By Ali Slagle, The New York Times
The kindest thing you can do for yourself when you’re stiff from being in the cold is to find some warmth: Because as the chill in your bones starts to fade, so does your stiffness. The same thing happens to hard winter vegetables when they’re enveloped in the heat of the oven — they soften and sweeten as they roast until they’re golden outside and tender in the middle.
A roasted vegetable is a wonderful vegetable, even when cooked simply with only oil, salt and pepper. There are plenty of ways to roast different vegetables, but sometimes, you want a single method that works with everything so you can buy whatever looks good and know what you’re going to do with it.
The sheet-pan method below works just as well on cold weather roots, florets and dark leafy greens as it does with spring’s sprightly asparagus and string beans and summer’s juicy tomatoes and peppers. Just follow these easy instructions and exceptional results are guaranteed:
1. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces.
Slice your vegetables big or small, just shoot for roughly the same size. Smaller pieces cook more quickly and produce crisper outsides, while larger ones offer more creaminess in the centers. Spread the pieces out on the sheet pan so they don’t steam and end up mushy.
2. Season and oil the vegetables generously.
It’s just like getting a tan at the beach: Oil up for a bronzed exterior. One to 2 pounds of vegetables need one to three tablespoons of oil and should be sprinkled with nice big pinches of salt (and black pepper if you’d like).
3. Roast on the lowest rack of a hot oven.
The magic oven temperature is 425 degrees, hot enough to caramelize outsides but not so hot that ingredients will burn before the interior cooks through. Setting the sheet pan on the bottom rack, which is nearest to the heat source, turns it into a big skillet and helps the bottoms of the vegetables sizzle and sear. But unlike a skillet on the stovetop, the surrounding heat of the oven simultaneously cooks the other sides, too. Most recipes tell you to stir or flip vegetables halfway through cooking, but this could result in only slightly golden outsides and potentially dry insides. Skip the flip.
4. Flavor the vegetables after cooking.
While you could coat the vegetables before roasting with spices and other seasonings, it’s easier to focus on roasting the vegetables well and not stress about small seasonings scorching. The cook time will depend on the density and size of the vegetables; when a fork pierces through easily, they’re done. If you’d like, toss the roasted vegetables on the hot sheet pan with anything you want to warm or toast, like spices, butter or chopped garlic. Or, contrast the sweetness of the vegetables by sprinkling them with fresh herbs, spicy sauce or a squeeze of tangy lemon juice. To turn the vegetables into a complete meal, serve them over grains or purée them into soup.
RECIPE: Roasted Root Vegetables With Hot Honey
Roasted root vegetables with hot honey. A combination of butter, honey, lemon and red-pepper flakes glazes caramelized vegetables. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Nico Schinco/The New York Times)
By Ali Slagle
In this one-method-fits-all recipe, turn any combination of sturdy root vegetables into caramelized morsels. Whether you have carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes or sweet potatoes, rutabagas or any other root vegetables hibernating in your kitchen, cut them into pieces roughly the same size and cook them together on a sheet pan. Roasting on the oven’s bottom rack without stirring ensures one side will be golden brown without the interior drying out. You could stop after Step 1 and enjoy the vegetables’ inherent sweetness, or go on to Step 2 to toss them in a combination of butter, honey, lemon and crushed red pepper. The heat from the sheet pan will meld the ingredients into a spicy, tangy glaze for the vegetables. Enjoy with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, a hearty salad or a fried egg.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 pounds any mix of carrots, golden beets, parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes and/or turnips, scrubbed or peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey, plus more as desired
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more as desired
Preparation
1. Arrange a rack at the bottom of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the vegetables with the oil and season generously with salt. Spread in an even layer and roast on the bottom rack, without flipping, until browned underneath and fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Add the butter, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and crushed red pepper to the vegetables. Toss until the butter melts, scraping up browned bits from the pan as you go. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt (if bland), honey (if too spicy) and crushed red pepper (if too sweet).
