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Happy Foodie Friday, everyone, and welcome to harvest-foods season! To me, autumn food means roasting. And my very favorite fall dinner is to snatch up whatever multi-colored melange of in-season veggies I can find at my farmer’s market or supermarket, roast ‘em up, then toss them with penne, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a handful of pecorino cheese. Sure, I’ll have seconds! And leftovers for lunch? Yeah, baby!
The possibilities for roasted vegetables are endless, from chopping up and tossing in with risotto or brown rice, enjoying as a side dish with meat or fish, or even making a tasty pizza. Don’t forget to shmear a bulb of garlic with olive oil and wrap it up in foil to roast along with whatever veg you’re roasting off on any given night. Your house will never have smelled so good….
To achieve the best roasted veggies, all you need are some simple rules. Here are 5:
1. Hit ‘Em with High Heat: I roast vegetables at 475 degrees, as Fine Cooking magazine advises, because that high heat allows the bottoms of the veggies to caramelize against the pan, and it also allows the water within the vegetables to quickly steam out, leaving you with crisp-tender perfection.
2. Lubricate, But Not Too Much: I use 1-2 T of olive oil for a panload of veggies. The fat will crisp up on the outside of the veg with that amount, without leaving them to fry instead of roast.
3. Don’t Crowd the Pool: To maximize the roasted goodness, never roast more than 1-2 cups of vegetables on a single sheet pan. If your pan is more crowded than that, the vegetables will steam together, rather than achieving the crisp caramelization that defines a good roast.
4. Flavor Before the Fact: Liberal pre-roast use of kosher salt, pepper, and any herbs you might want (I usually turn to thyme) is the best way to guarantee flavorful vegetables that will sing instead of whisper “carrot.”
5. Watch for Time: Different vegetables take different times to roast fully but not overcook. The denser veggies, carrots and sweet potatoes, for example, will take 15-20 minutes at least–with a flip/stir at the midpoint–while green beans only take 10-15 minutes max. Learn as you go, or click around the web for recipes that specify times for particular veggies.
I’ve found that roasting vegetables is like a master technique – once you get it figured out, you won’t be able to stop…thank goodness!
Please share your favorite roasted veggie secrets in the combox!
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posted October 2, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I LOVE Roasting veggies in Autumn! Just last night I made a huge bowl of all my findings from the farmers market- Onions, Red carrots, brussel sprouts, sweet potato, garlic, squash. With a little Olive oil and sea salt….at the end I just picked some fresh rosemary and sprinkled it on….AND I WAS IN HEAVEN. <3
posted October 3, 2009 at 2:57 pm
For the love of God, somebody tell me how to roast brussel sprouts – my favorite veg. Also, when they are out of season, can you roast frozen brussel sprouts? Otherwise, frozen BS are gross–
posted October 4, 2009 at 11:54 pm
That’s oh so delicious!!!Veggies are always my favorite food,aside from keeping us more healthy,it will keep our shape more manageable.
I am not surprize why i don’t get sick,my body is founded from all the veggies my mother back home have fed me when i was young,even when just recently i had a visit to her house,she never change her
menu,VEGETABLES AND FISH!!!!We can cook them anyway we want it,your own country style doesn’t matter,as long as we make them our major food intake everyday,right?Thanks for this post.
posted October 5, 2009 at 10:35 am
Kathy – roasted Brussels sprouts are so yum! I roast them by cutting them in half, tossing with 1-2 T of olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of thyme, and then laying them cut-side down on a sheet pan.
Roast at 475 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip them and roast for another 5-8 minutes, depending on how big your sprouts are, how hot your oven is, etc.
Happy roasting!
posted October 5, 2009 at 10:36 am
P.S. the Brussels sprouts in the photo above are actually these mini sprouts I found at my local farmstand – I’d never seen them before! I roasted them whole because they were so iddy biddy….
posted October 7, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I love roasting veggies, especially in the fall and winter. And you provided some really great tips! I’ve never tried roasting on such high heat, but will definitely try next time. I most recently roasted some beets, and they turned out delish. This weekend I plan on roasting some delicata squash.
posted October 10, 2009 at 8:41 am
Try roasting butternut squash…YUM! Peel and cube, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. Another favorite is eggplant, same way.
ENJOY!!!!!!
posted October 10, 2009 at 10:20 am
My favorite is yellow summer squash (long and thin for sweetness) no oil for the weight watchers. Cut in half lengthwise, lightly brush tops with cayenne, place cut side up, and roast without turning over. Tip: remove onto a plate to stop cooking as soon as it looks chocolately brown on the bottom. It’s sweet-(barely) hot delicious!
posted October 10, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Do you lose nutrients/vitamins on the veggies whne you
roast them?
posted October 10, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Take the left-over veggies and chop ‘em up.Put in dutch oven with couple cups of broth and you have a great soup for day 2.Sprinkle some freshly grated parmessan cheese on a baking sheet. Slip into medium hot oven (325) for about 5 minutes..You have crisp cheese toasties to munch on with the soup or lie it on top of bowl to melt into soup.
PS A small garden will grow more than enough to feed many or one.
posted October 11, 2009 at 6:46 am
I love adding roasted vegetables to salad greens, topped with balsamic dressing and a bit of hummus. Delicious and pretty!