My roasted carrots and parsnips are such a classic side dish, and for good reason! The oven transforms them, intensifying their flavor, caramelizing the sugars, and browning the outsides with very little effort from you!

I grew up with this dish. My Mom (who’s from the UK) made roasted carrots and parsnips at least once every week, and I am so happy that she did! Roasting will forever be my favorite way to make vegetables even better. This happens with our favorite roasted carrots recipe, and it happens with this recipe, which adds parsnips to the party.

If you are unfamiliar with parsnips, they are between a carrot and a potato (sweet like carrots and creamy like a potato). I love them! We also use them to make creamy parsnip puree, which I think rivals mashed potatoes any day.

Key Ingredients

• Carrots: Use any variety of carrots for this recipe. Orange carrots are the most common, but yellow, purple, or more exciting varieties are great! Scrub your carrots clean and then skip peeling them (helpful on a busier night when time is limited) or peel them.
• Parsnips: Often sold near other root vegetables, parsnips look like white carrots. Look for firm, smooth, and evenly colored parsnips with no soft spots. Like the carrots, you can scrub them clean and then skip peeling or peel them.
• Oil, Salt, and Pepper: I love avocado oil or olive oil. Then, I simply season the carrots and parsnips with salt and pepper. You can swap for my favorite seasoned salt, or use an herb blend like Herbes de Provence.
• Fresh Mint: When I have it on hand, I love tossing the warm roasted veggies with chopped fresh mint. Other herbs are lovely too! You can even make a herbed butter like I do for my buttery roasted carrots.

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

• PREP
  10 mins
  
• COOK
  25 mins
  
• TOTAL
  35 mins
  

Carrots and parsnips are lovely together, and you can make this roasted version in about 30 minutes. Roasted carrots and parsnips are great with just oil, salt, and pepper, but we especially love them tossed with fresh mint just before serving!

6 Servings

You Will Need

1 pound (450g) carrots, peeled, 4 to 5 medium

1 pound (450g) parsnips, peeled, 4 to 5 medium

2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, optional

Directions

1Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.

2Trim the carrot and parsnip ends and slice them diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. As the carrots roast, they will shrink. (Depending on how wide the thicker ends of the parsnips are, you may need to slice each stick in half, lengthwise.)

3Add the carrots, parsnips, oil, salt, and pepper to a large bowl, and toss until well coated. Spread them in one layer on the prepared baking sheet.

4Roast for 15 minutes, stir, and then roast until the carrots and parsnips are tender and caramelized around the edges, 5 to 10 minutes longer. (For even more caramelization, roast for another 5 to 10 minutes.)

5Toss with chopped mint and serve.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

• Storing: Place roasted carrots and parsnips in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze them, freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months.
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 of 6 servings
/
Calories
118
/
Total Fat
5g
/
Saturated Fat
0.7g
/
Cholesterol
0mg
/
Sodium
236.4mg
/
Carbohydrate
18.5g
/
Dietary Fiber
5.2g
/
Total Sugars
6g
/
Protein
1.4g

AUTHOR:

Joanne Gallagher

Previous Post: Creamy Parsnip Purée
Next Post: Garlic Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Source link

My easy roasted red pepper hummus is made with sweet red bell peppers, chickpeas, garlic, and tahini. It’s super simple to make and tastes much better than the hummus you can buy at the store.

After falling in love with how easy it is to make hummus at home, we’ve been playing around with more of our favorite store-bought hummus flavors. I love roasted peppers, and am excited to share this roasted red pepper hummus recipe with you! It’s creamy, smooth, and so delicious.

Roasted bell peppers add a smoky sweetness to the hummus. We roast the peppers at home (it’s easy), but if you are short on time, you can use jarred roasted peppers. Serve with veggies, in sandwiches, with pita bread or flatbread.

