Home-From-The-Store Roasted Vegetables
I know I said this was a recipe. But actually, it’s not.
You can have all the best vegetable recipes in the world, but still end up letting fresh produce rot away in the fridge every week. Thus, having a recipe isn’t the solution. Having a STRATEGY is.
So, think of this post as your “I actually eat vegetables every week now!” strategy. Here we go!
Step 1: Purchase a bag of fresh pre-chopped vegetables on your normal grocery-store trip.
Anything will do. Pick your favorites. I like broccoli florets, trimmed green beans, cubes of winter squash, a “fajita mix” of bell pepper strips, or caulilower florets. Cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes, and cippolini onions are also fun to roast!
Step 2: When you get home, don’t put this bag away. Put it on the counter.
This is extremely important. This step is the KEY to the entire strategy. If you put the bag in the fridge, thinking “I’ll get to it later", you are making is a thousand times more likely that the bag of veggies will never get consumed.
Step 3: Pre-heat the oven to 425° F.
I find this temperature is perfect for almost all veggies. If the pieces are super small or thin (like asparagus or green beens), you can turn the oven a little lower. I like asparagus roasted at 400° F.
Step 4: Line a sheet-pan with aluminum foil and put it in the pre-heating oven.
This step helps get your veggies brown nicely. Adding veggie pieces, coated in a little oil, to a hot pan will start the caramelizing process quickly (so that moisture doesn’t have time to leak out and inhibit the browning).
Step 5: Put the rest of your groceries away, as normal.
You’ve got time before the oven reaches 425° F.
Step 6: Open the veggie bag and dump in a large mixing bowl.
If you’re feeling fancy, pat the veggies dry at this stage. This can also help them brown better and get those caramelized edges.
Step 7: Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tsp kosher salt, and 2 tsp of your favorite seasoning blend for each pound of vegetables you have. Stir with a rubber spatula or toss with your hands until evenly mixed.
Some of my favorite seasoning blends:
A Cajun spice blend (like Tony’s Creole, or Emeril’s)
Adobo seasoning
A Moroccan blend (I love mixing equal parts coriander and cumin, and then adding just a whisper of cayenne and cinnamon)
Jamaican curry powder
Equal parts turmeric and smoked paprika
Equal parts garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika
Step 8. Using a potholder, remove the hot pan from the oven and dump the veggies from the bowl onto the pan. Spread them into an even layer without overlapping.
You should hear a sizzle when the oiled-and-seasoned veggie pieces hit the hot pan. It’s lovely!
Step 9: Roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until browned on the outside and cooked through.
Cooking times will vary based on the size of the veggie pieces. I find squash cubes and carrots (anything wintery-squashy and starchy) tend to take the longest, especially if they are big chunks. Thin veggies like asparagus and green beans will probably only take 20 minutes or so.
There’s no way to do this wrong. Everyone’s got different veggie texture preferences. Just taste a piece whenever you take the pan out of the oven to stir it. If it’s soft enough in the middle for you, that means they’re done!
Step 10: Let cool fully, divide into containers, store in the refrigerator, and enjoy seasoned and delicious roasted vegetables all week.
When you’ve got pre-packed servings of your favorite vegetables, and they just require a quick 1-minute microwaving, you are so much more likely to make fresh produce a consistent part of your life.
Here’s to new strategies, small habit changes, and building a healthy lifestyle that actually works in your life!
Nutrition Disclaimer
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