RECIPE – Roasted Vegetable Salads
By Henry Gould – Oct 15th, 2018
Cooking for yourself is not only one of the best ways to maintain a healthy diet, it can be a huge source of pleasure, particularly if you’re cooking for others. The kitchen can be intimidating, but if you start to learn the basics it can be a real gateway to eating better, as well as exploring different cultures and foods.
Below are a bunch of ideas for roasted vegetable salads, some vegan, some vegetarian; all allow you to stick a bunch of stuff in the oven, dress it, and have it for dinner or take to work for lunch. Roasting vegetables is no big secret, but it does wonders for the flavor of almost anything, particularly root vegetables. They’re also great served hot and cold, so leftovers are not something to dread.
Use these combinations as a guideline… don’t like a particular ingredient? Leave it out! The sooner you learn to experiment and adapt in the kitchen, the more confident you’ll become.
Roast Potato, Bacon and Dill Salad
- Potatoes, cut into cubes or wedges
- Bacon
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh Dill, chopped
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Dijon Mustard
Heat your oven to 425F. Get a large roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil then add your raw potatoes to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay bacon strips over top of the potatoes, then stick in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Check on the potatoes – the bacon should be starting to crisp and the juices running into the potatoes. Also, the potatoes should be getting tender. If not, keep cooking until done and the bacon crisp.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Take the bacon and chop into small pieces.
Put the potatoes in a bowl and dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Add a spoon of dijon mustard, then toss with the dill and bacon.
Lovely served hot, or cold
Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil
- Beets, peeled and cut into cubes or wedges
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Fresh Basil leaves
- Fresh mozzarella (optional)
Heat your oven to 425F. Drizzle a roasting pan with olive oil, add the raw beets, then season with salt and pepper. Stick in the oven and roast for ~30 minutes. Check to see if they’re tender with a knife. Turn them if necessary.
Once they’re tender and cooked, drizzle all over with balsamic vinegar then stick back in the oven for 2-3 minutes. The goal is to glaze the beets with the vinegar, but if you leave too long the vinegar will scorch and burn, ruining everything, so make sure to keep an eye on them.
Once glazed, take out of the oven and allow to cool. Put the beets into a bowl, and season with a little more salt and pepper, then drizzle with more oil and balsamic, and tear over some fresh basil. Add fresh mozzarella if desired.
Roasted Mushrooms with Soy, Garlic and Chives
- Mushrooms (any variety – shittake, button, portobello)
- Garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Chives, chopped finely
- Honey
- Sesame Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Chili Flakes
Preheat your oven to 450F. Put your raw mushrooms in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add the mashed garlic and chili flakes, then toss to coat. Put on a large roasting tray and stick in the oven for 10-15 minutes. The goal is to get the mushrooms nice and brown, so check on them frequently.
Once browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and honey. Add the chives and stir to coat.
2 Comments on “RECIPE – Roasted Vegetable Salads”
Great article! We should enjoy the preparation and consuming of healthy, tasty meals. More often than not, anxiety about cooking envelopes us and we avoid “Hell’s kitchen”???? afraid Gordon Ramsay is hiding in the pantry- ???? bon appetite
Thanks John! We agree 100%! Learning to cook is a lifelong pursuit… start small, master certain preparations, and expand from there. Don’t worry about screwing up, you can always order in 😉