Key Ingredients

• Red Bell Peppers: I roast red bell peppers for this hummus, blend them in, and use them as a topping. If you don’t want to roast your own, most stores sell jarred roasted bell peppers, which also work.
• Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans): These are the base of this red pepper hummus. You can use canned chickpeas or cook them from scratch. I use both, but homemade chickpeas have a slightly better flavor. If you do cook your own chickpeas and have some leftover, I highly recommend this smashed chickpea salad.
• Tahini: Use a high-quality, drippy tahini. You can buy it at the store or use my homemade tahini recipe. For more ways to use tahini, try our creamy tahini sauce or this tahini dressing.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is key to making great hummus.
• Garlic: I use one small clove, but feel free to add more if you prefer a stronger garlic taste.
• Ground Cumin and Salt: These two spices enhance the flavor of the hummus, and the cumin adds a bit of extra richness and spice.
• Olive oil: Olive oil gives hummus a rich and smooth texture.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

You asked for more hummus recipes, so here we go. Adding roasted bell peppers to hummus is one of my favorite ways to spice it up. If you’ve seen our original hummus recipe, you know that making the best hummus at home is easy. This red pepper hummus recipe is simple. We’ve added two roasted red peppers to our original recipe.

I roast the peppers myself (although store-bought roasted peppers will do the trick). To roast peppers for this hummus, I remove the core and cut my peppers into a few flat pieces so they don’t roll around on me. Then I place them, skin-side up, onto a baking sheet, slide them under the broiler, and broil until the pepper skin chars.

It only takes 10 minutes to roast the peppers. Then, I add them to a resealable plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap and set them aside. They steam a little, which helps the skin pull away from the pepper, making it extra easy to peel. You can see how easily it peels away in the photo below.

When you have roasted red peppers, you can make your hummus. I use a food processor and blend my tahini and lemon juice first, which helps to cream the tahini and lemon juice, guaranteeing the creamiest homemade hummus.

Then, I blend in olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and the chickpeas. When all chickpeas have been added, I add my roasted red peppers and blend until smooth. At this point, the hummus is usually a bit thick, so I drizzle in a bit of cold water or aquafaba. Then it’s ready to serve! I love saving some of the roasted pepper for chopping and placing it on top so everyone knows they are about to dig into red pepper hummus.

Ways to Serve Red Pepper Hummus

I love serving this red pepper hummus with a variety of veggies. Sliced carrots, celery, cucumber, radishes, snap peas, cauliflower, and even roasted broccoli are perfect for dipping. It’s also amazing with homemade bread. I especially love this homemade pita bread or this quicker no-yeast flatbread.

We often make hummus bowls and fill a bowl with salad greens, some cooked quinoa (here’s my quinoa recipe), hummus, some homemade labneh or feta cheese, and a drizzle of tahini sauce.

Source link

My roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is super simple, and they taste amazing! Use this recipe for pumpkin seeds or seeds from other winter squash, like butternut squash.

This recipe takes me straight back to my childhood. Carving pumpkins goes hand in hand with roasting pumpkin seeds. Bonus, the aroma from the oven is incredible! If you have never tried it before, I’ve got you covered. This is my favorite method for how to roast pumpkin seeds!

Our family loves pumpkins. Be sure to check out some of our other favorite pumpkin recipes. Making homemade pumpkin puree is fun and easy, which you can use for pumpkin pie, maple pumpkin butter, or pumpkin spice latte.

How to Make the Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Please don’t throw away those pumpkin seeds! Use our recipe and turn them into a delicious snack! After scooping out your seeds (they will be messy), we need to clean them of all those stringy bits.

Tip 1: Clean your pumpkin seeds. Throw your seeds into a bowl of cold water. Swish the seeds around the bowl, then remove them as they float to the top. They’re mostly clean now, but we have one more chance to clean them up.

Tip 2: Boil in salted water. Next, add the mostly clean seeds to a pot of boiling salted water and simmer for about 5 minutes. This step cleans the seeds even more and seasons them (like adding salt to the boiling water to season pasta).

Tip 3: Pat your seeds dry. Drain and rinse the seeds. Pull away any extra bits of pumpkin left, then dry them as well as you can. The more dry your pumpkin seeds are, the better they will roast in the oven.

Tip 4: Add flavor and roast. Toss the dry seeds with oil (use olive oil, coconut oil, or a nut oil like walnut). Add a sprinkle of your favorite spice blend. I used harissa in the photo, but curry powder, pumpkin spice, or chili powder is also excellent. Spread your seeds into one layer and roast them in a 350°F oven until crisp and browned around the edges.

