Enjoy the sweet flavors of these Mediterranean roasted vegetables as a great vegan side dish or as a top-up to any meal. Quick to prepare, tasty, and healthy, this is a rainbow of vegetables you will want on your table!
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Mediterranean roasted vegetables are an excellent way of bringing a rainbow of colors to the table.
The sweet flavors that come from the gently roasted summer vegetables, paired with the delicious seasoning, make this perfect side dish a great choice for any day of the week.
This Italian-inspired side can be used multiple ways and it is ready in 30 minutes - just chop the vegetables, toss them in some seasoning and extra virgin olive oil, roast, and enjoy!
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables Ingredients
- Bell Peppers and Zucchini: Sweet, colorful, and easy to prepare, using these as your base can open the door to multiple creative recipes.
- Onions: Gently roasted in extra virgin olive oil, these will offer added richness to the dish, without the sting. Choose any color, although red onions bring a nice tone to this healthy side dish.
- Garlic: A bit of a contrasting element in this Mediterranean roasted vegetable dish, it is one of the best flavorings you can add!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This needs no explanation!
- Salt and Pepper: Season to liking.
How to make Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400F (180C FAN oven).
- Chop the bell peppers, zucchini, and red onions in cubes of roughly the same size and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- To the diced vegetables, add minced garlic, salt, cracked black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Mix the diced vegetables with the seasoning, ensuring each piece is fully coated with it.
- Cover the baking dish with some parchment paper, a baking sheet, or foil, and spread the roasted vegetables on it, ensuring they are in a single layer so they can cook evenly.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked to liking.
People also ask [FAQs]
The most common vegetables that are considered Mediterranean and therefore part of the Mediterranean diet are cabbage, carrot, celery, broccoli, artichokes, zucchini (courgette), bell peppers, sweet potatoes, arugula (rocket), beetroot, cucumber, eggplant (aubergine), fennel, lettuce, spinach, summer squash [quite a few of them] and onions, but there are many more, such as peas and pumpkin, which are often associated to more Northern countries, probably because of their ‘winter’ connections.
Mediterranean roasted vegetables can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days or frozen for up to three months; always ensure the vegetables have cooled down completely before refrigerating or freezing.
If freezing, ensure the vegetables have fully thawed before warming them up and serving them piping hot.
It is important to ensure the oven is properly heated and that the vegetables are well coated in olive oil; these two elements will ensure that the vegetables are tender on the inside while being crisp and not soggy on the outside.
You don’t need to boil Mediterranean vegetables before roasting, as they are very soft and rich in water, so will easily cook in the oven in very little time.
Should you roast root vegetables instead, parboiling them before roasting will prevent them from being chewy and dry.
Is roasting veg healthy?
Yes, roasting vegetables is healthy, but it is important to keep an eye on two main factors.
First of all, while it is important to dress the vegetables to fully enjoy them, it is also important not to exaggerate with the olive oil.
Secondly, it is best to enjoy the vegetables nicely roasted, but not charred; burnt foods contain acrylamide, which is a compound that forms in starchy foods when they are being cooked at high temperatures. Although studies in humans have shown mixed results, some have connected consuming high amounts of this compound to be linked to an increased risk of cancer.
What to serve with Mediterranean roasted vegetables?
This rainbow of vegetables looks amazing on any plate and can be added to most dishes!
Use its sweet flavors and enjoy it with a homemade Baked Chicken Kabobs, Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breast, or some Mississippi Pot Roast; this way you will take full advantage of the oven being heated already and prepare two dishes in one go!
What can I do with roasted Mediterranean vegetables?
These veggies can be eaten hot or cold, so they work well in most dishes! Add them in:
- wraps,
- cheesy paninis or
- toasties,
- on top of salads or
- pasta dishes (why not mix it in a rich tomato sauce pasta, top it with some cheese and bake it?);
- have them as a vegan side dish for hummus, cottage cheese, some ham, or mozzarella.
- Keep it simple and simply add them on top of boiled rice or pasta… they are so tasty they will make any simple dish delicious!
