This is the BEST oven roasted vegetables recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Is olive oil or avocado oil better for roasting vegetables? ›

Avocado oil generally has the highest smoke point (500 degrees F), so it's my go-to for cooking, roasting, grilling, and pan frying.

Turns out, there's a simple ingredient that can boost the crispiness of roasted vegetables and most of us already have it in our pantry: cornstarch! Yes, the same ingredient chefs use to make velvety sauces and gravies can also add a satisfying layer of crispiness to roasted vegetables.

General Roasting Times for Vegetables

Winter squash (butternut squash, acorn squash): 20 to 60 minutes. Crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts): 15 to 25 minutes. Soft vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers): 10 to 20 minutes. Thin vegetables (asparagus, green beans): 10 to 20 minutes.

For high heat cooking, it's important to choose oils that maintain their stability. Oils heated past their smoke point break down, which affects flavor and can produce unhealthy compounds. Some healthier cooking oils that can withstand higher temperatures include olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, and safflower oil.

Coat the vegetables generously with oil before roasting.

I usually drizzle and toss right on the sheet pan, so I have one less dish to wash. Porous vegetables like eggplant and mushrooms, might need a little more oil. You don't want the vegetables to be greasy, so don't overdo it.

For less caramelization (and easier clean-up), stick with foil, a nonstick baking mat, or—for palest results—parchment paper. All 3 liners serve as a barrier between the heat-conducting baking sheet and your food.

The Oven Temp Is Too Low

A low-and-slow cooking technique is excellent for vegetables like carrots, beets or potatoes that you plan to puree into soup. But, they'll turn out soft and soggy instead of crispy and caramelized. The solution: Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F to 425°F.

There is no need to cover vegetables when roasting. Covering them creates steam, so they won't get as crispy and caramelized. Don't forget to stir once or twice while cooking so the vegetables get nicely browned on all sides. Other than that, you can't really go wrong.

Additional tips on roasting vegetables. Heavy duty pans are ideal since they allow for even heat distribution and circulation. Because salt draws moisture out of the food, season veggies just before roasting.

Do you flip roast vegetables in the oven? ›

About every 10 minutes or so, rotate the tray in the oven so all the vegetables are being evenly roasted. You should also stir them around a bit using a spatula to make sure they're crisping evenly and not sticking to the tray.

425-450 is the sweet spot. And to ensure it's maintaining temperature, I suggest you purchase a basic thermometer for your oven. I had been placing complete faith in my oven settings, assuming 350 was 350, except 350 was more like 325 and my 425 convection setting was more like 500. My oven's a temperamental gal.

Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips take the longest, followed by hard squash and cruciferous vegetables like butternut squash, cauliflower and broccoli. Tender items like cherry tomatoes or zucchini come next, then cooking greens, which have the shortest roasting time.

Best cooking oil for roasting

Extra virgin olive oil and coconut are both good for slow roasts due to their low smoke point and added flavour, whilst vegetable oil and rapeseed oil are neutral, medium smoke point oils that are versatile and can be used in most roasts.

If you like the taste of olive oil and don't do much high-temperature cooking, then that is the one you should rely on. If it's winter and you are roasting in the oven more often or if you like to fry things like meat or fish, avocado oil is a better choice, especially the Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil.

Medium-heat cooking: For roasting, both olive oil and vegetable oil will work, though the former will add more flavor. "For baking, most recipes use vegetable oil, so it doesn't [add] flavor," says Chavez. However, some baked goods, such as olive oil cakes, use olive oil specifically for the flavor.

Like olive oil, avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fat and contains moderate amounts of linoleic acid, making it a better option than high-linoleic vegetable oil [*]. It's also liquid at room temperature, but is likely to clump in the fridge.