Tip 5: Try roasting winter squash seeds. Halloween isn’t the only time to roast pumpkin seeds. You can do it throughout fall and winter or swap the pumpkin for other winter squash, such as butternut squash, spaghetti squash, or delicata squash. The method stays the same, although you may find the smaller seeds don’t need as much time in the oven.

Source link

This oven roasted green beans recipe is the perfect side dish. They turn tender and sweet in the oven, with lightly crisp edges that make them irresistible.

We have plenty of green bean recipes on Inspired Taste, but roasting might be my favorite way to cook them. If you haven’t tried roasting green beans before, you should. You can keep them simple with just olive oil, salt, and pepper, or dress them up with garlic and capers like we do here. Either way, they’re always a crowd-pleaser.

Green beans also cook quickly, which makes them easy to add to weeknight dinners. Whenever I see them fresh at the store, I grab a bag.

Key Ingredients

• Green Beans: I prefer fresh green beans for this recipe. They should look vibrant green and feel firm. If you bend them, they should snap. String beans, haricot verts, and wax beans work in the recipe below.
• Garlic: I use three cloves of garlic for this recipe and love it. You can increase or decrease the garlic based on your tastes.
• Capers: They may seem a little unusual, but capers add a briny, salty bite to this recipe, which is so lovely with the sweetness of the roasted green beans. If you aren’t a fan, feel free to leave them out.
• Fresh Dill: I love using fresh herbs, so I toss them over almost anything when I have them on hand. Dill is incredible with the garlic and capers in this recipe. Other fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro work, too.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Roasted Green Beans

Tip 1: Prepare the beans. To prepare fresh green beans, line them up on your cutting board so that all the ends are together, then slice away the stringy ends. I leave my beans long, but you can cut them into two or three pieces at this point as well.

Tip 2: Make basic green beans. Once trimmed, toss the green beans with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer, then roast them at 425°F until tender and a little wrinkly (10 to 15 minutes). Roasting them at such a high temperature cooks green beans quickly and gives them those delicious blistered spots. They are delicious this way, so feel free to stop here!

Tip 3: Add more flavor. While the beans are in the oven, mix up some minced garlic and capers. Toss that with the hot roasted green beans and roast for a few minutes more. Then finish with some fresh dill. I use a similar method with feta cheese and herbs when making this roasted zucchini, and I love it!

Serving Suggestions

These green beans work well with many of our main dishes, but a few favorites are my garlic caper baked salmon or these easy stuffed pork chops (stuffed with apples, onions, and cheese). I also love them next to roast chicken or this honey glazed lavender chicken.

More Green Bean Recipes

Source link

This easy roasted tomato soup recipe gets its incredible flavor from roasting the tomatoes with onion and whole garlic cloves.

When we’re overflowing with tomatoes, this roasted tomato soup with garlic and basil is our go-to. Roasting transforms the tomatoes, making them incredibly sweet and flavorful (it’s the perfect way to use them).

We roast our tomatoes in a hot oven for half an hour. Then, we blend them with a few simple ingredients to create one of our favorite soups!

Key Ingredients

• Fresh tomatoes: Use whatever you’ve got! Roasting concentrates the flavor, making this soup great for using less-than-perfect tomatoes. In the summer, I love a mix of heirlooms, cherry, and plum tomatoes for extra sweetness. For a recipe using canned tomatoes, try our popular three ingredient tomato soup (delicious!)
• Onion and Garlic: Roast these alongside the tomatoes. Roasted garlic adds a delicious richness, while the onion becomes sweet and tender.
• Broth: For a vegetarian option, choose veggie broth. You can also use your favorite chicken broth or stock. For even more tomato flavor, try homemade tomato broth.
• Fresh basil: It wouldn’t be tomato basil soup without it! Blend in a generous cup of fresh basil leaves for that classic flavor. For another tomato-basil recipe, try our fresh tomato bruschetta.
• Cream and butter: These make a smooth and creamy texture. I like just 1/4 cup of cream (enough to balance the acidity without being too rich). (See the recipe notes for vegan options!)

