The Best Way To Make Roasted Vegetables Is Easy And Tasty

Oven roasted vegetables are the best addition to your dinner and this recipe is our way to easily make them delicious for your family any night of the week.

This recipe is amazing because it raises the bar on roasted vegetables and it gives you an almost unlimited number of variations available for updates and improvements. The mouth-feel (texture) of this dish is great because it doesn’t overcook the vegetables and the tender oven roasted veggies are contrasted with the crunchy, well toasted breadcrumbs.

Which Veggies For The Best Way To Make Roasted vegetables?

I wanted to use zucchini and red peppers in this recipe because that is the most authentic way I’ve seen them on the menus here in Rome. There are a number of other vegetables that can be used, but I would stay away from the starchy vegetables, like potatoes and squash, because they will crumble when sliced thinly. You can use any large peppers, eggplants and carrots sliced lengthwise and used as a platform for the breadcrumbs.

What Temperature For The Best Way To Make Roasted Vegetables?

This gets a little tricky and might require some trial and error. My oven here in Rome has a Max setting that the owners manual indicates is right for roasting vegetables. When I did this in the US, you could either do a longer roast by setting the oven at 450°F and roasting for around 30 minutes or you could turn the broiler on high and roast them until the breadcrumbs are very brown, maybe around 15 minutes. The first method would cook the vegetables more, making them softer, and the second method keeps them firmer, which I prefer.

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Silpat Baking Mat	Santoku Knife	Measuring Cups and Spoons	Stainless Mixing Bowls
Dutch Oven	Mesh Strainers	Stainless Colander	Stainless Steel Fry Pan

What Is The Secret To Roasting Vegetables?

This is a pretty easy recipe, so there aren’t too many secrets, but I would recommend the following:

• Use some old, stale bread and grind up your own breadcrumbs.

• Make sure you add seasoning to the breadcrumbs and to the vegetables directly.

• The first few times you make this, closely monitor how the breadcrumbs brown and not burn.

How Healthy Are Roasted Vegetables?

Roasting vegetables in the oven is a very nutritious way to prepare a food that is loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, as well as other antioxidants that make it an excellent addition to your healthful eating plans. I will acknowledge that adding the breadcrumb topping isn’t as healthy as the plain vegetables, but for me, anything that helps me eat more whole vegetables can’t be a bad thing. Most of the roasted vegetable recipes, including this one, also use olive oil, which also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown to lower the risks of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and even dementia in people who consume higher amounts of olive oil than those who use little or none. That is a big reason the Mediterranean Diet is so popular.

Variations For This Roasted Vegetables Recipe

The flexibility of this recipe is one of its greatest strengths. Once you figure out your favorite oven settings and try some different vegetables, you can also try these:

• As I mentioned above, you should use your own dried out breadcrumbs. Just chop it up and grind it in a food processor to your favorite consistency. Try different types of bread, like whole wheat, sourdough, baguettes or even plain old white bread.

• I liked the addition of the red pepper flakes (peperoncino) because it added just a little spice, but you can try any seasonings that strike your fancy that day. Sage, rosemary and parsley would be great, but you should probably stay away from garlic and onions because the veggies aren’t roasted long enough to cook them and that might leave them a little too strong.

Roasted Vegetables Recipe

• Difficulty: Easy
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook: 15 mins
• Servings: 4

Ingredients For The Best Way To Make Roasted Vegetables

• 1 large Red Pepper
• 3 medium Zucchini
• 1/4 cup (32 grams) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 12 ounces (350 grams) Bread Crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to the roasting setting. My oven gets set to MAX, but you can use a medium broiling setting. All ovens are different, so you will need to watch as the vegetables cook to avoid having the breadcrumbs burn.
2. Clean, deseed and slice the red pepper and zucchini into strips approximately 1/4 inch thick. I recommend using a mandolin because cutting the veggies evenly by hand will be difficult.
3. Pour the bread crumbs into a larger bowl and add the oregano, red pepper flakes (optional), salt and pepper to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
4. Slowly add the olive oil to the bowl, but make sure not to add too much. This will vary depending on the moisture in your bread crumbs with the goal being to only add as much as the crumbs can absorb without a puddle of oil forming in the bottom of the bowl.
5. Add the veggies, skin side down, to the baking dish and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cover the veggies with the bread crumbs evenly.
7. Add to the oven for around 15-20 minutes. Again, since all ovens are different you should watch as the vegetables cook to avoid having the breadcrumbs burn.
8. Once the bread crumbs are well toasted, remove the pan from the oven and serve the vegetables immediately.

Serving Suggestions

This is only the appetizer (antipasto) course so you will need to match this with a main dish. I think this would pair well with chicken or fish, but it is totally up to you. When you are plating these vegetables, it is likely that the breadcrumbs will fall off, but don’t worry. Since there is nothing to stick the breadcrumbs to the roasted vegetables this will certainly happen. Just scoop them out of the pan and add them evenly back on top of the plated vegetables.

Previous Recipes That Might Interest You

The best way to make roasted vegetables is by using seasonal fruits and vegetables that are easy to find all over Rome and likely in your local grocery as well. Check out some of these other posts that will also be fun to make any night of the week:

• These Roasted Veggies Can Be A Great Starter For The Best Pasta In Rome.
• Find Amazing Fruits And Vegetables At Farmers Markets In Rome.
• Another Great Starter Is This Summer Bean And Potato Salad Recipe.
• An Amazing Italian Bean And Tuna Salad Recipe.
• A Green Bean Frittata Recipe That Is Deliciously Simple.
• Cooking With Borlotti Beans Can Be Healthy And Delicious.
• Enjoying Fruits And Vegetables In Season In Rome Is A Treat.
• This Roman Gnocchi Recipe Is Delicious And Different.
• Bruschetta With Fresh Tomatoes Couldn’t Be Tastier.
• Can You Eat Vegetarian In Italy During Your Vacation?
• These Italian Stuffed Tomatoes Were Life Changing.
• A Traditional Italian Gnocchi Recipe That You Will Love.
• A Tuscan Beans In Tomato Sauce Recipe Is A Taste Of Italy.
• The Best Italian Chickpea and Pasta Soup Recipe.
• This Italian Lentil Soup Recipe With Guanciale Is Great!