Rule #1 of vegetable cookery? No matter what it is, it always tastes more delicious roasted.
Well, most of the time. Roasted vegetables are supposed to be sweet and crisp on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. So why are yours all dried out and burnt, or soggy and flavorless?
Chances are, you're making one of these common mistakes. Here's where you might be going wrong, and how to roast up the golden, delicious vegetables you've been dreaming of. (Looking for more simple, smart advice? Order Prevention—and get a FREE gift when you subscribe today.)
Chopping the vegetables into random pieces
Chopping or dicing your vegetables into same-size chunks doesn't just make everything look prettier. When all of your vegetable pieces are the same size, they'll cook at an even rate. (You don't have to break out the ruler or anything. Just eyeball it.) And that helps you avoid the unpleasantness of having some pieces burnt to a crisp while others are still undercooked in the middle. (Avoid these common kitchen knife mistakes.)
Using the wrong pan
Yes, you can roast vegetables in a casserole dish or even a cake pan. But the high sides make it harder for the water inside of the vegetables to evaporate during baking, setting you up for sogginess. Instead? Use a simple rimmed baking sheet. The rims are high enough to keep your veggies from falling off the side of the sheet, but not high enough to trap steam and make your food mushy.
Crowding the baking sheet
Another no-fail way to get limp, mushy vegetables? Load too many of them onto the pan. Vegetables that are packed together end up steaming instead of roasting up nice and crisp. It's okay for a few pieces to be touching, as long as you have a single layer. If the vegetables start to pile on top of each other, move some into a second pan.
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Not adding enough fat
Low-fat foods tend to be dry and tough—and roasted vegetables are no exception. (Plus, your body needs some fat in order to absorb many of the veggies' nutrients, like vitamins A, D, E, and K.) To get the tender, silky texture you're looking for, drizzle on about 1 tablespoon of oil per pound of uncooked vegetables.
Roasting at the wrong temperature
The sweet spot is between 400°F and 425°F. Go any higher, and the outside of your veggies will start to burn before the inside has a chance to cook through. Any lower? They'll still cook through (eventually), but the oven won't be hot enough to get your veggies golden, crispy, and caramelized.
Forgetting to flip halfway through
Roasted vegetables aren't high maintenance, but they do need a little bit of attention. Leaving the pan totally unattended means that the bottom of your vegetables will burn, while the tops never crisp up. Flip halfway through, and you'll be rewarded with vegetables that are evenly cooked and golden all over. Yum.
Marygrace Taylor is a health and wellness writer for Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, Redbook, and others. She’s also the co-author of Prevention’s Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet and Prevention’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Visit her at marygracetaylor.com.
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