Root vegetables, which I am loosely defining as any plant part that grows underground that are edible, are at their peak flavor in Fall/Winter and just call out to be roasted. Why roasted? Because the high heat of roasting (usually considered over 400 degrees F) breaks down the natural sugars found in vegetables creating a wonderful nutty essence. The method couldn’t be simpler, and the resulting caramelized veggies sing with flavors you won’t want to miss!
Root Vegetable Ideas For Your Next Roasting:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Celeriac
- Parsnips
- Rutabaga
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
The key to roasting several different vegetables together is working to cut them into the same(ish) size so that they cook evenly. I typically try to cut them into about 1 inch cubes. If you have larger cubes, no problem, you’ll just need to roast them longer.
Toss your vegetables with a healthy dose of extra virgin olive oil ensuring that they all have a skim coat of oil, but they shouldn’t be swimming in oil on your baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper and they are oven ready! If you have herbs on hand (fresh or dried) by all means feel free to add them to the mix. These root vegetables have hardy earthy flavors and pair well with many herbs including rosemary, thyme, oregano and savory.
Roasted root vegetables make a perfect accompaniment to any roasted/grilled poultry (Delectable Roast Chicken) or meat (Herb Lemon Pork Tenderloin) as well as a great addition to a Buddha Bowl.
Mom’s Helpful Hints:
- Focus on cutting the veggies into similar sizes to promote even cooking. Nobody wants a bite of a mushy sweet potato alongside a rock hard rutabaga! Nobody….
- Spread the vegetables out on the roasting pan. If they are too close together they will just end up steaming in the oven and you won’t be able to achieve that yummy caramelized flavor.
- Make more than you need/want for dinner. These veggies reheat super easily in the microwave or stovetop. Perfect for lunch the next day!
Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 pounds root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, beets, celeriac)
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Peel vegetables and cut into even sized chunks, I aim for about 1 inch pieces.
- Toss vegetables with EVOO, ensuring all pieces are skim coated with oil. Spread vegetables out on two lined (either with foil or parchment paper) baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Remove pans from oven, gently turn all the vegetables over allowing them to brown on a couple of sides. (If they look dry you can pour a little more oil over them.) Return pans to the oven (alternating their oven positions) and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.
- To serve, dress with some additional EVOO and a sprinkling of salt.