Roasting root vegetables recipes brings out their natural sweetness and earthy flavor, setting them apart from other roasted vegetables, such as roasted broccoli or roasted eggplant. You can serve them anytime of year, but fall and winter are the best times of all.
What Are Root Vegetables?
Root vegetables are edible veggies that grow underground and are typically starchy. These include taproots (like carrots and beets), tubers and tuberous roots (like potatoes and sweet potatoes), corms (like celery root and water chestnut), and bulbs (like onions and garlic). Root vegetable recipes can be cooked in a variety of ways, but roasting is one of the best ways to prepare them!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for oven roasted root vegetables, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Root Vegetables – I used carrots, parsnips, red beets, onions, and a sweet potato. You can roast root vegetables of other kinds too, like turnips, rutabaga, golden beets, radishes, potatoes (of various types like red, gold, purple), other types of onions (like white, yellow, or sweet Vidalia), fennel, celery root, and jicama. You could even add whole garlic cloves to make roasted garlic! Oil – Adds flavor, promotes browning and caramelization, and helps the seasonings stick. You can use regular olive oil (I used this kind), extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, or melted coconut oil as a substitute. Don’t use butter, which will burn at the high temp required for roasting root vegetables. Fresh Herbs – Fresh rosemary and fresh thyme add an earthy flavor to root vegetables, and they can stand up to heat. You can also try adding fresh sage, parsley, or oregano. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can use dried instead (1/3 the amount, because dried herbs are more concentrated), or just keep it simple by using 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Seasonings – Including garlic powder, sea salt (or kosher salt), and black pepper. Other seasonings that work well with root veggies include smoked paprika or cumin.
How To Roast Root Vegetables
This section shows how to make roasted root vegetables, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Meal prep: Portion the veggies into individual containers with a protein, like chicken or fish. Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat: Warm up in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You can also reheat in the air fryer (my fave method) to get crispier edges. Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
Ways To Serve Roasted Root Vegetables
Roasted root vegetable recipes are very versatile. They go with just about anything! Here are some ideas to try:
Cut the veggies into uniform-sized pieces. This will ensure that they cook at the same rate. One-inch cubes or 1/2-inch slices are a good size for even cooking. The beets may “bleed” onto the other root vegetables when mixing. This is not a big deal and most of the color will cook away when roasting. If you prefer to avoid this, you can toss the beets with oil and seasonings separate from the other vegetables, or replace the beets with 1 cup of other root vegetables of your choice. Don’t crowd the pan. Make sure to spread the root veggies in a single layer, with each piece touching the pan. This ensures even cooking and also promotes caramelization.
Chicken – Cook root veggies together on the same pan with chicken leg quarters, a crispy spatchcock chicken, or chicken thighs for a sheet pan chicken dinner! You can also make juicy grilled chicken breasts or air fryer chicken legs while you have the root vegetables in the oven. Pork – For a comfort food meal, make tender cast iron pork chops while the veggies roast, prep savory slow cooker pulled pork ahead of time, or make crispy pork belly right before. Beef – Serve with a juicy sirloin steak or a tender prime rib roast for a large gathering. Turkey – Root vegetables make a delicious side dish to a roasted turkey for the holidays. For a smaller gathering, make slow cooker turkey breast or my turkey leg recipe instead. Fish – Try them with baked flounder, simple pan fried tilapia, or add them to a salmon bowl. Salad – Toss the cooked veggies into a winter salad or kale salad, or swap the squash in butternut squash salad with mixed roasted root vegetables.
More Root Vegetable Recipes
If you love the fall flavors of this roasted root vegetable recipe and want to explore more ways to cook with these earthy gems, try these: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Fall Ebook Bundle!