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup

Tip 1: Roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic. To make the best roasted tomato soup, we roast fresh tomatoes, quartered onions, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. The tomatoes soften, burst, and release their delicious juices.

Tip 2: Simmer for more flavor. When the tomatoes have finished roasting, we transfer everything to a soup pot with some broth and a couple of tablespoons of butter. The soup simmers for about half an hour.

Tip 3: Finish with cream and basil. We blend the soup with fresh basil until it’s rich and creamy. Then, a splash of cream at the end makes our soup extra creamy and balances the tomatoes acidity.

Serving Suggestions

It’s impossible to serve this soup without grilled cheese sandwiches in our house (Adam’s request!). I also love dunking crusty bread, garlic focaccia bread, or freshly made garlic bread into it. You can also top this soup with croutons, store-bought or homemade.

Salads are great with soup. Try our favorite Greek salad, this good-for-you quinoa salad, or our easy tomato salad. For some sandwich options, try this vegetarian-friendly smashed chickpea sandwich. I also love tuna salad sandwiches and this avocado egg salad sandwich.

More Roasted Tomato Recipes

Source link

I love roasted chickpeas and have fallen hard for this honey roasted version! They’re so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, and seriously, once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

There’s no shortage of chickpea recipes on Inspired Taste. We’ve shown you how to cook chickpeas from scratch, make the best hummus, add them to salads, and more. And today, we’re sharing another of our favorites: these crispy honey roasted chickpeas!

Roasted chickpeas are easy to make, and you can adapt the recipe to your favorite flavors. Our recipe below uses honey and sea salt for a sweet and salty snack, but feel free to change things up to match your favorite flavors!

Key Ingredients

• Chickpeas: For this recipe, you can use canned or cooked chickpeas. Whatever you choose, before roasting them, you need to get the chickpeas very dry. I pat them dry and then leave them out to air dry for about half an hour.
• Honey: You’ll add the honey towards the end of the roasting time, which caramelizes it onto the chickpeas. Use something you love!
• Oil, Cinnamon, and Salt: I love the flavor combination of honey, olive oil, cinnamon, and sea salt. It’s delicious!

How to Make Honey Roasted Chickpeas

These homemade roasted chickpeas are a delicious and healthy snack. To make the best roasted chickpeas, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, we want them to be really dry, so pat them dry and let them air dry on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour. From there, you’ll roast them in the oven. I roast them plain without any oil so they can crisp up. I don’t peel them, and I like how some peels turn extra crispy in the oven.

When the chickpeas are nice and crispy, I toss them with my seasonings. For this recipe, that means honey, olive oil, cinnamon, and salt, but you can always change the seasonings to what you love. For example, you could skip the honey and cinnamon and use your favorite savory seasoning blend (think chili powder, Cajun seasoning, or ranch).

After 5 to 10 more minutes in the oven, I turn the oven off, open the door, and let them sit in there until the oven and chickpeas are cooled down. This last step gives them one more chance to crisp up even more.

Source link

If you love crispy oven-roasted potatoes, these parmesan smashed potatoes are next level: crunchy, cheesy, and ridiculously satisfying. A perfect side dish for a weeknight dinner or the holidays!

Jump to: Overview | Ingredients | How To Make | Watch The Video | Recipe Tips |  Serving Suggestions | Full Recipe Card | More Recipes With Potatoes

At A Glance

• Ready In: 1 hour
• Serves: 6
• Diet: Vegetarian, gluten-free
• Nutrition Highlights: Good source of fiber, satisfying, and energy-rich
• Main Ingredients: Baby potatoes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, spices
• Flavor Profile: Crispy, cheesy, savory, garlicky, lightly smoky
• Meal-Prep Friendly: Best fresh, but reheats well in oven or air fryer
• Best Served With: Roast chicken, steak, grilled veggies, or as a snack with dips

These crispy Parmesan smashed potatoes are one of those sides that quietly steal the spotlight. You get that perfect contrast of crispy edges with a golden Parmesan crust, and soft, fluffy centers that soak up all the seasoning. The trick is smashing them just enough so the edges get craggy (that’s where the magic happens).