Amendments and substitutes
This recipe offers great guidelines, however, there are multiple ways this dish can be personalized!
- More vegetables: great vegetables that can be added to this recipe are cherry tomatoes and eggplant, as they will have a very similar cooking time and would work perfectly.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs (or dried or frozen as well) such as basil, thyme, and rosemary work great and all of them offer different depths! Italian herbs and spices, especially dry, can be bought pre-mixed in shops and are often called Italian seasoning.
- Different cooking times: This dish works well with added carrots and baby potatoes, which have longer cooking times but can easily be added. To add these root vegetables (or others such as parsnip) to the roasted veggies, simply pre-boil them until they are at least 75% cooked or add them to the oven before adding the other vegetables.
- Seasoning zing: feel free to serve with lemon slices, or lime or lemon juice to the vegetables for an extra summery, fresh twist.
- Sheet pan meal: add some chickpeas, beans (such as butter beans or green beans), diced chicken, or cod fillet to the baking sheet to create a full meal.
- Serving suggestion: sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, or feta cheese on top of the vegetables, together with some delicious freshly chopped herbs (such as basil) before serving!
Tips and tricks
Keep an eye on a few points to make sure your dish is perfect:
- Cooking time and stages: ensure you either choose vegetables that have the same consistency and cooking time, or add the vegetables at different times if needed. If you are choosing potatoes and zucchini, these won't have the same cooking time and will need to be added at different times.
- Size: if you are choosing to cook all the vegetables in one go because they have the same cooking time, ensure they are also cut to a similar size.
- Toss when you roast: if you have decided to opt for bigger chunks of vegetables, then it is a good idea to toss the vegetables at least once while they are in the oven, to get a more uniform, perfect roast.
- Temperature: for perfectly roasted vegetables that are not burnt, ensure you set your temperature medium-high, ideally between 400 and 450 Farhenheit, as this will ensure they cook inside, without burning on the outside.
- Season: while it is important not to overdo it with the oil, it is as important to make sure your vegetables are well seasoned, as spices, fresh herbs, and salt will enhance the flavors of your veggies.
- Aluminum foil: if you do not have a skillet or prefer to roast on a tray, then using aluminum foil to cover your tray will help you get that perfect roast on the vegetables (using parchment paper will collect the water from the vegetables at the bottom and keep them mushier).
- No overcrowding: to achieve a uniform roast, ensure you add the vegetables to the baking tray in one single layer, without overcrowding the baking tray.
- Extra virgin olive oil: it is the best and most flavorful option for this dish, however, make sure you do not overheat it!
- Too thin: do not cut your vegetables too thin or they will dry, rather than roast.
This perfect oven-roasted Mediterranean vegetable recipe is so easy, yet so tasty, that it is hard to believe it only requires a few simple ingredients and a baking tray!
Ideal if you are cooking for a crowd, meal prepping, or deciding what to have as a last-minute meal, this is the best side dish you can prepare any day of the week.
Enjoy the sweet flavors of this rainbow of vegetables... I'm sure you will find many ways to add it to your weekly menu, so share what your dinner idea using them is!
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Recipe
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 6 Bell Peppers Chose a mix of colors
- 3 Zucchini Courgettes
- 1 Onion Any color, I used red
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (FAN), gas 6, or static oven 200 degrees Celsius or 400 Fahrenheit.
- Chop the zucchini, peppers, and onions in dice the same size; as these vegetables require the same time to cook, cutting them all the same size will bear the best result, as they will also mix well. The vegetables you see in the picture are about 1-inch in size (2.5cm)
- Toss the chopped vegetables in a large mixing bowl and season with salt, cracked black pepper, one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and some freshly chopped garlic.
- Mix the vegetables well until they are all fully seasoned.
- Prepare the baking tray by covering it with a sheet of aluminum foil and lay the vegetables on it, ensuring they are in a single layer.
- Put the vegetables on the middle shelf in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until liked.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If freezing, ensure the vegetables have fully thawed before warming them up and serving them piping hot.
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