Learning to love veggies is easy with this delicious rainbow of roasted vegetables. A simple seasoning and caramelized edges, plus a hands off cooking process, and a side to compliment any main. Here’s everything you need to know about baking vegetables.

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Are roasted vegetables healthy?

Roasting vegetables increases the availability of some nutrients (beta-carotene and lycopene) while reducing others (vitamin c and folate). That said, vitamin c loss when roasting veggies is minimal compared to other cooking methods (more here, and here).

The added benefit of roasting vegetables is they taste better. So you’ll typically eat more. And if you eat more, you’ll sneak more nutrients in, that simple.

The Best Vegetables for Roasting

Most veggies benefit from a simple roast. Use what you love, what’s in season, and what works with your main course plans. I chose the veggies below because I love their flavors individually as well as together. And the colors look so great together.

Here are some things to consider…

Different bake times: Root vegetables have a firm interior and take longer to roast than softer veggies like zucchini or onions. That doesn’t mean you can’t roast them together, you’ll just want to chop them differently for an even roast.
Seasons: We love getting a collection of veggies together at the farmers market based on seasons. Hearty root veggies in the fall, light veggies in the summer.
Your main: Heartier veggies like roasted eggplant or potatoes complement red meat. While delicate veggies work best for fish, think roasted broccolini or oven roasted zucchini.

Oven Baked Vegetable Seasoning

Season your veggies as simply or boogie as you like. We’ll go as basic as salt and pepper, and as fancy as fresh garlic and parmesan depending on the main course. Here are some ways to add your pizzazz:

Seasoning: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, taco seasoning, etc.
Fresh aromatics: garlic, ginger, minced shallots
Oils: olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil
Sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, golden erythritol
Wild card: dijon mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce
Garnish: parmesan, cotija, lemon zest, fresh herbs

How to Cut Veggies to Roast

If you plan to roast a combination of vegetables together, fantastic. Just keep in mind some veggies bake quicker than others. To remedy this, cut your veggies into slightly different sizes. You can also remove some of the vegetables from your pan before others. Here are some tips:

Root veggies + winter squash (potatoes, beets, butternut squash + pumpkin) take the longest to roast. Cut these slightly smaller than other vegetables, I usually dice into 3/4″ pieces. Peel the skin for roasted butternut squash or pumpkin.
Soft veggies (bell peppers, zucchini, asparagus, onions): dice into 1″ pieces, slightly larger than root veggies.
Brussel sprouts: remove the end and slice in half. Be sure to discard any dislodged leaves before making roasted brussels sprouts.
Broccoli + cauliflower: make sure your florets are all roughly the same size. Also, keep in mind broccoli will burn first, so be sure to cover it well in oil.

Some veggies can be sliced into “steaks”, like cabbage or roasted cauliflower steaks. If doing this, you’ll want to roast them individually so they cook at an even rate.

How to Make Roasted Vegetables

Making roasted vegetables is about as is as it gets. Just slice (per tips above), then:

Toss in oil.
Sprinkle in seasoning.
Divide onto baking sheets.
Bake.

Helpful Tips

The key to preventing soggy vegetables, or veggies that cook at different rates is following these helpful tips. Here’s how to roast veggies like a champ:

High heat, (which we’ll use below) is key. You see, roasting means cooking veggies in a dry, high heat setting, making their interior soft not mushy, and their exterior beautifully caramelized.
Don’t over/under oil. Too little oil and your veggies won’t crisp, too much, and they’ll get soggy.
Don’t overcrowd your pan. This will prevent the air from circulating around your veggies, causing them to steam and not crisp. Make sure they’re in a single layer.
Pay special attention to different cut sizes, notes above.
Save some time by purchasing prechopped veggies. You can also dice your veggies 1-2 days before you plan to roast them, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

How to Serve Roasted Vegetables

As incredible as these are as a side, you can mix them into just about any meal for a flavor boost. Here’s how to make the most out of your leftovers:

Serve under a fried egg for a low carb take on hash.
Mixed into pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles.
As a meat substitute in tacos, curries, or sandwich filling.
Mix into an omelet, crustless quiche, scramble, or egg muffins with your favorite cheese.
Serve warm over a bed of Greek yogurt with fresh herbs and lemon zest.

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Roasted Vegetables