Roasted Root Vegetables

Savory roasted root vegetables are a delicious option to pair with just about any meal, any day of the week. Prepared with a colorful medley of veggies such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips and rutabagas, this cozy recipe is a healthy and easy side dish loaded with flavor!

Deliciously rustic root vegetables

Roasting vegetables is one of my absolute favorite ways to prepare and enjoy my veggies.

When they're drizzled with a little olive oil, some salt, pepper and a flourish of dried herbs, and then roasted until golden and sweet-savory, that's all it takes to make me a happy, veggie-eating gal!

And because I adore lots of color and earthy, savory-sweet flavor in this type of healthy side dish, I love a nice little medley of root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, potatoes and rutabaga for a preparation like this.

Roasted root vegetables pair deliciously with a steak, pork chops, or even chicken thighs, such as in my sheet pan chicken thighs recipe.

They're comforting, rustic, colorful, and truly delicious, and a great way to sneak in those veggies!

My recipe for roasted root vegetables

Roasting root vegetables is a process that already innately offers lots of flavor. The high heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in the veggies and brings out their earthy and delicious savor. It also creates little charred bits here and there, making for a lovely presentation whether the veggies are placed onto a serving platter or enjoyed directly from the sheet pan they were roasted on.

Carrots and parsnips already have a natural sweetness to them, and the rutabaga offers a hint of earthiness and depth. Of course, the potatoes are mellow and buttery, which brings some balance to this side.

Also, using a good olive oil always brings more flavor to the party, as does some sea salt, cracked pepper and a combination of dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and tarragon, which are conveniently found in a bottle of herbes de Provence. The result is vegetables that have a delightfully complex flavor and are perfectly tender and scrumptious!

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my roasted root vegetables recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my root vegetables by washing and peeling them (I leave the skin on the potatoes), and then cutting them into desired sizes.
2. Then, I toss the vegetables with good-quality olive oil, plus some sea salt and black pepper, and the dried herbs.
3. I turn the seasoned root veggies out onto my prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper), and roast at 400°F for about 45 minutes, or until tender yet with a slight “bite.”
4. Finally, I garnish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and serve on a platter or directly from the sheet pan.

Recipe

Roasted Root Vegetables

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Roasted root vegetables are a healthy and colorful accompaniment to your meal, or the perfect thing to snack on fresh out of the oven!

Category: Side
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 8

Nutrition info: 144 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 3 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 yellow potatoes, quartered
• 2 red potatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or chopped rosemary leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
3. Add the cut root vegetables to a large bowl, and add in the remainder of the ingredients up to and including the onion powder. Toss to coat well, and turn out the veggies onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast the veggies for about 45 minutes, or until the veggies are golden and tender.
5. Finish by sprinkling over top the fresh thyme leaves (or rosemary), then spoon the vegetables into a serving dish (if using), and enjoy.

Tips & Tidbits for this roasted root vegetables recipe:

• Your favorite combo of root veggies, or only one: While this recipe calls for a combination of carrots, parsnips, potatoes and rutabaga, you could certainly use only one, or even two, and follow the same method. Choose the ones that you enjoy best!
• Savory seasonings: Dried herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, and tarragon are perfect for these roasted root vegetables, and you can use a combination of all of these as found in herbes de Provence, or choose one. Other tasty add-ins to use when roasting veggies are balsamic vinegar (a couple of teaspoons) or even Dijon mustard.
• Tasty finishing touches: You can finish the vegetables with fresh herbs, microgreens, or even chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios or sliced almonds. You can also drizzle over a hint of honey for sweetness.
• High oven temp: Set your oven temp to 400°F, as this will help the root vegetables to caramelize just a bit, and adds flavor as well.

Craving more cozy and delicious sides like this one? Check out my recipe for Oven Roasted Asparagus, Stilton Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms, Baked Brussels Sprouts with Cider Glaze, or my recipe for Sauteed Asparagus!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!