The Parmesan adds a salty, nutty layer that melts and crisps in the oven, almost like a built-in cheese chip. It’s inspired by classic crispy oven-roasted potatoes, but with a little extra personality thanks to the cheese and spices.

I like that it feels a bit fancy without actually being complicated. It’s also a very forgiving recipe, great for weeknights or when you’ve got people coming over. And honestly, anything involving potatoes + Parmesan cheese is already halfway to success (no convincing needed).

You might also like my crispy smashed potatoes with minty peas, these Greek roasted potatoes, my sliced potato bake, or these cheesy baked potatoes. Or, try this crispy smashed potato salad.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for these Parmesan smashed potatoes. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

• White potatoes – I think baby or small potatoes are the best, the perfect size for smashing; creamy inside. No baby potatoes? Use small Yukon Golds or cut larger potatoes.
• Salt (for boiling) – seasons from the inside out (a small but important step).
• Olive oil (or oil + butter) – helps everything crisp and adds richness; add a little garlic oil for extra flavor.
• Garlic powder – easy flavor boost without burning.
• Smoked paprika – adds subtle smokiness and color; swap smoked paprika for regular paprika or chili powder.
• Salt and black pepper – balance and seasoning.
• Parmesan cheese – brings salty, nutty, umami flavor and creates that crispy crust (a classic flavor booster). Use freshly grated Parmesan here.
• Parsley – at the end, for freshness.
• Lemon zest – at the end, for brightness (great contrast to the richness).
• Chili flakes – at the end, for a little heat if you like.

How To Make Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make crispy roasted Parmesan potatoes.

• Boil potatoes in well-salted water until fork-tender (15–20 minutes), then drain
• Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C and prepare a lined tray with a little oil
• Place potatoes on tray and gently smash to about ½ inch thick
• Drizzle with oil and season with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper
• Roast for 20 minutes until crispy and golden underneath
• Sprinkle over most of the Parmesan and return to oven for 10 minutes
• Finish with remaining Parmesan and any optional toppings

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

• Dry potatoes slightly after boiling – this helps them crisp better
• Don’t over-smash – you want cracks and edges, not mashed potatoes
• Use finely grated parmesan – it melts evenly and creates a better crust
• Extra crispy hack: sprinkle a little Parmesan directly on the tray before adding potatoes
• Storage & Reheating: Store in fridge up to 3–4 days; Reheat in oven or air fryer for best crispiness; Avoid microwaving (they’ll go soft… still tasty, but not the same)
• Variations: Add garlic butter instead of plain oil; try rosemary or thyme for a herby version; sprinkle with mozzarella at the end for extra cheesiness

Serving Suggestions

These are the kind of potatoes that go with just about anything. I love them alongside roast chicken or a simple steak, but they’re just as good with grilled veggies or even a fried egg on top for a lazy dinner.

They also make a great party side or appetizer —serve them with a garlicky yogurt dip, bang bang sauce, or a rosemary aioli and watch them disappear fast.

These are great for Thanksgiving sides, or for your Christmas or Easter table.

If you’ve tried this crispy Parmesan smashed potatoes or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

More Recipes With Potatoes

Source link

Our roasted Brussels sprouts recipe with garlic and ham is incredibly good! We roast the sprouts until they are crispy, caramelized, and perfectly tender.

The secret to the best Brussels sprouts is to skip the baking sheet and use a cast iron pan instead! A pan lets you start the sprouts on the stovetop to get them beautifully browned and caramelized. Then, you finish them in the oven. This simple cooking method, inspired by Mark Bittman, makes the best Brussels sprouts we’ve ever had!

We also toss in a few garlic cloves and some cubed ham for an extra layer of flavor (bacon works great, too!). The garlic roasts right in the pan, becoming sweet and mellow, while the ham heats through and crisps up. I love this recipe, but for a quicker way to cook Brussels sprouts, see our sautéed Brussels sprouts!

