Recipe video above. Knowing how to make Roasted Vegetables well is a life essential! For best results? Don't mix root vegetables with high moisture vegetables like eggplant and zucchini. Use smashed whole garlic cloves instead of minced which just burns. Same for herbs.And roast in a moderate rather than hot oven so they have time to sweeten and caramelise evenly!I like this mix of vegetables for colour, flavour and texture. Plus (other than the onion) they roast in the same time which keeps things simple. See recipe notes for variations, including other vegetables, herbs etc. Use this recipe for any roast-able vegetables, but separate starchy/dense from watery vegetables.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr40 minutesmins
Course: Sides
Keyword: Roasted vegetables
Servings: 5- 6 people
Calories: 209cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
400g / 14oz small potatoes, skin on (10 or so)
2carrots, medium/large, peeled
1large parsnip(250g/8oz), peeled
1red onion, large, peeled (200g / 7oz)
5garlic cloves, smashed (Note 1)
5thyme sprigs
3sage sprigs
4tbspextra virgin olive oil
1tspcooking/kosher salt
1/4tspblack pepper
Garnish:
2tbspparsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Cutting vegetables:
Potatoes - Cut in half. (For large, cut into 3 or 4)
Carrots - Cut into 3cm / 1.2" triangles on the diagonal (see diagram in post).
Parsnip - Cut into 4cm / 1.5" lengths. Then cut into batons / chunks so they are roughly equal size (see diagram in post).
Red onion - Cut in half, then cut each half into 4 wedges. Then in cut into 3 or 4 so you get 2cm/ 0.8" squares.
Smashed garlic - Place side of knife on unpeeled garlic clove. Hit firmly with palm of hand so the garlic bursts open a bit but mostly stays in tact.
Roasting:
Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).
Onion - Toss onion in one bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch of the salt and pepper. Set aside - we add these later.
Other vegetables - Put all other vegetables, thyme and garlic in a separate bowl. Tear sage leaves and stems with hands, add into bowl. Toss with remaining oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a large baking tray.
Roasting - Roast 30 minutes. Add onion, toss vegetables. Roast for a further 1 hour, tossing halfway, until cooked through with golden edges.
Garnish & serve - Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately!
Notes
1. Smashed Garlic - This method of smashing opening garlic releases garlic flavour into the vegetables as they roast but keeps the garlic whole so a) it won't burn like minced garlic does; and b) you get to squeeze out the slow roasted garlic and eat it - it's so good!!2. Herbs - I've used Sage and thyme here which are two herbs that do well to impart subtle flavour when roasted. Being a hardier herb, rosemary would also work well here.
More delicate herbs like oregano, chives, marjoram, basil etc, can't withstand oven cooking. Instead, sprinkle over the vegetables once roasted.
Dried herbs option - Dried herbs will work just fine too, but they won't add flavour in the same way fresh herbs do. To use dried herbs, just add when tossing with salt and pepper.3. Other vegetables - Of course, other vegetables work! But I do recommend roasting starchy / root / hard veg (potatoes, carrot, parsnip) separately from high moisture / soft vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, capsicum / bell peppers) because they call for different roasting times. Also, nobody wants juice accidentally bursting out from eggplant making their potatoes wet!Add hard veg at the beginning, softer veg later. Here are some guides.Other hard veg (same roasting time per recipe, cut into similar sizes)
Sweet potato
Turnip
Swedes
Soft Veg - Roasting time required at temp in recipe (don't crowd the pan else they just sweat instead of browning)