When you come across a new vegetable and you are not quite sure what to do with it, try roasting it. Roasted vegetables taste like nothing else. They get brown and crisp on the outside. Their natural sugars caramelize, making them sweet and concentrating their veggie flavor. Whether you are going to eat them straight from the oven or use them in a veggie burger, you won’t want to miss the intense flavor that is only brought out by roasting. Roasting is also one of the easiest, hands-off ways to cook. Turn on the oven, cut up the veggies, toss them in some oil and seasoning, slide the tray in the oven, and walk away. Roasting is a great way to cook a lot at one time while leaving the stovetop free for other dishes. One pan makes for easy clean-up too. Here is a handy guide to roasting vegetables along with well over a dozen recipe ideas at the end. Print it out and hang it on your fridge. Then sharpen your knives, turn on the oven and get ready to roast.

Basic Roasting Tips

Before we get to tips for roasting individual vegetables, there are some basic guidelines that apply to roasting vegetables, in general.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. It’s hot enough to roast the veggies but not so hot that they won’t cook through.

2. Cut the vegetables into even pieces so they all cook evenly. If you have different size pieces, some will end up overcooked while others will be undercooked.

3. Some veggies can be roasted whole. The larger the vegetable and the harder it is, the longer it will need to roast.

4. To prevent the veggies from sticking to the pan, line it with a sheet of parchment paper. Even if your pan is non-stick, it’s a good idea to line it.

5. Toss the veggies in a bit of oil. Don’t use a lot. You just want the veggies lightly coated, not wet. Wet veggies won’t get crispy.

6. Place the veggies in an even layer on the baking sheet with some space between the pieces. If they are piled up, the veggies will be unevenly cooked and mushy.

7. If your veggies have different cooking times, roast them separately on individual baking sheets or if you only have one baking sheet, put each type of vegetable in its own section. That way it will be easier to remove the ones that are done. You can always mix the veggies together after everything is cooked.

8. Ovens tend to be hotter in the back so halfway through the roasting time, turn the pan around so the front and the back of the pan cook evenly. If you are using two pans on different levels of the oven, swap their positions halfway through.

9. You will know the veggies are done when they are fork-tender and as crisp and brown as you desire.

Individual Vegetable Roasting Guide

One way to season roasted vegetables is with olive, oil, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and ground thyme. Sometimes a pinch of red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice goes a long way. Use your favorite herbs and spices to get the flavor profile you want, but remember to let the natural tastes of the vegetables shine through. Here are 16 recipes that include roasted vegetables. Try them out and let them inspire you.

Here’s a list of vegetables with tips on how to roast them and helpful recipes to get started from the Food Monster App.

Asparagus

Trim the bottom 1/2 inch from the spears. Roast for 10-15 minutes. Use this recipe for Roasted Radishes and Asparagus With Garlicky Chickpeas and Almond Cheese to create a delicious, filling veggie bowl!

Beets

You can peel beets before or after you roast them. You can also roast them whole or sliced. If you roast them sliced, peel them first. Place the sliced beets in a foil-lined baking dish (beets stain) and drizzle with oil. For whole beets, wrap each beet individually in foil after drizzling with oil. Roast 20-30 minutes for slices and up to an hour for whole beets. Learn how to make Roasted Beet Noodles With Crispy Shallots with this recipe.

Bell Peppers

Remove the core and seeds. Cut the peppers into 1/2-inch wide pieces. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

Broccoli

Cut the broccoli into equal-sized florets. Trim and cut the stalks into equal-sized pieces. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the florets are browned and crisp and the stalks are tender. Learn how to roast broccoli and combine it with a pasta dish using this recipe for Lemon and Walnut Linguine With Roasted Broccoli.

Brussels Sprouts

Pull off any browned leaves. Halve the sprouts and drizzle with oil Roast for 20-25 minutes until browned and tender. This recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Walnuts, Dates, and Caramelized Onions results in crispy, crunchy veggies.

