How to Make Easy Roasted Root Vegetables
Roasted root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions, parsnips, rutabaga, etc is a common dish for us from fall to spring. It’s an easy way to enjoy all those tasty, affordable winter veggies. If you haven’t tried preparing them this way, I think you’re going to love it!
Also Read: Sausage & Root Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner, Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Beets
Roasting root vegetables brings out their natural sweetness thanks to all that caramelization. This method is easy to do and offers endless variety if you choose a different combination of veggies and seasoning every time.
My Favourite Root Vegetables for Roasting
Root vegetables are hardy, long storing, affordable and tasty. They’re high in nutrients and carbohydrates (starch and sugar) making them ideal for roasting and replacing potatoes, rice or pasta for dinner.
Here’s the root veggies I like to use. You can roast these veggies on their own or in any combination you wish, this recipe, works for either.
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- beets
- parsnips
- carrots
- onions
- rutabaga
- turnips
- celery root or celeriac
- yams
PRO TIP: Because squash have a similar cooking time and starch content, they can easily be added to the pan when roasting root veggies. Butternut squash, kabocha, buttercup, hubbard, acorn squash or delicata would all be great additions.
Of course, you can roast just about any vegetable (see below for recipe links). But other veggies need less roasting time and often, higher heat. If you want to add beans, broccoli or sweet peppers to your roasted roots – just add them towards the end of the roasting time to prevent them from burning or becoming overcooked.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roasting Root Vegetables
Seasoning Ideas for Roasted Vegetables
Here are some of my favourite ways to season roasted vegetables. I rarely make them the same way twice, so there’s always instant varieties. Let me know your favourite seasoning in the comments below.
Simple Dry Seasoning & Oil
Choose your favourite seasoning blend or just stick to salt and pepper. Usually 1-2 tsp of seasoning and 1-2 Tbsp of oil.
If the seasoning blend has lots of dried, flaky herbs like Italian Seasoning or Lemon Herb Seasoning, I’ll add it at the end of the roasting to prevent it from burning. We like Cajun Seasoning, Lemon Pepper Finishing Salt, Rosemary Finishing Salt, Season Salt, etc.
Sweet & Tangy Glaze
Make a simple vinaigrette for your veggies. Try 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup, honey or jam with 1/2 Tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar and a little salt and pepper.
Mustard Glaze
Use 1Tbsp of your favourite style of mustard (Dijon, grainy, horseradish flavoured, etc.) and combine it with 1 Tbsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of oil and a little salt and pepper.
Sweet & Spicy
I love using my homemade hot pepper jelly with roasted veggies. Mix 2 Tbsp hot pepper jelly with 1Tbsp oil and a little slat and pepper.
Recipe for Easy Roasted Root Vegetables
Easy Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds mixed root vegetables and winter squash 6-8 cups cut carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, potatoes, parsnip, turnip, butternut, kabocha, delicata or hubbard squashes, etc.
- 1 medium red or yellow onion
- 3-5 sprigs hardy herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary or sage
- 1-2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F/218°C.
- Wash and peel veggies (optional for potatoes, carrots or parsnips). Cut into similar sized chunks about 1 inch in size (smaller pieces will take less cooking time and shrink more, larger pieces will take longer to cook).
- Cut onion into 1 inch pieces – do not separate rings, leave in chunks.
- Toss vegetables and herbs with oil and seasoning. (See alternative seasoning ideas in blog post).
- Arrange on large rimmed baking sheet leaving space between pieces to ensure roasting instead of steaming.
- Bake for 30-50 minutes depending on how thick your veggies are and how tender/caramelized you like them. Stir and rotate pan in oven at least twice for even cooking. To test for doneness, pierce two or three pieces with a fork, the fork should move through to the center of the veggie without force.
- Remove from oven and serve. Garnish with crumbled feta or fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or basil.
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Other Roasted Vegetable Recipes
Here are some of my other roasted vegetable recipes for you to enjoy. Many of the seasoning and finishing ideas are easily transferred from one veggie to another. For example the feta on the roasted carrots would be great with roasted beets. Or try the red pepper jelly finish used on the roasted carrot slices with sweet potatoes. You get the idea – mix it up, have some fun!
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Beets
- Roasted Broccoli (fresh or frozen)
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted Carrots with Feta
- Oven Roasted Carrots with Hot Pepper Jelly
- Roasted Cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
- Rosemary Roasted Potato Cubes
- Chili Cheese Roasted Potato Slices
- Roasted Delicata Squash
- Roasted Fennel with Carrots & Onions
- Roasted Tomatoes
Ready to give these easy roasted root vegetables a try? Let me know what your favourite combination is and your preferred seasoning in the comments below or on Instagram @GetGettyS or on Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Getty Stewart is a Professional Home Economist, speaker, frequent media guest and writer sharing tips and recipes to build confidence and teach skills on how to use whole seasonal foods. She is the author of several recipe books, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener. Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this.