Roasted Root Vegetable Side Dish

One of our favorite side dishes can also be made into a simple main dish! Roasted root vegetable side dish with simple herbs!

Easy Vegetable Side Dish Recipe

There’s nothing better than simple, easy side dishes and these roasted root vegetables happen to be one of those recipes that we can easily turn into a main dish or use in other recipes as well. You may recognize it, it’s one of the recipes from the Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook, our first cookbook that came out last March! If you haven’t snagged a copy, make sure you do. We filled it full of recipes with a story. It was so fun!

Here’s what happens with this healthy side dish: we start with whatever vegetables are currently in season. This particular recipe uses root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and onions. Then we season the root vegetables with a variety of dried herbs, roast, and enjoy! 

We use roasted root vegetables as a really easy and wonderful side dish, but we also throw them into spinach salads, or add chicken and make it into a really easy and comforting main dish. The kids love it and we feel good eating it knowing it’s lighter and comes straight from the garden.

Whether you’re looking for Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes, healthy dinner sides in general, or veggie side dishes in particular, these roasted root vegetables won’t disappoint! 

Roasted Root Vegetables Ingredients

Don’t let the lengthy ingredients list fool you, this is such an easy side dish recipe to make. Most of the ingredients listed in the recipe card below are dried herbs we use to flavor the roasted root vegetables. Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegetable dish: 

• Sweet potato
• Russet potato
• Golden Yukon potatoes
• Carrots 
• Yellow onion
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Dried herbs
• Fresh garlic
• Lemon juice

Can I Use Other Root Vegetables for This Healthy Side Dish? 

Of course! This roasted root vegetables recipe is incredibly flexible and can be made using whatever veggies you have on hand. Other root vegetables you could use in this recipe include: yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, yuca, kohlrabi, celery root (or celeriac), horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, and radishes.

How to Roast Root Vegetables

Roasting vegetables is incredibly easy. The trick is to time everything just right so the veggies become caramelized and crisp on the outside, yet remain creamy on the inside. Luckily for you, we’ve done the hard part for you! Here’s how to roast vegetables perfectly every time: 

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. 
2. Drizzle a sheet pan with half the olive oil.
3. Place chopped and peeled veggies onto the sheet pan, then drizzle with remaining oil. 
4. Sprinkle root vegetables with the seasonings, then sprinkle garlic over top. 
5. Roast until golden and tender. 

How Long to Roast Vegetables? 

When making vegetable side dishes like these roasted root vegetables, you’ll need to roast the veggies for roughly 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll know the roasted root vegetables are finished cooking when they’re golden on the outside and fork tender. 

Can You Make Roasted Root Vegetables Ahead of Time?

Yes, but you can’t make these roasted root vegetables too far in advance. If you are planning to serve this vegetable side dish with a roast chicken or some other dish that requires oven space, roast the vegetables up to 3 hours ahead of time. Let them rest on the baking sheets at room temperature, then reheat them in a 425ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Should I Peel the Root Vegetables? 

Our family prefers peeled root vegetables, but technically you don’t have to peel them. At least, not the veggies used in this easy side dish recipe! Even sweet potatoes don’t have to be peeled. Once roasted, the skin becomes tender and crisp and can be eaten. 

Tips for Making Roasted Root Vegetables

It’s important that you cut the root vegetables into the same sized chunks so that they cook evenly in the oven. Carrots typically take the longest to cook, so cut those a little smaller. 

Also, you’re welcome to use different dried herbs than the ones called for in this vegetable side dish recipe. You could use a blend of different herbs, or use just one store-bought mixture, like herbs de Provence or something similar. 

Finally, it’s important that you don’t shortchange the amount of olive oil used in this recipe. You need that much olive oil to prevent the roasted root vegetables from sticking to the baking tray and to help them crisp up a bit. 

More Healthy Dinner Sides: 

• Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes
• Simple Roasted Garlic Veggies
• Italian Sautéed Mushrooms
• Lemon Roasted Broccoli
• Healthy Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli
• Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes
• Honey Roasted Carrots

More Vegetables

• Oven Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans & Carrots
• Orange Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Vegetables
• Grilled Vegetables
• Pesto Veggie Foil Packets
• One Pan Roasted Lemon Chicken and Veggies
• Sheet Pan Kielbasa
• Roasted Veggies
• All SIDE DISHES here!

Recommended Products