Butternut Squash

Peel the squash and remove the strings and seeds. Cut the squash into 2-inch pieces and roast for 35-40 minutes.

Carrots

Peel carrots and cut them into 3-inch sticks or cubes. Carrots can also be roasted whole. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

Cauliflower

Remove the core and cut the cauliflower into equal sized florets. Roast for 30 minutes until crisp and tender. This Simple Roasted Cauliflower With Chipotle and Lime is so easy to make!

Celery Root

Peel and cut into chunks. Toss with oil and roast 25-30 minutes.

Eggplant

Eggplant can be roasted in slices or halves. Roast halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet for 30-40 minutes. Roast slices on a lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, flipping half-way through. Here’s a recipe for Baigan Bharta: Indian Char-Roasted Eggplant Dip to try out!

Fennel

Trim off the fronds and cut the bulb into wedges. Roast for 35-40 minutes.

Green Beans

Trim the ends of the green beans and roast them whole for 15 to 20 minutes. Use this recipe for Roasted Rosemary String Beans to add more flavors!

Jerusalem Artichokes

These do not need to be peeled. Cut into large chunks. Roast for 15-20 minutes. Need some help learning how to roast this veggie? Start with this Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes With Braised Garlicky Kale recipe!

Mushrooms

Clean and stem the mushrooms. If small or medium-sized, leave the caps whole. If large, cut in half. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Mix your mushrooms with rosemary using this Rosemary Oven Roasted Mushrooms recipe for a new dinner meal.

Onions

Peel and cut the onion into wedges or slices. Roast for 30 minutes. This Curry Roasted Cauliflower and Red Onions dish with roasted red onions makes a delicious curried cauliflower!

Parsnips

Peel and cut into chunks. Toss with oil and roast 20-25 minutes. Grab some carrots and parsnips to make this recipe for Maple-Thyme Roasted Parsnips And Carrots. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer.

Potatoes

Potatoes can be peeled or not. Cut them into your desired shape: wedges, slices or fries. Roast for 20-30 minutes until crisp on the outside and tender inside. Combine with turmeric with red potatoes for a tasty roasted vegetable dish with this Roasted Red Potatoes with Turmeric and Thyme recipe.

Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon. Place the pumpkin halves in a baking dish, cut-side down. Add 1/2 cup water to the baking dish. Roast for up to 1 hour or until the pumpkin is fork-tender. Try your hand at roasting some pumpkin with this recipe for Miso Roasted Pumpkin and Grilled Tofu Over Udon Noodles.

Radishes

Trim the leaves and cut the bulbs in half. Roast 15-20 minutes. This recipe for Chive Mustard Roasted Radishes will have you coming back for leftovers!

Rutabagas

Peel and cut into large chunks. Roast for 30-35 minutes. Make yourself a tasty treat with this recipe for Rutabaga Fries.

Sweet Potatoes

Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Cut into fry shapes or cubes. Roast for 30-35 minutes until fork tender. This Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad is simple to make in a hurry.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be roasted whole or in halves. Roast for 30-35 minutes. In this recipe for Grilled Avocado With Roasted Tomatoes, pair avocado with roasted tomatoes!

Turnips

Peel and cut into wedges or fries. Roast 35-45 minutes. Add some extra veggies to your turnips to make this Tangerine Roasted Root Veggies dish!

Winter Squash

Cut into 1-inch slices. Roast for 30-35 minutes. Transform your roasted squash into hummus with this recipe for Roasted Squash and Pumpkin Hummus.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

You don’t have to peel these. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices, cubes, or spears. Roast 15-20 minutes. Learn how to make zucchini pasta with this recipe for Roasted Pepper Zucchini Pasta.

Have fun roasting veggies, and don’t be afraid to experiment. If your favorite veggie didn’t make the list, tell us what it is and how you roast it in the comments section.

Looking for more cooking tips? Check out How to Pan Roast Root Vegetables by downloading the Food Monster App. It’s a brilliant Food app available for both Android and iPhone with more than 10,000 recipes and 10 new recipes posted daily. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more find awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos.

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