Key Ingredients

• Brussels Sprouts: Look for firm Brussels sprouts with vibrant green, tightly packed leaves. Avoid any with yellowing or wilted leaves. You can use loose sprouts or those still attached to the stalk for this recipe. If you have pre-shredded Brussels sprouts, our sautéed Brussels sprouts is a better fit.
• Oil: Use a high-heat oil like avocado or safflower oil to prevent the oil from smoking at the higher temperatures used in this recipe.
• Garlic: I absolutely love the flavor the garlic adds to this dish! Instead of mincing it, cut each clove in half lengthwise. The garlic will roast in the oven, becoming tender and sweet.
• Ham: The ham is optional but I do love it. I use ham steak and cube it. Bacon is another option. Start with chopped bacon, and cook it in the pan before adding the sprouts to render some fat. Remove the bacon and scatter it back into the pan when the sprouts are almost done. For a meatless dish, simply leave out the ham or bacon.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Just before serving, we’ll scatter a little apple cider vinegar over the Brussels sprouts. This simple ingredient livens them up and makes them taste incredible. I use the same trick for cooked potatoes, like in our recipes for roasted fingerling potatoes or potato salad.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Tip 1: Cut them in half. Trim the dry bottom of the Brussels sprout stem. Then, cut the sprout in half lengthwise, creating two flat halves. This cut side is where the magic happens! It will caramelize beautifully and become deliciously crispy during roasting.

Tip 2: Start the sprouts cut-side down. To cook the Brussels sprouts, arrange the halves cut-side down in an oiled cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook, without moving them, until they’re nicely browned underneath. Then, toss in your garlic and ham and season with salt and pepper.

Tip 3: Finish in the oven. After the sprouts are caramelized, you’ll slide the pan into a preheated 400°F oven and roast for 10 to 20 minutes. You want to stir every 5 minutes or so, until the sprouts are caramelized and tender.

Tip 4: Don’t skip the vinegar. For an extra pop of flavor, right after taking the sprouts out of the oven, scatter about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar over them. This simple trick brightens the flavor and makes them unbelievably good.

Serving Suggestions

I love these roasted Brussels sprouts with many of our main dishes, especially this simple roasted chicken, sour cream baked salmon, and our garlic herb roasted turkey breast!

Source link

My oven roasted broccoli recipe guarantees perfectly tender florets with the most delicious golden-brown crispy tips. It’s such a simple, perfect side dish!

Our family loves roasting broccoli in the oven, but we’re picky about it. You won’t find any mushy or overcooked broccoli here. My favorite method guarantees tender stems, crisp edges, and most importantly, really tasty broccoli!

The secret to the best roasted broccoli is high heat and a few small tricks we’ve learned over the years. With the right pan, a drizzle of oil, and a bit of patience, you’ll have broccoli so good you’ll want to eat it straight from the sheet pan. For more, see our roasted broccolini recipe!

Key Ingredients

• Broccoli: Look for florets that are tightly closed and a deep, vibrant green color. If they appear loose, pale, or have yellowing or small yellow flowers, the broccoli is likely past its peak and can taste bitter. If you only have frozen broccoli, don’t worry. We’ve included tips in the recipe for roasting frozen broccoli so it still turns out crispy and delicious.
• Oil: We like to roast vegetables with olive oil or avocado oil, both of which have great flavor and a higher smoke point. Avoid extra-virgin olive oi; since it burns more easily at high oven temperatures.
• Salt and Pepper: As with all of our roasted vegetable recipes, we season generously with salt and pepper. Once roasted, you can add extra flavor with your favorite spice blends or seasoning mixes.
• Lemon (Optional): I like to slice a lemon and toss the wedges right onto the baking sheet with the broccoli. The lemons roast and turn slightly sweet, and the broccoli tastes amazing with a squeeze of that roasted lemon juice over the top.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Roasted Broccoli in the Oven

Tip 1: Cut the broccoli into similarly sized pieces. So that all your broccoli roasts at the same speed, try to cut your broccoli into similar sizes. It’s up to you how big they are, but make sure everything in the pan looks similar in size. This way, everything roasts evenly. I use the same tip for roasted cauliflower, too.

