My side dish for this week was roasted summer vegetables and I debated whether or not to share that recipe with you.
As a matter of fact, roasting vegetables is such a simple dish that it is almost a technique rather than a recipe.
Whenever I post one of these very basic “recipes”, I have to remind myself that there will always be a few people who will get that “Aha!” moment every time I post one of these very basic recipes.
So, if you are an experienced cook, it is quite likely that you have probably done this a million times.
The following simple cooking method that Apronese recommends can be a game changer if you’re still in the kitchen and looking for an easy but super effective dish.
The Reasons I Love Roasted Vegetables
There is no way I love preparing vegetables more than roasting them.
In terms of effort, roasting does not require very much time, and even though you need to prepare your roasted vegetables for a little while, it’s a hands-off time so that you can be cooking other things while they are cooking.
The taste is unreal. I would highly recommend that if you are one of those people who usually don’t enjoy vegetables because they tend to be too bitter, you try roasting them.
It is extremely versatile to use roasted vegetables because they will concentrate and caramelize their natural sugars, and they will have a nice smoky edge when they are cooked in a dry heat.
However, roasted vegetables are extremely versatile because of their natural sugars.
Vegetable Roasting Tips
For those of you who are new to roasting vegetables, here are some tips to get you started:
- There are several factors that will determine how long it will take you to roast your vegetables: the size of the pieces of the vegetables, the amount of water the vegetables are filled with, as well as the characteristics of the oven. It is important to note that smaller pieces will roast faster than larger ones.
- Using too many vegetables on one baking sheet will result in the steam being trapped, which will cause the vegetables to stay soft and stew instead of caramelizing and roasting and resulting in a much different result. Therefore, if you are using a lot of vegetables, make sure they are laid out on two baking sheets.
- I recommend stirring the vegetables occasionally, about every 15-20 minutes, to ensure they roast evenly. This will help them cook evenly as well as allow the vegetables to cook more quickly, as well as for you to know how long they need to roast.
- Make sure to use enough oil in the recipe. If you don’t use enough oil, the vegetables will simply dry out and will not have that wonderful rich flavor that you can only obtain from enough oil.
- The seasoning can be adjusted to match your taste and that of the meal that you’re serving. I found that I liked having a light seasoning for this batch, so I added some basil, salt, and pepper to the dish, but you can experiment with your herbs and spices to suit the dish.
- There is something very relaxing about adding a little salt to the veggies before roasting them and then adding another small pinch once they are done so that you get little pops of surface salt when you bite into them.
The Best Way to Use Roasted Vegetables
The roasted vegetables I prepared as a side dish were just as delicious as they were, but there are a lot of other ways in which you could use them as a side dish as well.
It would be an incredible sandwich or wrap if you put them between some hearty bread or tortillas with cheese, if you wanted more color, flavor, or nutrition to add to your pizza or flatbread.
You would use them in an incredible pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette or if you added them to pasta, red sauce, and cheese to make an incredible baked pasta dish.
Summer Vegetables Roasted
In this dish, we will demonstrate how to roast summer vegetables, which are an easy side dish that can be enjoyed as a simple side dish or an added ingredient to enhance a variety of dishes.
Author: Beth
Prep Time: 10 minutes/ Cook Time: 40 minutes/ Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (about 1.25 lbs.) ($1.22)
- 1 yellow squash (about 0.5 lbs.) ($0.48)
- 1 small red onion (about 0.5 lbs.) ($0.70)
- 1 red bell pepper ($1.79)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
- 1 tsp dried basil ($0.10)
- salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional) ($0.25)
Instructions
- As soon as the oven has been preheated to 400oF, wash the vegetables and cut them into approximately 1-inch pieces.
- Make sure the vegetables are arranged evenly on one baking sheet (or two, if needed) and not piled on top of one another. Add the basil and salt and pepper to the vegetables, then drizzle the olive oil over them. Toss until evenly coated in all the spices and oil.
- Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the vegetables at the end of the cooking process. Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice (every 15-20 minutes or so) until they are soft and browned on the edges. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Note
There are no restrictions to how many vegetables are used, or how much you use. As long as the vegetables are not overcrowded on the baking sheet, they should be fine.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 serving ・ Calories: 129 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 14 g ・ Protein: 3 g ・ Fat: 8 g ・ Sodium: 164 mg ・ Fiber: 4 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Equipment
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How to Roast Vegetables – Step by Step Photos
This technique can be used with just one or two vegetables, or even more if you wish.
The vegetables that I used this time were two zucchinis, one yellow squash, one red bell pepper, and one red onion.
It’s not uncommon for me to roast eggplant, but it tends to be quite large and I don’t usually use a lot of other vegetables when I do, so I will use fewer other vegetables. I also like to roast grape tomatoes. Regardless of what you roast, I love a variety of colors.
If you are using two baking sheets, or just one, spread the chopped vegetables out evenly so that they are in a single layer rather than piled on top of each other.
Preheat the oven to 400oF. Wash and chop the vegetables into 1-inch pieces.
Put in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of dried basil, a pinch of salt, and pepper to the vegetables, then toss them together until all the oil and spices are thoroughly combined.
If you would like to bake the vegetables for 30-40 minutes, or until they have browned nicely on the edges, transfer them to the oven and roast them for 30-40 minutes.
To keep the vegetables roasting at an even pace and to ensure that they are cooked, make sure to stir them every 15-20 minutes, and then check whether they have been done.
When I roast the vegetables, I like to add an extra pinch of salt afterward.
This way you get some salt sitting on top of the surface, giving them a little bit of flavor.
Adding a sprinkle of fresh parsley also gives the dish a fresh feel and adds a pop of color, but you can skip it if you want.
Eat those gorgeous grilled summer vegetables right away or add them to your favorite recipes today. Apronese believes that this is a delicious, nutritious dish that won’t make you gain weight.
If you want an easy side dish to eat, less boredom, you can refer to this recipe. Don’t forget to share more with us about other recipes you know.
