How to Roast Vegetables in the Oven Without Oil

I've been playing around with oil-free dishes for two reasons: 1) I'm curious to see if you can make dishes oil-free while maintaining delicious flavor and texture. And 2) many of you have been asking for oil-free recipes*, so I wanted to provide this as a resource!

Spoiler alert: It totally works! Let me show you how.

This recipe requires simple ingredients (whatever seasonal vegetables you have available to you) and simple seasonings (whatever flavors make you happy).

I've been loving this DIY curry powder, which added a complex kick of flavor to the vegetables I had on hand, which in this case were a mix of starchy and non-starchy vegetables. More on that soon…

Here's the trick I've found to work best:

Steam starchy vegetables first until just tender and then finish roasting in the oven. And for non-starchy vegetables, throw them straight into the oven with just the seasonings (no steaming necessary). They don't need the extra moisture because they are more tender and have a higher water content in most instances, so steaming would make them soggy.

So in this instance, I chose to steam the sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. And then I added the broccolini, beets, cauliflower, peppers, cabbage, and zucchini straight into the oven to roast.

You'll know that your vegetables are done when they're tender and slightly golden brown on the outside. Or, if you like crispy vegetables, continue roasting until deeper golden brown (just be careful not to burn). And that's it! Easy, oil-free roasted vegetables that are perfect for just about any occasion.

I hope you all LOVE these vegetables. They're:

Easy
Quick
Versatile
Tender on the inside
Crispy on the outside
Flavorful
& Delicious

Add these vegetables to just about any dish to bring some plant-based goodness to your plate. Think breakfast scrambles, salads, quinoa bowls, pastas, wraps, and more! You can also pair these vegetables with my 5-Minute Macadamia Nut Cheese for a delicious crudité!

For more oil-free and oil-free-optional recipes, check out our Shawarma Roasted Cauliflower Steak, Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Bowl, Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Romesco, Roasted Jalapeño Vegan Queso, Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich, and Dark Chocolate Hemp Seed Energy Bites!

If you try out this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We'd love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

*Know that we are not saying an oil-free diet is the way to go (we use oil in plenty of recipes). We are only providing a resource for people who want to try to reduce the amount of added oils in their diet.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Course Side

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 3-4 Days

STARCHY VEGETABLES (organic when possible / adjust with seasons)

• 2 medium whole carrots (halved lengthwise and chopped into large bites)
• 4-5 small red or yellow potatoes (quartered)
• 1 large sweet potato (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts (halved)

NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES (organic when possible / adjust with seasons)

• 1 bundle broccolini (roughly chopped)
• 1 cup red or green cabbage (thinly sliced)
• 1 medium bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise)
• 1 small beet (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds- large rounds halved)
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 medium zucchini or yellow squash (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• ~1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
• 1 Tbsp curry powder (or other seasoning of choice)

FOR SERVING (optional)

• Fresh lemon juice
• Cilantro or parsley
• Tahini

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

• Place a large pot or rimmed skillet on the stovetop and fill with 1/2 inch water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

• Once boiling, lower heat to medium-high (you're going for a low boil) and carefully place a steamer basket inside (I like this one – or sub a small colander or fine mesh strainer that rests over the water but not in the water).

• Add the starchy vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes – Brussels sprouts are optional and should only be added if you like more tender Brussels – otherwise, set aside).

• Cover pot or skillet and steam the vegetables for 4-6 minutes or until just tender. A knife should easily pierce the vegetables but not easily slide all the way through. You're looking for them to be moist and slightly tender.

• Transfer the steamed starchy vegetables to one baking sheet, and arrange the non-starchy vegetables on the other baking sheet. Season to taste with salt and curry powder, and toss to coat.

• Bake for a total of 20-30 minutes or to desired doneness. The broccolini seems to require just 15 minutes, while the cabbage, bell pepper, and cauliflower benefit from a longer roast – up to 25-30 minutes. (Once steamed), the starchy vegetables shouldn't need more than 20 minutes in the oven. Steamed Brussels need to be roasted for 15 minutes, while unsteamed Brussels can roast for up to 20-25 minutes. Just watch the oven closely and check for doneness.

• At this point, they're ready to serve! However, I find that the vegetables are enhanced with a bit of fresh lemon juice, some herbs, and a drizzle of tahini.

• Store leftover vegetables covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat over a cast-iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 400-degree F (204 C) oven until hot – about 10 minutes.

*I roasted my favorite vegetables, but this is by no means an exhaustive guide. I tend to find that starchy vegetables (like potatoes) benefit from a short steam before roasting, while non-starchy vegetables (like peppers, broccoli) should be roasted without steaming for best results.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional serving ingredients.
*Brussels sprouts method inspired by my pal Faring Well!

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 153 Carbohydrates: 34.6 g Protein: 6.1 g Fat: 0.5 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 383 mg Fiber: 8.4 g Sugar: 12.5 g

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

How to Roast Vegetables in the Oven Without Oil

Source: https://minimalistbaker.com/oil-free-roasted-vegetables/

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