Tip 2: Create lots of flat edges. Instead of pulling the florets apart to look like the tops of round trees, slice them in half or quarters to create a flat side. Place the flatter edge down when you arrange the broccoli on the baking sheet. As the broccoli roasts, the flat edge will get nice and brown.

Tip 3: Don’t overcrowd it on the pan. Be careful not to overcrowd the broccoli, and give them some space. Roasting the broccoli too close together causes it to steam rather than roast. This tip also applies to roasted mushrooms!

Tip 4: Use a high oven temperature. For those crispy brown tips and caramelized stems, roast broccoli at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Check the broccoli towards the end of roasting, and don’t take it out until the tips of the florets are browned and crisp and the stems are tender.

Serving Suggestions

This broccoli might be one of the most made veggie sides in our house. We’re happy to serve it next to almost anything. Some of our favorites are next to mac and cheese, chicken nuggets (my son’s request), these lemon chicken thighs, our baked lemon dill salmon, and adding to rice or grain bowls.

I also love adding a dipping sauce to the side, like our tahini sauce, ranch dressing, or this creamy honey mustard.

More Broccoli Recipes

Source link

This roasted butternut squash soup recipe with a short list of simple ingredients turns out silky, smooth, and incredibly delicious.

In this recipe, you’ll roast butternut squash on top of fresh garlic and thyme, then blend it with broth for one of the easiest soups we’ve shared!

There’s no sautéing, very little simmering, and you don’t need to chop lots of veggies. I love it for an easy fall dinner, but since it turns out so well, it’s actually perfect for the holidays (like Thanksgiving dinner). For a similar soup with even more seasonal vegetables like leeks and carrots, see this Butternut Squash Soup topped with crispy chickpeas.

Key Ingredients

• Butternut Squash: I use medium butternut squash, but feel free to swap in winter squash varieties often found during autumn at the farmers market, like honey nut, kabocha, or red kuri squash, or swap it for a small sugar pumpkin like I use when making homemade pumpkin puree.
• Herbs:When roasting the squash, we tuck fresh herbs underneath for extra flavor. I use fresh thyme and rosemary most often, but this is also incredible with fresh sage. You can use one of these or all three.
• Garlic: In addition to the herbs, we also tuck whole garlic cloves (still in their skins) under the squash. This way, they flavor the squash, and the garlic becomes soft and sweet at the same time. You can then blend the roasted garlic into the soup later on.
• Broth: You can use your favorite broth or stock. I love the richness of homemade chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth, but this soup is also excellent when you use a flavorful vegetable broth.
• Cream: This is optional, but I almost always add a splash of heavy cream to my soup for a silky, velvety texture. To keep it vegetarian or vegan, try coconut milk or coconut cream.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

My Tips for Making the Easiest Butternut Squash Soup

Tip 1: Cutting butternut squash. My favorite method for cutting butternut squash is the same as I use for spaghetti squash:

1. To prevent the squash from rolling around, place one half of a kitchen towel under the squash to keep it stable on the counter. Then, use the other half of the towel to hold the squash in place while you cut.
2. Using a heavy chef’s knife, pierce into the middle of the squash and cut it from end to end. Don’t try to cut through the stem. It is too tough.
3. Wiggle the knife out and separate the two halves by removing the knife and pulling them apart.

Tip 2: Roast the squash with garlic and herbs. Sneak some herbs and garlic underneath the butternut squash halves before roasting them in the oven until fork-tender and golden on the bottom. The squash becomes fragrant and so flavorful this way.

Tip 3: Blending your soup. When the squash is tender and caramelized, it’s time to blend. Use an immersion blender in a pot or use a stand blender to blend the roasted squash with broth and the soft roasted garlic. (You can squeeze the roasted garlic flesh into the blender and discard the skins.) Season with salt and pepper to taste, then, as a last (optional) step, I love blending in some cream.

Tip 4: Serving this soup. I love this roasted squash soup with a slice of homemade focaccia bread, but it’s also really good with some homemade croutons on top. If you’re feeling fancy, it is also amazing with a grilled cheese made with sourdough and Gruyère cheese!

More Easy Soups

Source link