing will also depend on how thick the vegetables are. Thin veggies like bell peppers roast quickly, while thicker chunks of butternut squash will take much longer.

Take it to the Next Level

While it’s not entirely necessary to do anything else to your roasted veggies, I like to occasionally have a little fun. Whether that’s drizzling a bright vinaigrette over your veggies right after they come out of the oven or digging around the spice drawer for things like greek seasoning, curry powder, or smoked paprika to toss your vegetables with, challenge yourself to get creative. I also love to top them with grated Parmesan cheese after they’re cooked and stick them under the broiler for a minute or two to let the cheese melt.

Roasting Time + Temp

Here’s a basic formula for roasting veggies at 425°F.

Root vegetables ( potatoes, carrots, beets )

• 30 to 45 minutes

Cubed Winter Squash (butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash)

• 20 minutes

Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)

• 15 to 25 minutes

Summer squash (green & yellow zucchini)

• 10 to 20 minutes

Thin vegetables (bell peppers, asparagus, green beans)

• 10 to 20 minutes