Oven-roasted winter vegetables are an easy to make and make a healthy, delicious side dish. And they are totally versatile — you can add or substitute other vegetables, such as red onions, beetroot, rutabagas, and more, according to your taste or what you have on hand. These oven-roasted, caramelised vegetables are perfect for holidays or even a weeknight dinner.
This recipe for roasted vegetables is made with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots and parsnips which are tossed with coriander, cumin, garlic and a pinch of dried chili flakes before roasting in the oven to perfection. Serve it with a yoghurt-tahini sauce on the side or enjoy as is will a sprinkling of fresh parsley for a pop of colour and fresh flavour.
How to make oven-roasted winter vegetables
You only need a few basic ingredients to make these roasted vegetables and it couldn’t be easier! You’ll need a good cooking oil, plus some spices (or herbs!), salt and pepper. That’s it!
In terms of roasting them, you’ll want to cut the vegetables approximately the same thickness to ensure they cook evenly. Especially, if using squash and sweet potato together as they cook very similarly, and roast a little quicker than firm root vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips, beetroot, etc.). Carrots and parsnips can be slightly smaller if you like them to crisp up more than the other vegetables.
And for visual interest you can cut the vegetables in different ways, such as wedges, half-moons, and diagonal discs. Just make sure they are relatively the same thickness. However, if you decide to swap out some vegetables for another type, then keeping everything the same size and thickness is the best way to ensure perfectly roasted vegetables.
Recipe adaptations and substitutes
Here are a few possible substitutions that can be made for this roasted winter vegetables recipe:
Sweet potatoes substitutes:
Winter squash and sweet potatoes can be used interchangeably, and since we are already using butternut squash, try using regular waxy potatoes instead and cut them into 1,5 cm wedges.
Butternut squash substitutes:
Swap it out with Hokkaido pumpkin (and leave the skin on) or your other favourite type of winter squash. Or skip it all together and add more root vegetables.
Carrots and parsnip substitutes:
Both have a sweet and earthy flavor and are a wonderful addition to any roasted vegetable medley, however you can easily trade them out for other types of root vegetables, such as rutabaga, turnips, celeriac, or salsify. Or try adding golden beets or beetroot to the mix.
Trade out spices for herbs:
Cumin, coriander and chili flakes can also be traded out for fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Simply toss the vegetables with 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs. If preferring delicate herbs like oregano, chives, dill, etc, you’ll want to add them to the already roasted vegetables, since they won’t stand up well to the heat.
Looking for other roasted vegetable recipe ideas?
Try one of these favourites:
- Middle Eastern Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Vegetable and Chickpeas with Za’atar, Mint and Feta
- Warm Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Lebanese Roasted Vegetables with Lentils
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Oven-roasted winter vegetables are an easy to make and make a healthy, delicious side dish. And they are totally versatile.
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables:
- 5 medium carrots, peeled, sliced at a diagonal or into chunks about 1,5 thick (about 450 g)
- 3 parsnips, liced at a diagonal or into chunks about 1,5 thick (about 450 g)
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2 cm thick wedges (400 g)
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 1,5 cm-thick half-moons (500 g)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, roughly crushed with mortal and pestle
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- Pinch of red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
For the dressing (optional):
- 125 g Greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tahini, well-stirred
- 1 clove garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon runny honey (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (or cilantro)
Method
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Preheat the 425°F / 220°C (200°C fan-assisted). For easy clean-up line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Place the vegetables on one of the baking tray and drizzle the olive oil over top. Sprinkle the vegetables with the spices, garlic, salt and pepper and use your hands to toss until evenly coated. Transfer half the vegetables to the second baking sheet. Arrange in even layer, careful not to crowd.
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Roast the vegetables, stirring and rotating the baking sheets top to bottom after 15 minutes. Continue roasting another 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and the edges are golden-brown.
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Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients (yoghurt, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, honey and parsley) until well combined. Set aside.
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Transfer the roasted vegetables onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with parsley and serve the yoghurt-tahini sauce on side (if desired). Enjoy!
Notes
Expert tip: Leave the freshly cut vegetables uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to help dry them out. This will ensure that they brown nicely when you roast them the next day, rather than releasing any excess moisture which may cause steaming.
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