The Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables

My Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables are roasted in the oven at a high temperature to bring out their natural sweetness and intensify their flavor. Stir these delicious veggies into rice or quinoa or add them to salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes.

One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables is to roast them in the oven. Roasting vegetables at a high temperature caramelizes their sugars and brings out their natural sweetness.  As the vegetables roast, they brown on the outside, become buttery soft on the inside and their flavors intensify. 

I usually make a couple of large trays of roasted vegetables and store them in the refrigerator so that I can snack on them throughout the week. They're delicious with rice or quinoa or as a side dish paired with grilled chicken or fish.  I also like to add them to salads, sandwiches, quesadillas and pasta dishes.

My Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables is a great dish to try and is one of the most popular recipes on my site!  It features superfood quinoa and sweet, roasted vegetables tossed with a simple balsamic dressing.  It's a simple and hearty vegetarian dish but can also be topped with grilled chicken or fish, if desired.  This dish is bright, boldly flavored, and super nutritious to boot! 

What Vegetables Can you Roast in the Oven?

My Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables are colorful, delicious and packed with nutrients.  For this version, I used a mixture of bell peppers, zucchini, carrots and red onion but you can use your favorite combination of vegetables.  

I simply toss the vegetables with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.  I also like to throw some whole garlic cloves on the pan along with the other vegetables.  As the garlic roasts, the flavor mellows out and it becomes soft and sweet.  

In the winter I make the same dish but with heartier vegetables like sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips and butternut squash.  Asparagus, beets, fennel, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are some other great options for roasting.

How to Make the Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables:

• Preheat the oven to a relatively high temperature.  Depending on the type of vegetable, this can be anywhere from 375-450 degrees F.  I typically roast vegetables at 400-425 degrees F.
• Cut the vegetables into similar size pieces so they cook evenly.  I like to cut vegetables like zucchini and carrots on a diagonal- the greater surface area will give you more caramelization.
• Toss the vegetables with oil and season them with salt, pepper and any spices.  The oil helps the browning process.
• Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan in a single layer to maximize the caramelization.  The parts of the vegetable that comes into contact with the pan or the hot air of the oven get the most intense heat so don’t overcrowd the pan or they will steam instead of brown.
• Roast the vegetables in the upper ⅓ of the oven- rotate pans halfway through if using multiple pans on different shelves.
• Don’t stir the vegetables too often. Turn them halfway through and leave them alone to brown.
• For a finishing touch, you can add a final sprinkling of sea salt, fresh herbs, vinegar or grated parmesan cheese when you remove the vegetables from the oven.

Oven-roasted vegetables on a bed of quinoa

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The Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables

My Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables are colorful, delicious and packed with nutrients. 

4.85 from 19 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Calorie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 80kcal

Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Equipment

• ▢
  Sheet pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large red onion, peeled
• ▢ 2 bell peppers (yellow, red or orange)
• ▢ 2 medium zucchini
• ▢ 4 carrots, peeled
• ▢ 12 whole cloves garlic, peeled
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ Salt and pepper

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut the onion and peppers into 1-inch pieces. Slice the zucchini and carrots on a diagonal into pieces that are roughly the same size. Divide the vegetables and garlic cloves between two sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Spread them out in a single layer- don’t overcrowd the pans.
• Toss the vegetables with oil and season them with salt and pepper. Roast in the upper ⅓ of the oven until browned and tender, 35-40 minutes, stirring them halfway through. If using two shelves in the oven, rotate the pans halfway through cooking time to ensure even browning.
• Serve roasted vegetables as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish or stir them into rice or quinoa. You can also add them to salads, sandwiches, quesadillas or pasta dishes.

Notes

Cut the vegetables into similar size pieces so they cook evenly.  I like to cut vegetables like zucchini and carrots on a diagonal- the greater surface area will give you more caramelization.

Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan in a single layer to maximize the caramelization.  Don’t overcrowd the pan or they will steam instead of brown.

Don’t stir the vegetables too often. Turn them halfway through and leave them alone to brown.

For a finishing touch, you can add a final sprinkling of sea salt, fresh herbs, vinegar or grated parmesan cheese when you remove the vegetables from the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 2.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

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About the author

Dr. Sonali Ruder

Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.

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