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Eating your vegetables can be fun and delicious
Whoever said that vegetables have to be bland to be healthy, clearly didn’t know how to roast and season them properly. Roasted vegetables are an easy and flavorful way to pack added nutrients into your diet without compromising on boring or bland flavors. As seen in my weekly meal prep guides, I love to roast a bunch of veggies at the beginning of the week and add them to different meals.
After cooking vegetables week after week for years, I’ve learned just the right elements that go into roasting veggies so they actually taste good. Now, I want to share them with you.
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Why roasting vegetables is superior
There’s nothing like a warm, crispy vegetable that has been roasted to perfection, with a savory garlic-olive oil flavor evenly distributed throughout every bite. While this seems like a quality only restaurants can master, I promise, you can do it too! Adding heat to vegetables can bring out new and different flavors that you would not be able to experience if you consumed them raw.
Take sweet potatoes for example – they really are not even edible unless you cook them; that’s when you unlock the ‘sweet’ characteristic that they are known for. What about broccoli? If you are one of those people who can enjoy raw broccoli fresh from a veggie tray, kudos to you, but that’s not for me. I want to be able to enjoy the flavor of the vegetable without dousing it in sauce or having to swallow it in one gulp because it tastes too bitter for my liking.
Other popular methods for cooking vegetables include boiling or sautéing, and while I do use those methods on occasion, I believe that roasting is really where you can maximize the depth of flavor that vegetables have to offer.
How to roast frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables are great for your budget, last-minute meals, and your health, with their high nutrient contents1. Unfortunately, they usually taste quite bland, often leaving their owners to let them waste away in the back of the freezer. But, we are going to change that! At least for the veggies in your freezer!
After purchasing a mega-large bag of frozen California blend vegetables at Costco, I was determined to find the ultimate solution to bland frozen vegetables.
Here is how to roast vegetables from frozen:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Spread frozen vegetables evenly on sheet pan, ensuring there is room for them to breathe. (Bonus: no washing or cutting required)
Once the oven is fully preheated, add sheet pan to the oven for about 10 minutes. This will give them enough time to warm up.
Remove sheet pan from oven, and season your vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil, a dash of kosher salt, and any other seasonings you prefer. (Depending on the meals I am making, I might add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, or dried oregano)
Ensure seasonings are evenly distributed amongst vegetables, and return the sheet pan to the oven for an additional 20 minutes.
After your timer goes off, check in on the veggies. Are they starting to crisp up on the edges? Has all of the water evaporated? If so, you are ready to remove them.
Enjoy these veggies with a protein or give them a taste on their own once they cool. You just might be shocked at how well they turn out, considering they were in your freezer only a short time ago.
How to roast fresh vegetables
While frozen veggies are easy to pick up, not all vegetables fare well in the frozen section. I prefer to get fresh sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, and Brussels sprouts, preparing them similarly to how I would any other vegetable.
When roasting, it’s important that you take into consideration how dense a vegetable is, as it may need longer to cook. Here’s a glimpse at how to roast based on different types of vegetables.
Here is how to roast fresh vegetables:
Preheat the oven according to the roasting guide.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Wash vegetables and cut into even shapes. For larger vegetables like sweet potatoes, consider cutting them into smaller pieces to speed up roasting time.
Season your vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil, a dash of kosher salt, and any other seasonings you prefer. (Depending on the meals I am making, I might add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, or dried oregano)
Spread vegetables evenly on the pan, ensuring there is enough breathing room.
Once oven is fully preheated, add sheet pan to the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes.
When the timer goes off, check in on the veggies. Are they starting to crisp up on the edges? Are they cooked all the way through? If so, you are ready to remove them.
Enjoy these veggies with a dish or give them a taste on their own once they cool.
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Enjoy roasted vegetables this week with these recipes
Pro tips to perfect your roast
Use parchment paper to keep your vegetables from sticking to the pan.
Use extra-virgin olive oil & kosher salt. My favorite is Kosterina and they have kindly given us a discount of 15% off with code GRACE05737
Cut vegetables evenly to ensure they cook consistently.
Preheat your oven before adding your vegetables to prevent burning or uneven cooking.
Properly space your vegetables to ensure an even roast.
Try using your air fryer instead of an oven for a crispy consistency.
Soak cut potatoes in water for 5 - 10 minutes, then drain and dry with a paper towel, prior to roasting. This will remove excess starches and maximize flavors.
Always wash your vegetables prior to roasting. For more tips to make the most of your groceries, ensuring food safety, and freshness, check out this post here.
My favorite kitchen tools for cooking vegetables
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of these resources may contain affiliate links. I only share things I truly stand behind. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission.
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