Mediterranean Roast Vegetables are an easy and healthy way to get a ton of vegetables into your family. Oven roasted with mediterranean herbs for seasoning, these vegan roast vegetables can be used for a side dish, with pasta, rice, potatoes, and more!
One of my goals, lately and always, is to get a butt-load of vegetables into myself and my family. It sounds like a simple enough goal, but we all have those weeks where life gets kinda crazy and you find yourself standing in front of the fridge eating cold spaghetti straight out of the Tupperware container and still wondering what you'll feed the kids for dinner.
Life, I tell ya.
One of my go-to strategies, both for myself and my clients, is batch cooking.
I do love a good, sturdy kale salad that will last most of the week in the fridge (like this Kale Salad with Cranberries or this Vegetarian Caesar Salad with Kale) but you really can't beat the versatility of a big batch of roasted vegetables.
You can eat them as a side dish, or as part of a main dish. Spoon roast vegetables over pasta, or nestle them into a bowl along side some quinoa and a big spoonful of hummus (that right there is one of my favourite lunches). Use leftover roasted vegetables in a roasted vegetable frittata, or use them to make a simple soup.
There really isn't a good reason to not make a big batch of these Mediterranean Roast Vegetables, so let's get to it!
What goes into Mediterranean Roast Vegetables?
If you're wondering what vegetables are best for roasting, they say, things that grow together go together. You can really use any vegetables that you like, but I recommend choosing those that are in season during the same time (ish) and / or that typically come from the same place. For this roasted veggies recipe I've used:
- Red onion --> Tasty AND beautiful
- Garlic --> A whole bulb!
- Potatoes --> A few waxy ones
- Red bell peppers --> But you can choose another colour
- Zucchini --> Choose green or yellow
- Eggplant --> A nice medium one
- Tomatoes --> L'il babies on the vine
- Fresh herbs --> Mediterranean flavours!
- Olive oil --> Yes please
- Salt and pepper --> Zip! Zing!
What makes these roasted veggies into Mediterranean Roast Vegetables? Three things: 1) the type of vegetables I've used here are those that are typically found in the Mediterranean diet, 2) the judicious use of good quality extra virgin olive oil, and 3) a smattering of Mediterranean herbs.
How do you make Mediterranean Roast Vegetables?
Start by chopping up all of your veggies!
How big should you chop vegetables for roasting? I want to be able to pop a roasted vegetable right into my mouth, but I don't want them to be so small that they turn into mush when roasted, so we're looking for a large-ish bite sized piece.
But what's more important than how big (or small) you chop your veggies is that they're a similar size to one another so that they'll roast evenly in about the same amount of time.
Once chopped, you'll want to liberally douse the vegetables in olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. I used oregano and thyme here.
Spread your vegetables out on a baking sheet, making sure they aren't crowded. Roast for 20-30 minutes in a pre-heated oven. You don't need to stir them.
Once your Mediterranean Roast Vegetables are a nice golden brown and are fork tender, remove from the oven. You can serve them hot, room temperature, or even cold.
Tips for perfect roasted vegetables:
Spread your vegetables out in a single layer. I like to use two trays for this recipe because it uses a LOT of vegetables and we want to give them enough space that they'll be able to crisp up a bit.
Roast at a high heat for that perfect crisp on the outside and soft on the inside texture. We're aiming for about 425°F / 220°C.
If you're using potatoes, give them a 10-15 minute head start in the oven, as they tend to take longer than the other vegetables do.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper for easier clean up.
Can you roast frozen vegetables?
You sure can! Here's a handy guide that will tell you everything you need to know about roasting frozen vegetables.
Can you make roast vegetables in advance?
Definitely! A batch of Mediterranean Roast Vegetables will last for 3-5 days in the fridge, and you can reheat them or serve them cold or at room temperature.
Can you freeze roasted vegetables?
Normally I'm all about freezing all the things, but I don't recommend freezing roasted vegetables. The texture would just get too weird. But you could make your roasted vegetables into soup and freeze that!
Hey Nutrition Lady, what's the deal with the Mediterranean Diet?
Great question! The Mediterranean Diet has gotten a lot of attention for being an incredibly healthy way to eat, and with good reason!
Researchers noted that people who lived in Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece were in exceptionally good health, especially cardiovascular (heart) health. This has been attributed to a diet comprised primarily of whole foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and extra virgin olive oil.
The olive oil is important because of its oleic acid content, which makes up about 73% of the fatty acids in olive oil. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been attributed to reducing inflammation and being heart healthy. Olive oil is also loaded with antioxidants.
So eating like they do in the Mediterranean, including LOTS of produce (like these Mediterranean Roast Vegetables), healthy fats, and proteins in your diet is definitely one way to approach healthy eating. And best of all, it's delicious!
Other vegetable recipes you might enjoy:
Roasted Romanesco
Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls
Vegetarian Sheet-Pan Gnocchi Bake
Vegan Sheet Pan Fajita Bowls
Mediterranean Roast Vegetables
Equipment
- Sheet pans
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion
- 1 bulb garlic broken down into cloves and peeled
- 1 medium zucchini chopped to bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium eggplant chopped to bite-sized pieces
- 2 large red peppers chopped to bite-sized pieces
- 2 medium potatoes chopped to bite-sized pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp fresh oregano
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Chop all of your vegetables into bite-sized pieces of a similar size.
- If using potatoes, spread them onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place into the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
- Add 4 tablespoon of olive oil to the remaining vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with herbs. Toss to combine well.
- Remove the baking sheet with the potatoes from the oven. Add the remaining vegetables along with all of the oil and seasoning. Spread evenly onto two baking sheets.
- Roast the vegetables in the oven for 20 minutes, until lightly golden and fork tender.
- Remove, and serve immediately, or at room temperature.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only.
Jeannette Barber
Yummy, just what I was looking for .
Sharon
I'm on a Mediterranean diet due to a dominant gene for high cholesterol from my Norwegian father. With the maximum dose of meds, it still runs in the high 300's. My doctor suggested I try this way of eating. It's now week four and I'm getting more efficient. I chopped up a huge mixing bowl of potatoes, red onion, leeks, carrots, zucchini, brown mushrooms, yellow bell pepper, poblano pepper and small tomatoes. I marinaded the vegetables in the way you described, put half in the frig, and roasted the other half. Served it with roast chicken. Thank you for posting these recipes. I'm getting better at doing this.
Colleen
Amazing. Exactly what I needed, fresh, healthy and easy. Going to try the fritata if there's any left overs.
Katie Trant
Yes! I hope you have enough leftover for the frittata, but if not, it's easy enough to whip up another batch 🙂
Colleen
No leftovers. It was such a success, we cleared it all. Definitely making the fritata next. You're right. it is so easy to make. This will be my new regular.
Yesterday I also made the mung bean curry https://www.heynutritionlady.com/mung-bean-and-coconut-curry/ - another easy one and winner in our house. Plus I have stacks of curry in the freezer that will last for a few weeks! Thanks for these recipes! 😀
Katie Trant
No leftovers is always good news! Do let me know if you try the frittata 🙂