Oven-baked vegetables are tastier than boiled vegetables and much healthier than fried ones. This cooking enhances the natural flavor of the food, caramelizes natural sugars, giving the vegetables a sweetish taste and crispy crust.
How to bake vegetables in the oven
You can bake in the oven not only onions, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and peppers, but also green beans, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts. If you follow simple rules, you can combine any combinations that seem suitable to you. It is important to remember that each vegetable has a different cooking time. There are three main ways to bake vegetable stews:
- bake each vegetable individually, then mix everything together. This method will take more time, but at the same time each type of vegetables will be baked in moderation;
- combine in the stew only vegetables whose cooking time is the same. For example, all root vegetables and onions are fried for about 30-45 minutes, crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) from 15 to 25 minutes, tomatoes - 15-20 minutes, pumpkin - from 20 to 60 minutes, zucchini and peppers - 10-20 minutes. The baking time also depends on which pieces you chop the vegetables into;
- add vegetables in stages, putting in the hardest and largest ones first, then add those that are softer.
Vegetables are fried, so always take a little more than you want ready-made. Don't be afraid to cook too much, as baked vegetables are easy to reheat and can also be added to vegetable soup or broth base. But keep in mind that the baking dish should not be jammed tightly, otherwise the vegetables will be stewed. For baking, food should not lie close to each other.
How much oil you use also matters. It should be so much that the vegetables become shiny on all sides, but not so much that it flows down and forms puddles. Usually, one tablespoon of oil is sufficient for every pound of vegetables. The oil not only allows the vegetables to cook evenly, but also enhances their smell. Suitable not only olive or sunflower oil, but also sesame oil, grape seed oil, mustard oil, avocado oil, pumpkin oil, nut oils, goose fat. All of them will bring new nuances of taste and aroma to your dish.
Vegetables seasoned even with salt and pepper will be delicious, but they will become even tastier if you add spicy herbs, various spices, in some cases, cheese, olives, capers, nuts to them.
During baking, vegetables should be turned over at least one, and preferably several times. This is how they will cook evenly and will be covered with a beautiful crust on all sides.
How to fry individual vegetables
You don't have to cook a vegetable stew. Sometimes it is necessary to bake one type of vegetables. Here are some tips to help you achieve the perfect flavor.
Beets can be baked directly in the skin. This is best done by placing the root vegetable in a dish with a little water and olive oil and then closing the lid. After that, the peel will be peeled off with minimal effort. Beets can also be peeled, sliced or wedged, drizzled with olive oil and baked, covered with foil. Serve baked beets with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, honey and orange juice.
The white cabbage should be cut in half, the stalk removed and the rest cut into wedges. Place the wedges in a bowl with melted butter or heated olive oil, salt and pepper, and then transfer to a mold, cover with foil and bake at 200 ° C.
To bake the parsnip roots, they must be peeled, cut into wedges and covered with a mixture of melted butter, warm maple syrup and Dijon mustard. Carrots will be delicious in a glaze of olive oil, honey and caraway seeds. Such carrots are matched with a dip of feta whipped with a blender, chopped mint and pine nuts.
Pumpkin is easiest to bake in slices, greasing each with olive oil, salt and pepper. If you want to serve the baked pumpkin as a side dish, coat the slices with a mixture of thyme leaves, chopped garlic, and ground chili and butter and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
Rutabaga and turnips should be baked, peeled and sliced. Goose or lamb fat is best suited to these root crops. You can bake long celery sticks if you like. They should be covered with melted butter or warmed olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes.
The heads of garlic are fried by cutting off some of the tops and dripping with olive oil, and then wrapping them in foil.
Baked vegetables with crispy chickpeas
The dish according to this recipe is prepared quickly, but it turns out delicious and effective. You will need:
- 4 medium zucchini;
- 1 head of red onion;
- 1 red pepper;
- 500 g cherry tomatoes;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 400 g canned chickpeas;
- 1 lemon;
- 50 g fresh thyme;
- olive oil;
- salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Slice the zucchini lengthways into small sticks. In peppers, cut the cover, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into pieces lengthways. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and remove the zest. Cut the onion into wedges. Throw the chickpeas in a colander and drain all the liquid. Remove the leaves from the thyme.
Place the zucchini on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn over 2-3 times during this time.
On medium heat, heat olive oil and brown red onions for 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet with the courgettes. Put the tomatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Add thyme, salt, pepper and garlic, stir and cook for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Heat some more olive oil in the pan where the onions were fried. Add the chickpeas and add salt, pepper and lemon zest. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are crispy.
