This dish brings together a rainbow mix of both familiar and exotic veggies. You can definitely make it your own by choosing from what’s available locally. Whatever you include, slow roasting brings out the flavors in each ingredient, so you get different taste sensations with every bite. Using a very wide selection of vegetables also makes this a great main dish, but you can serve it along with a protein if you wish. And if there are any leftovers, I like to add just a splash of balsamic and enjoy them cold for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- 4 parsnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
- 6 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5″ chunks
- 4 yellow or candy stripe beets, peeled and cut into small wedges
- 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced into wedges
- 2 red onions, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1 sweet onion, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1/2 pound sunchokes, peeled and halved
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Maldon sea salt flakes for finishing
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Combine the hard vegetables—parsnips, carrots, squash and beets—in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon thyme and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper, and stir gently to coat the vegetables evenly.
Step 2
Repeat in a separate bowl with the softer vegetables—the fennel, onions and sunchokes. (See more about roasting mixed vegetables in the Healthy Kitchen Nugget below.)
Step 3
Tip the hard vegetables into a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer without touching; they need room to get a nice crisp on the edges. After 30 minutes, add the soft vegetables to a second baking sheet, place in the oven, and continue cooking for about another 30 minutes until all the veggies are tender in the center and caramelized. For even browning, use a spatula to occasionally turn all the veggies throughout the roasting. Transfer all the vegetables to one large serving bowl, drizzle with more olive oil if desired, and sprinkle with a few grains of the Maldon salt.
Yields 8 servings