Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables aren’t just for the cooler months. Dust off your baking sheet and get ready to see summer vegetables in a whole new light. Bursting (literally) with flavor, favorites like cherry tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, and bell peppers cook up beautifully in the oven for a nutrient-rich side or the star of a plant based dinner.
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Put down the grill basket and skewers! I know your midsummer instinct may be to fire up the backyard barbecue and treat your veggies like a burger, but I promise you can achieve equally satisfying – dare I say better? – results from roasting your favorite summer vegetables in the oven.
I know, I know – we’re all afraid of mushy roasted vegetables and haunted by a trail of past failures. I have a friend who avoids oven roasted vegetables like the plague because, and I quote “they always turn out like chunky puree.” <<shudder>>
Please don’t blame yourself though. I, too, fell victim to the sheet pan dinner craze. Tasty, oven-roasted food for the entire family in one step with minimal clean up? Count me in!
But not all sheet pan meals are created equal. Especially when you’re cooking family-sized portions, I just know you’ve made the same mistake I did: crowded the pan in an effort to cook everything at once to save time. That right there is a recipe for chunky puree. And you’re definitely not going to save time when you keep extending the roast in order to achieve some semblance of caramelization on those “steamed” veggies (because, let’s face it, all we really want is caramel for dinner).
So we’ve got some unpacking to do here. Some behaviors to correct. A little vegetable therapy, if you will. I promise to keep it under 12 steps.
How to Make Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
It doesn’t get much simpler than fresh summer vegetables, oil, and seasoning. Mother nature does most of the heavy lifting here, but the real trick to perfect sheet pan roasted vegetables is in the technique: dice the veggies into uniform, bite-sized pieces; go easy on the oil, but coat evenly; batch roast according to recommended cook time; and leave plenty of breathing room on your pans. Guaranteed flavorful, satisfying, and not mushy every time!
- Select your veggies, then prep ’em and group ’em. Dice the vegetables into roughly uniform, bite-sized pieces to they cook at the same rate.
- The key to perfect oven roasted vegetables is cooking them just right. Not all veggies are roasted equally, so group them onto separate sheet pans based on how much time they need in the oven (see below for a guide on how long to cook most vegetables).
- Combine the red onions, broccoli florets, bell peppers, and thinly sliced garlic cloves in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and italian seasoning, then toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to a 425°F oven and roast for 10 minutes.
- Season and oil the tomatoes, squash, and thinly sliced garlic cloves and spread onto a separate parchment lined baking sheet.
- Once the timer goes off, stir the first batch of vegetables so they roast evenly.
- Return both sheet pans to the oven and roast 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are bite-tender and starting to brown.
- Combine the vegetables in a serving bowl, toss gently, then garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Which Summer Vegetables are Best for Roasting?
While we’re featuring summer standbys like tomato, zucchini, squash, and bell pepper in this roasted vegetable recipe (with some broccoli tossed in for crunch), other summer vegetables are prime candidates for oven roasting as well. You might also want to try roasting:
- Eggplant
- Green Beans
- Beets
- Radishes
- Corn (in summertime, corn magically turns into a vegetable and is no longer categorized as a starch; I don’t make the rules, I just follow ’em)
As with the ingredients in this recipe, pay attention to preparation (especially with a more labor-intensive vegetable like eggplant) and recommended roast times.
Just a note on tomatoes: while you can (and absolutely should sometime) roast whole tomatoes, we don’t recommend dicing whole tomatoes for this method because of the moisture they’ll release from the get-go. The cherry tomato is a compact little machine that will hold in all those juices until that final little burst at the end when it’s roasted through.
The number one rule of thumb is to always make sure whatever vegetable you use, it’s fresh, firm, and ripe so it stands up to the heat. Otherwise you’re going to be in “chunky puree” territory.
How Long Do I Roast Different Vegetables?
Not all vegetables roast at the same rate, so for best flavor and texture, group vegetables according to cook time, and use 2 sheet pans.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes: potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, carrots, winter squash
- Roast for 20-30 minutes: broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, eggplant
- Roast for 10-15 minutes: zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans
What to Serve with Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables?
Um, everything and anything. I’m only kind of joking. You’re going to get perfectly balanced, mellow flavors from this recipe so serve it according to your liking and diet:
- Low Carb and Keto: pair with grilled sausages or my Balsamic Chicken Thighs and grate some pecorino romano over top. Skip the cheese to go paleo and Whole30.
- Vegetarian: I can’t think of a better partner for pasta than roasted vegetables. We often add roasted vegetables as a side to Creamy Pesto Pasta or rigatoni tossed with Vegan Marinara Sauce. And yes, do grate some cheese over top.
- Vegan: I simmered a batch of vegan polenta (pictured below; check back for the recipe soon!) to serve with the roasted vegetables and everyone’s plate was clean as a whistle by the end of dinner.
Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly
- Chop the vegetables into uniform sizes – about a 1″ dice.
- Use two sheet pans, and group vegetables based on total cooking time.
- Always shake or stir the vegetables halfway through roasting to help them cook evenly.
- Give the veggies space! Crowding results in steaming, not roasting.
More Vegetable Side Dishes You’ll Love
- Breakfast Bowls with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables
- Ranch Potatoes
- Lemon Garlic Asparagus
- Maple Roasted Root Vegetables
- Garlicky Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
Did you make these Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.
Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
Description
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion, chopped to 1"
- 1 head broccoli, divided into bite-sized florets
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped to 1"
- 1 medium yellow squash, chopped to 1"
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped to 1"
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the onion, broccoli, and bell pepper in a mixing bowl with half the garlic; add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/s teaspoon pepper. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated. Spread the vegetables onto a prepared baking sheet, and shake to distribute into an evenly layer. Transfer to the oven and roast 10 minutes.
- Combine the yellow squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes in the mixing bowl along with the garlic and remaining olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated. Spread the vegetables onto the second prepared baking sheet, and shake to distribute into an evenly layer.
- When the timer goes off, remove the first sheet pan from the oven, stir the vegetables, then return both sheet pans to the oven. Roast an additional 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are bite-tender and starting to caramelize.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a serving bowl and gently toss to combine. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Play with the seasonings to accommodate various cuisines. Substitute an equal amount of herbes de provence, cajun seasoning, greek seasoning, or your favorite seasoning blend.
- Don’t feel limited to the vegetables listed in the recipe card. Substitute your favorite seasonal vegetables, but be sure to adjust the roast time accordingly:
- Roast for 30-40 minutes: potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, carrots, winter squash
- Roast for 20-30 minutes: broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, eggplant
- Roast for 10-15 minutes: zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans
Penny
Made this tonight and added fresh mushrooms. You can add anything that you might have on hand. It was delicious!