Be sure to grab my tips and watch the video for how to make this roasted vegetables recipe. When we think roasted vegetables, our minds typically go to root veggies like carrots, potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or hefty roasted cauliflower and broccoli. But, if you take just about any variety of firm vegetables, cut them up, toss them in some seasoning and excellent olive oil, then roast them in a high-heated oven, they will turn irresistibly tasty. When you roast vegetables, their natural flavors deepen beautifully, and they gain enough char and great texture. A few minutes in the oven turns them soft, warm, comforting, and just the most delicious side dish. The possibilities are endless as far as which veggies to roast and what flavors to use. But, one of my go-tos is this Italian oven-roasted vegetables recipe.
Ingredients for roasted vegetables
In this Italian-inspired roasted vegetables recipe, I use a combination of bright, and colorful veggies and mushrooms, tossed in extra virgin olive oil and a simple seasoning with some of my favorite Italian flavors. Here’s what you’ll need:
Vegetables & Mushrooms: zucchini (or summer squash), bella mushrooms, and baby potatoes (or diced gold potatoes) Tomatoes: I like Camparie tomatoes here because they tend to be on the sweeter side. Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are great too! Seasoning: Kosher salt, fresh garlic, oregano and fresh thyme. Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Should you salt your vegetables before roasting?
YES! At least in my experience, I’ve found that salting veggies before roasting them ensures good flavor but it also affects the texture. This may sound counter-intiutive, but if you try roasting veggies unsalted, they’ll come out too dehydrated and unpleasant. Salt draws a bit of moisture out of your veggies while they cook in the oven, this helps them nicely caramalize but without drying out.
What temprature is best for roasting vegetables?
High heat is the name of the game! For your veggies to gain that delicious caramelized exterior, while cooking to tender perfection, the sweet spot is somewhere between 410 and 450 degrees F. In this roasted vegetables recipe, I set the oven temprature at 425 degrees F and I cooked the veggies on the middle rack.
Which oil is good for roasting vegetables?
For me, when it comes to roasting veggies or anything at all, I am all for using quality, good-tasting extra virgin olive oil which imparts great flavor while properly cooking your veggies. Remember that a quality extra virgin olive oil’s smoke point can be around 410 to 425 degrees F. I’ve not had any trouble using EVOO, but if you want to save it for your Greek salad or are looking for an alternative, reach for a good grapeseed oil.
7 Tips for how to roast vegetables in the oven
This roasted vegetables recipe is simple, but if you’re looking for exceptional results, I have a few tips for you:
What to serve roasted vegetables with?
These Italian-style roasted veggies are the perfect side dish next to almost any meaty dish. I often serve them next to my Italian baked chicken, Garlic Dijon Chicken, or even next to Boneless Lamb, Roast Turkey Breast, or even Slow Roasted Salmon. But don’t discount these gorgeous vegetables as a light vegetarian main with farro risotto, or on top of lemon rice or even quinoa!
Related recipes you may like
Briam: Greek Roasted Vegetables Ribollita Roasted Vegetables Barley Chicken Cacciatore Ratatouille
Used in this recipe
Cast Iron Baking Dish (affiliate link)Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
Visit our collection of Mediterranean recipes and our top Mediterranean diet recipes. JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST for weekly meal plans and more! *This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in February, 2017 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit. Enjoy!
