How To Roast Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are like the chocolate bonbons of the vegetable side dish world: They're special, loaded with flavor, and a treat any time you can eat them.

But like working with chocolate and sugary confections, roasting vegetables take a bit of know-how to get right. Here, we look at the best techniques for roasting vegetables so that each tray turns out crispy, caramelized, and packed with flavor.

Related: Should You Microwave Vegetables Before Roasting Them?

Secrets to the Best Roasted Vegetables

Roasting vegetables is straightforward. Sort of. There are techniques, small at that, that make a big difference. Do them, and you'll have crispy, delicately charred vegetables. Don't do them, and you could have a pile of limp, steamed veggies—which are great if that's what you're going for. But when you are craving the delicately caramelized, toasty flavors of roasted vegetables, steamed just won't do.

Cut Evenly

Different types of vegetables cook at different times, but you can level the playing field (er, roasting pan) by cutting vegetables to as close the same size as possible. Or, in some cases, you'll want to cut smaller pieces of thicker, harder vegetables (think: sweet potatoes) beside larger pieces of softer vegetables (think: bell peppers). More on that later.

Use the Oil

Don't shy away from oil. You'll want to use several tablespoons, depending on how many vegetables you're roasting. For 1 to 2 pounds of veggies, you'll use 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil.

Getting a good coating of oil on vegetables not only helps them cook better, they can keep the vegetables well hydrated during the roasting process so they don't turn chalky. The oil will also help seasonings adhere to the vegetables so you don't lose them at the bottom of your bowl.

Season Well

Speaking of seasoning, don't shy away from the salt and pepper shakers. Like the oil, you don't need a lot, but you do need enough to make sure all the vegetables have a decent coating. Use about 1 teaspoon for every 1 pound of vegetables.

You can also branch out to other spices. For a smoky flavor, reach for smoked paprika or ground chipotle peppers. Turn up the heat with ground red pepper, cayenne, or sriracha seasoning. Consider your final dish, and seasonal appropriately.

Don't Crowd the Pan

Vegetables need their space. When you pour the oil-coated vegetables on a baking pan, spread them out so they have elbow room. If you don't, the vegetables will steam, and you won't get the beautiful caramelization you're seeking.

If you think the pan is too crowded, break out another pan, and divided the vegetables. It's better to give the vegetables more space, not less.

Rotate the Pan

If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pan 180 degrees half way through roasting. Got two baking pans? Move the top one to the bottom shelf, and the bottom pan to the top. This will help make sure all the vegetable pieces are roasted evenly.

How to Roast Vegetables

Follow the recipe below for a great guide to roasting vegetables, but we'll look at them more in depth here:

Step 1. Chop the vegetables. If you're planning to roast several kinds of vegetables together, harder vegetables, like root vegetables, will need to be chopped smaller. Softer vegetables, like bell peppers and tomatoes, won't need to be quite so small.

Step 2. Toss with oil and seasoning. In a mixing bowl, combine all the vegetables with oil and salt, pepper, or other seasonings. The type of oil you use is up to you, but we recommend neutral options like extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Both can handle the high temperatures of roasting without changing the flavor of the roasted vegetables.

Step 3. Spread on pan. Once the vegetables are oiled and seasoned, pour the vegetables onto a sheet pan. You can line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier. Scrape remaining oil and seasonings from the bowl onto the vegetables.

Step 4. Roast vegetables. Different kinds of vegetables will cook at different times, so keep the timeline below in mind before you pack the vegetables onto a roasting pan. On average, start checking their doneness after about 20 minutes if you're roasting thicker vegetables; 10 minutes for the thinner ones.

Roasted vegetables are done when they're fork tender and have brilliantly caramelized or charred bits around the edges. It's OK to go a little bit longer so you get that flavor-maximizing char.

How to Roast Different Kinds of Vegetables

Carrots won't roast as quickly as bell peppers, and onion wedges will cook faster than beets. Use these techniques to get the vegetables roasted and out of the oven without over- or under-cooking anything.

Roast Individually - If you have multiple kinds of vegetables you want to roast, you can separate them into like kinds (all winter squashes together, for example) and roast them together. Then, when everything is roasted, combine them for your final dish.

Pair Vegetables That Cook Alike - Divide your vegetables into groups that cook at roughly the same speed. Cauliflower and broccoli go together. You can also combine potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beets. Then you can adjust the time the pans go into the oven so everything cooks perfectly. Start with the longer-cooking vegetables, then add the sheet pan of more tender vegetables.

Roast in Stages - If you're working with smaller batches of vegetables, you can start with the vegetables that cook the longest, then add softer vegetables later. You can use the same sheet pan for smaller batches, or work with multiple sheet pans to get everything roasted.

What Is the Right Temp for Roasting Vegetables?

You can roast vegetables at temperatures between 350°F and 450°F. But we recommend a higher temperature, or around 425°F. This helps the vegetables cook quickly and get nice caramelization and browning.

How Long to Roast Vegetables

Use this chart to get perfectly roasted vegetables:

Roasted Vegetable Times
Vegetable category	Vegetables	Size	Time
Round root vegetables	Beets, sweet potatoes, potatoes	3/4-inch pieces	30-45 minutes
Long root vegetables	Carrots, parsnips	1/2-inch slices	20-35 minutes
Winter squashes	Butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash	1-inch pieces	20-40 minutes
Crucifers	Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts	1-inch pieces	15-25 minutes
Soft vegetables	Bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash	3/4-inch pieces	10-20 minutes
Thin vegetables	Asparagus, green beans	Leave whole	10-15 minutes
Onions	Red onions, sweet onions	Slice into wedges	25-35 minutes
Tomatoes	Cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes	Leave whole; quarter larger ones	15-20 minutes