Place vegetables in a bowl, add chickpeas, lemon juice and serve.
Mediterranean style baked vegetables
Pickled feta cheese is discreet salty taste, emphasized by a slight acidity. It will perfectly set off a generous vegetable symphony. You will need:
- 1 head of fennel;
- 2 large red bell peppers;
- 10 stalks of celery;
- 2 heads of sweet red onions;
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 lemon;
- 150 g feta cheese;
- finely ground salt;
- freshly ground black pepper.
Cut off the top of the fennel, onion cut into about 8 wedges. Peel the onion and chop it into wedges as well. Cut off the bottom and tops of the celery stalks, cut them into pieces. Cut off the top of the pepper, remove the seeds, and cut the pulp into long slices.
Lay on the laid vegetable parchment baking pan with high bumpers. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Squeeze juice from lemon, mix with broth and pour into a baking sheet. Cover with foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 ° C for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil. Chop the feta and sprinkle the vegetables on it. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes more. Serve chilled for at least 10 minutes.
Step-by-step recipe for baking cauliflower
Cauliflower does not need to be cut into florets before baking. It can be cooked with a whole head of cabbage. It will not only be delicious, but also impressive! You will need:
- 1 head of cauliflower with a total weight of about a kilogram;
- 2 sprigs of cherry tomatoes;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 4 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil;
- ½ teaspoon of finely ground salt;
- ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper;
- ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped parsley.
Place tomatoes and garlic in a deep and wide baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and ground black and red pepper. Cut off the green leaves of the cabbage, cut off the stem and place in the middle on top of the other vegetables, drizzle with the remaining oil and season with the remaining seasoning. Place in an oven preheated to 220 ° C. Cook for an hour, until the cabbage is tender. Check this by piercing it with a thin long knife or a special two-pronged fork. Cut the finished cabbage into wedges, sprinkle with parsley and serve. A fresh sauce made from yoghurt, herbs and garlic goes well with this dish.
A simple vegetable recipe with honey and balsamic sauce
Dressing with honey and balsamic sauce will allow vegetables to perfectly emphasize the sweetness of vegetables. Take:
- 250 g brussels sprouts;
- 250 g carrots;
- 250 g potatoes;
- 2 heads of shallots;
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil;
- ½ teaspoon of finely ground salt;
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper;
- 2 tbsp. spoons of balsamic sauce;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of liquid honey.
Peel carrots and potatoes. Cut into large pieces, the same size as the Brussels sprouts. Cut the shallots in half. Combine vegetables and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook in an oven preheated to 220 ° C for 30 minutes. Transfer the hot vegetables to a bowl and season with honey, olive oil and balsamic sauce. Stir well, leave for 10 minutes and serve.
Baked vegetables with fresh herbs
The right mix of fresh herbs can transform an assortment of common vegetables from a homemade dish into a restaurant-grade dish. You will need:
- 6 medium carrots;
- 6 stalks of celery;
- 1 head of red onion;
- 6 small red potatoes;
- 6 cloves of garlic;
- 5 sprigs of parsley;
- 5 sprigs of thyme;
- 2 sprigs of rosemary;
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil;
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Wash the vegetables. If the carrots and potatoes are young, then you can not peel them, but only rub them with a special glove or sponge. Peel the onion. Slice carrots lengthwise, young small carrots can be baked whole. Potatoes in quarters, onion for 6-8 wedges. Cut off the coarse stems of parsley, chop the greens. Remove the thyme and rosemary leaves from the stems. In a bowl, combine herbs, olive oil, minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a lined baking sheet and cover evenly with the dressing. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 40 minutes. Baked vegetables are a good side dish for meat and poultry, but they can also be added to rice or pasta, mixed with legumes for a complete diet lunch or dinner.
Assorted bright young vegetables
Many young vegetables can be baked whole and in the skins. For example, young potatoes, the skin of which contains many valuable trace elements. You will need:
- 2-3 young carrots;
- 1 head of red onion;
- 2 heads of garlic;
- 4 small young beets;
- 20 young potatoes with yellow skin;
- Salt and freshly ground pepper;
- 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves.
Wash the vegetables. Heat a pot of water, add salt and bring to a boil. Dip potatoes in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and dry. Cut off the top of the garlic ½ cm. Cut the carrots lengthwise. Cut the onion into wedges. Put all prepared vegetables in a wide bowl, cover with oil, season with salt, pepper and herbs. Wrap the beets separately in foil. Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 180 ° C and bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove the foil from the beets, cool slightly and peel. Cut into slices. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or to complement grilled meats. This amount of food is enough for 3-4 servings.
