Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

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This holiday-ready dish includes carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, butternut squash, and brussels sprouts along with a trio of herbs for a colorful, fragrant side.

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 20 mins

Yield:

12 servings

Frequently asked questions

What herbs go well with roasted vegetables?

Herbs and veggies of all kinds are a natural marriage, and in the cooler months, this blend — carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, butternut squash, and brussels sprouts — begs to mingle with the classic trio of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme. A coating of olive oil unites the vegetables with the herbs, encouraging them to caramelize for a deeply savory, holiday-worthy side dish.

What do cooked parsnips taste like?

If you're unfamiliar with parsnips, this recipe is a terrific way to get acquainted. Though they look very much like white carrots (the two are, in fact, closely related root vegetables), parsnips are actually more akin to potatoes in terms of flavor and preparation. Great for mashing, they're earthy, nutty, and starchy, with a bit of spicy sweetness. Unlike potatoes, however, parsnips can be eaten raw.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

When roasting winter vegetables, former F&W editor Melissa Rubel Jacobson says be sure to chop them about the same size, so they cook at the same rate. And toss them at least once while they're in the oven, so they brown evenly. This herb-roasted vegetables recipe makes 12 servings and necessitates the use of two sheet pans to bake everything up, but you can definitely make just half and stick to one baking sheet if you have fewer people to feed. With so many vegetables, there's a lot of peeling and cutting that has to happen; to get a head start, you can chop them a day in advance and refrigerate overnight.

Ingredients

4 medium carrots (3/4 pound), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal
2 large parsnips (1 pound), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal
1 medium head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch florets
1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 sage leaves
5 thyme sprigs
2 (6-inch) rosemary sprigs, cut into 2-inch lengths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil, sage, thyme, and rosemary; season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on two large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 55 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and golden. Scrape into a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.