Roasted and Marinated Root Vegetables

Ingredients for Roasted and Marinated Root Vegetables

• 900g beets, sweet potatoes, or turnips (any colour, golf ball–to baseball-size)

• 60ml rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons sugar or vegan honey

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 sprigs thyme

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• Juice of 1 orange or lemon, or 2 tablespoons red, champagne, or cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoons crushed red chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 177°C.

Depending on the size and type of the root, peel it or not. Peel the dirty, gnarly beets. Sweet potato skins soften up when roasting, so leave those on. For thinner-skinned turnips, a good scrubbing will do.

Cut the roots into chunks; I like them about 1 inch thick and 2 inches long. Cut the round roots through the equator and chunk them up from there. For sweet potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then again lengthwise, and then into 2-inch pieces. If you can find baby sweet potatoes, just cut those in half. There’s no wrong way to do this; just keep all of your vegetables similar in size and shape so they cook evenly.

Preheat an ovenproof sauté pan large enough to hold the root vegetables in one layer over medium-high heat. Add the rice bran, grapeseed, or olive oil and continue heating until the oil shimmers and is thinking about smoking. Carefully add the roots and let them caramelize on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Check to make sure they’re not burning—lower the heat if they’re scorching in some spots. Give the roots a toss in the pan (tongs work, too) and season with the salt, sugar, and pepper. Add the thyme and rosemary and transfer the pan to the oven.

Cook until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Start checking with the tip of a sharp knife after 6 minutes and continue to check every 5 minutes. They’re done when they’re easily pierced all the way through. The beets will cook in about 30 minutes, the turnips in just 10 minutes or less, and the sweet potatoes in 20 minutes. This will depend on the age, variety, and cut of the vegetable, so use your senses (including common sense) and check often.

Spoon the roasted vegetables into a large bowl. Discard the herb stems. Add the orange juice or vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and chilli flakes. Toss until well coated.

You can serve at this point, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.