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5 Reasons Why I Love To Roast Vegetables + 19 Roasted Vegetable Recipes

5 reasons to roast vegetables

Why do I love roasting vegetables?

1. It makes the house smell awesome.

2. It brings out the best flavor of the vegetable-complicated and caramelized deliciousness!

3. It is a great way to use up produce that would otherwise go to waste.

4. My kids like the flavor of roasted vegetables and eat them up.

5. It is easy!

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4 things you need for perfect roasted vegetables:

1. High heat.  I find the best roasting temperature of most vegetables is 425 degrees.

2. Surface space – do not pile the veggies on.  Spread them out evenly onto the pan giving each piece enough surface space to get all nice and brown and caramelized.

3. Vegetables cut in similar sizes.  This helps them all cook at the same rate.

3. Oil, salt & pepper.  Simple ingredients let the veggies themselves shine!

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Oils I use:

1. Unrefined Coconut Oil ~ Refined has more health benefits, but unrefined is still plenty good for you and does not have the coconut flavor.

2. Olive Oil ~ This is a commonly used oil for roasted vegetables.

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What you are looking & listening for:

Cooking times are going to vary with each vegetable.  You are listening for a sizzle as the natural moisture is released from the veggies.  You are looking for a nice browning effect on the bottom of the vegetables.  Most vegetables are done when fork tender.

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Here are some awesome sounding roasted vegetable recipes from my Vegetables Pinterest Board.  

Keep in mind, simple salt, pepper and oil let the veggies shine, but for a little extra special something, try these recipes!

 

Roasted Parmeasean Green Beans

 

Butter & Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

 

Honey Balsamic Carrots

 

Easy Roasted Tomatoes

 

Roasted Fall Vegetables with Lentils

 

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Asparagus

 

Parmesan Roasted Brussels, Butternut Squash & Kale

 

Roasted Broccoli-Pinner says “Best Broccoli of Your Life”

 

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Asparagus: Leave whole; peel if necessary.

Bell peppers: If not roasting over an open flame, cut these into 1-inch chunks.
Broccoli: Cut into 1- to 1½-inch diameter individual florets, the tips of which get charred beautifully crisp. Peel, then halve or quarter thick stems (which are delicious!).
Brussels sprouts: Halve them.
Cauliflower: Treat like broccoli.
Corn: Cut into kernels; will cook very quickly and you may only want to brown one side.
Carrots: Cut a 1-inch chunk off the top end at a 45-degree angle. Roll the carrot a quarter turn and repeat. This weird oblique shape gives you lots of surface area to caramelize its abundant sugars. ½-inch coins or half-moons also work well.
Eggplant: Cut into 1½-inch chunks.
Fennel: Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Green / string beans: Really! They’re great. Just make sure they’re tender; old, tough ones get tougher in the oven. Leave whole, stems removed.
Onions: Cut into 1½-inch wedges, and break apart into individual layers.
Parsnips: Treat like carrots.
Radishes: Leave whole if small, about 1 inch in diameter; otherwise cut in 1-inch pieces.
Sweet potatoes: Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Tomatoes: Cut 1-inch-wide wedges or ½-inch slices. They won’t really brown well but can have a nice concentrated flavor.
Turnips: Cut into 1-inch chunks.
Zucchini / summer squash: Cut into 1-inch chunks, or oblique-cut like carrots.
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Here’s more roasted goodness from past New Nostalgia Posts:

New Nostalgia: Roasted Strawberries

New Nostalgia: How To Roast/Steam Corn On The Cob In The Oven 

 
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What about YOU?  

Do you have any roasted vegetable tips to share?  
What is your favorite vegetable
to roast?

 

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  • Any T
    September 25, 2015 at 3:20 am

    I’ve rediscovered roasting too in order to deal with a very over abundant tomato harvest this year. We roasted halves of tomatoes with round side up after tossing them in olive oil and garlic. No salt needed.
    Then I’ve done butternut squash in chunks and smashed it up with a little butter at serving. I have some great purple carrots to make into carrot ginger soup and have a big tin of squash of many varieties that we grew. One is spaghetti squash times like six. Lol. Then acorn and delicate squash.
    We have purple and red potatoes that we grew and I’ve been using for smashed potatoes. Basic deal is bool them , place on foiled cookie sheet then smoosh them a bit with the flat bottom of a coffee mug. Drizzle with olive oil and a bit of sea salt. Bake and u can flip and retreat with butter on 2nd side and oil on first. They are amazing and great with just about anything.
    I’ve still got beets to roast as well. This will be veg roasting week for sure. I have some sweet and some mildly spicy pepper we grew to roast and then I might freeze them for egg dishes etc. my freezer is full of roasted tomatoes and grated zucchini plus bags of summer berries wtc. I might need a bigger freezer. Lol

    • AmyNewNostalgia
      September 25, 2015 at 11:14 am

      Great tips! I love that you have a freezer full of goodness. So many plant foods!

  • Anonymous
    February 28, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    Once a week I cut into bite size pieces zucchini, squash, onion, Bell peppers and cut peeled baby carrots in half and place all in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator. When I get home from work in the evenings I preheat the oven, throw 2 handfulls of veggies in a pan, toss with olive oil, add a couple cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary from the garden and in 45 minutes I have dinnwr.

  • MaddyChristine Hope-Brokopp
    February 13, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    WOW, this is awesome! Thanks!!

  • Jennifer
    February 11, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    Roasted veggies are my all time favorite food! Just ate some roasted butternut squash actually, yum! Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes! It’s always good to have some fresh inspiration!

  • Amy
    February 11, 2013 at 6:38 pm

    My. Mouth. Is. Watering!

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