Buzz

You’ll want to try them all.

Roasting vegetables isn’t hard. If you cook, you likely already knew that. In fact, I’m betting you have a go-to recipe or technique for roasted veggies. And with good reason! It’s an easy, low-effort, and relatively quick way to prepare produce. It’s also a great way to meal prep or add a healthy side dish to dinner.

But like all routines, roasted veggies can become boring, especially during the fall and winter months when root vegetables, squash, and cruciferous vegetables are plentiful. To help you combat roasted veg fatigue, I asked professional chefs from around the country how they upgrade this humble side dish. Between secret ingredients, techniques, and cooking tools, they offered plenty of suggestions for roasted vegetables that’ll steal the show.

1. Build Flavor Before AND After Cooking

“Be liberal with fats and seasonings before and after. For example, cut Savoy cabbage in sixths. Brush with olive oil and season generously with Aleppo pepper, salt and za’atar. Roast for 45 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from the oven then trim off the cabbage cores and season the cabbage with brown butter, salt, crispy shallots and lemon zest. Serve on a bed of labneh seasoned with mint, and more lemon zest and juice.” —Andrew Zimmern, Emmy Award-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality and chef

2. Maximize Browning by Making Room on the Sheet Pan

“Make sure your vegetables aren’t overcrowded. If they are too close together, they’ll steam instead of roast, which will prevent them from getting that deliciously crispy edge. Using multiple baking sheets if necessary, or roasting in batches, can help ensure that each piece has enough space to cook properly.” —Adrianne Calvo, Miami chef, restaurateur, and host of the “Searching for Maximum Flavor” vodcast