RECIPE: Cheddar-Roasted Broccoli
Cheddar-roasted broccoli. With frizzled florets and crisp-tender stems, roasted broccoli is even tastier all dressed up in lacy skirts of Cheddar. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Nico Schinco/The New York Times)
By Ali Slagle
With frizzled florets and crisp-tender stems, roasted broccoli is pretty delicious on its own. Follow Step 1 if you need a go-to basic method, or keep going for broccoli all dressed up in lacy skirts of cheddar. Store-bought grated cheese will work, but freshly grated cheese will have an easier time surrendering to the heat of the oven. Let the cheese go past melted to just golden brown, at which point it will crisp into chips on your florets. Serve the broccoli alongside chicken cutlets, sausage or refried beans — or eat it straight from the sheet pan with your fingers.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch-long florets, stems sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 packed cup/3 ounces coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar
Preparation
1. Arrange a rack at the bottom of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. On a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, toss the broccoli with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer, cut sides down, and roast on the bottom rack, without flipping, until browned and crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the broccoli with the garlic, stir to combine, then spread the broccoli in an even layer. Sprinkle with the cheddar, then roast until the cheese is melted and nearly all golden brown, 6 to 9 minutes. Let cool a few minutes for the cheese to crisp. Use a spatula to transfer the broccoli and all the cheese to plates.
RECIPE: Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes With Eggs
Roasted kale and sweet potatoes with eggs. Roasted vegetables become a full meal when eggs are cracked into nests of kale on the sheet pan. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Nico Schinco/The New York Times)
By Ali Slagle
This sheet-pan meal of buttery sweet potatoes, kale chips, jammy eggs and toasted coconut feels like it comes together by magic simply by staggering the times the ingredients are layered onto the pan. Because thick slices of sweet potato take longer to cook through, they roast first, before the more delicate kale, eggs and coconut are added. The eggs cook in a nest of curly kale leaves that hold them in place. Drizzle everything with a creamy, punchy sauce like the one here, made from just peanut butter and harissa — or, use mint chutney, green goddess dressing or miso-sesame vinaigrette. Serve over grains, quinoa or couscous for a complete, satisfying meal.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 large bunch curly kale (about 3/4 pound)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup peanut butter (any kind)
1 tablespoon harissa paste, plus more to taste
1/2 cup warm water
4 cups cooked grains (such as farro, barley or rice)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
Preparation
1. Arrange a rack at the bottom of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast on the bottom rack until golden underneath but not yet tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems from the kale. Tear or chop the leaves into small pieces and dry them well in a salad spinner or with a kitchen towel. In a medium bowl, combine the kale, the remaining tablespoon oil and a big pinch of salt. Squeeze with your hands until wilted.
3. Squeeze together a handful of kale and put it on top of a big piece of sweet potato like a nest, then crack an egg into the nest. (You want the egg to sit on top of the vegetables, not the sheet pan.) Repeat with the remaining eggs, then season the eggs with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the coconut around the eggs. Return to the oven and roast until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 6 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in the bowl used for the kale, stir together the peanut butter and harissa paste. Add warm water a couple tablespoons at a time until the sauce is pourable. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more harissa.
5. Divide the grains among bowls and drizzle with a little of the sauce. Top the sheet pan with cilantro, then use a spatula to transfer servings to the bowls. Serve with more sauce on top.
RECIPE: Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
Roasted cauliflower and garlic soup. This three-ingredient soup develops intense flavor simply from roasting cauliflower and garlic. Props styled by Paige Hicks. Food styled by Roscoe Betsill. (Kelly Marshall/The New York Times)
By Ali Slagle
This three-ingredient vegan soup isn’t a trick: It’s as velvety and rich as its creamy, dairy-full counterparts, with a sweetness that lingers and warms. Coax deep, nutty flavors from cauliflower and a whole head of garlic by roasting them until caramelized; next you’ll simmer them until nearly falling apart, then blend the mixture until silky-smooth. Gentle and comforting on its own, the soup can also serve as the start to your own creation: You could roast sliced onions or leeks instead of the garlic; stir in cheddar, Gruyère or Parmesan; or top with fried sage or capers. Accompany with grilled cheese or pumpernickel bread, or a hearty salad with grains or lentils.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 head garlic
Preparation
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Will it soup? Lasagna edition.
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.
4. Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.