How To: Roast Vegetables in the Oven

The foolproof method for perfectly roasting vegetables in the oven

Perfectly roasted vegetables are one of my go-to recipes during the week because they're so simple and can be used in endless ways. Once you master the method of roasting one type of vegetable in a hot oven, you can easily use the same technique on any other vegetable that you like and just adjust the cooking time as needed. The key is making sure that all vegetables are the same size and that your oven is very hot. This ensures that everything is done at the same time and that the vegetables get crunchy and browned in some areas. The difference between steamed or blanched broccoli and roasted broccoli is incredible - the high heat from the oven adds a toasty, nutty flavor to the florets that can't be achieved with other methods. Serve the vegetables on their own for a quick and healthy side dish or turn them into a vegetarian meal with just a few extra steps.

Ideas for Turning Roasted Vegetables Into a Meal:

- Fold into tortillas and top with cheese and salsa for quick vegetable tacos.

- Toss with a hearty grain like quinoa or farro for a substantial lunch salad like this and this.

- Stir them into pasta sauce and serve over whole-wheat noodles for an easy pasta primavera.

Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables:

• Preheat your oven to 425F.
• Chop vegetables into uniform bite-size pieces.*
• Toss each bunch of vegetables with 2 tbsp. olive oil and generous sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.**
• Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until tender and browned in some areas.

Serves two-four (side dish per bunch of vegetables)

*Smaller vegetables, such as asparagus spears and baby carrots, can be left whole.
**Do not crowd vegetables on the sheet or they will steam instead of getting brown.

Cooking time varies by vegetables.
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets, halved brussels sprouts, and similar vegetables generally take 8-10 minutes.
- Thin asparagus, small carrots, and other long skinny vegetables can take as little as 5 minutes.
- Diced potatoes and winter squash can take 20-30 minutes or longer, depending on size.
- Eggplant and summer squash usually take 10-15 minutes.