By Jennifer Whitmire, MS, MEd, MH, CHES, NEP

When people tell me they don’t like vegetables, one of the first questions I ask is, “How are you preparing them?”

Usually, the answer explains everything.

Many of us grew up eating vegetables that were boiled until they were soft, canned, or steamed without any seasoning. If that’s your experience, it isn’t surprising that vegetables never became something you looked forward to eating.

I don’t think most people dislike vegetables.

They have never had the chance to experience how delicious they can be.

One of the easiest changes I ever made in my own kitchen was learning to roast vegetables. It was a complete game-changer!

Why Roasting Makes Such a Difference

Vegetables naturally contain carbohydrates. As they roast, moisture evaporates, concentrating the vegetables’ natural sugars. As the temperature rises, those sugars begin to caramelize while the edges brown through a process called the Maillard reaction.This creates a rich, savory flavor that simply doesn’t develop when vegetables are boiled or steamed. (It can happen when sauteed).

The result is a vegetable that tastes sweeter, richer, and much more delicious.

Brussels sprouts become slightly crisp around the edges. Cauliflower develops a nutty flavor. Broccoli becomes caramelized, and onions become sweet enough that people think something was added to them.

Nothing was added, I promise.

These changes occur when vegetables are exposed to dry, high heat, which is why roasting creates flavors that boiling or steaming simply can’t produce.

The Vegetables I Like To Roast 

One of the reasons I enjoy roasting vegetables is that almost anything works, and I love that I can throw everything on a plan, throw the pan in the oven, and clean up. Easy peasy!

During the summer, I like to roast broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, and/or green beans. In the fall and winter, I’ll add butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and other root vegetables.

Sometimes I roast one vegetable by itself, but I usually fill an entire sheet pan with whatever needs to be used from the refrigerator.

No two pans ever look the same.

My Favorite Way to Season Them

People are surprised that I don’t use any oil when roasting vegetables. I chop, spread out on parchment paper on a baking sheet, sprinkle with herbs and spices, and roast.

You can toss them with a little vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, aquafaba, or roast them dry like I do. 

Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, curry powder, nutritional yeast, chipotle, and/or freshly cracked pepper all work beautifully.

The combinations are almost endless.

Instead of following one recipe, I let the vegetables determine the spices. If I’m serving Mexican food, I’ll use chili powder, garlic, onion, and cumin. If we’re having an Italian-inspired dinner, basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano will work. If I’m making cauliflower rice bowls, I may add turmeric, ginger, cumin, and coriander.

The vegetables can stay the same in all of the meals! The flavors change with the meal.

Why I Try To Roast Extra

If I’m already heating the oven, I rarely roast just enough for one meal. I’ll fill another sheet pan while I’m at it for leftovers or to add to tomorrow’s dinner.

Those leftovers become tomorrow’s lunch, part of a salad, a quick soup, a wrap, a grain bowl, or a side dish with beans. Sometimes, I even toss roasted vegetables into hummus or blend them into a creamy sauce.

Preparing extra vegetables while the oven is already hot takes very little additional effort, but it makes healthy eating much easier over the next few days.

That has become one of my favorite kitchen habits.

Everyday Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

6–8 cups chopped vegetables of your choice

1–2 tablespoons vegetable broth (optional)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: nutritional yeast after roasting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces and spread them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, lightly toss with vegetable broth to help the seasonings adhere.

Sprinkle with the herbs and spices and toss to coat evenly.

Roast for 20–35 minutes, depending on the vegetables, stirring once halfway through. Remove when the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown around the edges.

Finish with nutritional yeast, fresh herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

Roast Some Veggies

When in doubt, roast them! If you pic up a new veg, and don’t know what to do with it, throw it on parchment paper on a sheet pan, and roast it!

If someone tells me they don’t enjoy vegetables, I don’t immediately encourage them to eat more. I get them to try preparing them differently.

Sometimes one simple change in the kitchen is enough to transform a food you’ve tolerated into one you can’t wait to make again.

For me, roasting vegetables was one of those changes.

Today, it’s difficult to imagine my kitchen without at least one sheet pan of colorful vegetables in the oven. I have found that when vegetables taste wonderful, people stop thinking of them as something they “should” eat and start reaching for them because they genuinely enjoy them.