Prepare Ahead Lemon and Thyme Roasted Vegetables

Eat healthy all week by prepping ahead these lemon and thyme roasted vegetables. Make them the star or use them in different dishes.

Roasting vegetables are one of the best ways to cook veggies.

They don’t lose as many nutrients as they do when boiled and they taste amazing – the browning that happens in the oven giving them that caramelised taste.

And you can create dozens of different flavour profiles depending on the seasonings you add to your roasted vegetables.

The recipe below shares one of my favourite flavour combinations: lemon and thyme roasted vegetables.

Having pre-cooked vegetables in the fridge means you can create a wide variety of easy, healthy meals throughout the week.

So this article also shares tips and tricks for preparing, cooking, storing and reheating roasted vegetables.

What Vegetables are Good for Roasting

You can roast just about every vegetable available. The thing to keep in mind, however, is that different vegetables will cook at different times.

To make sure all the vegetables cook evenly, you want to do one of three things.

EITHER parboil some of the denser vegetables (marked with an * below) and drain well before roasting so that these vegetables are partially cooked OR put them in the oven first and cook for 10 minutes before adding the more delicate vegetables.

You can also cut the denser vegetables smaller than the more delicate vegetables so they take less time to cook.

Vegetables to roast include:

• potato*
• sweet potato*
• carrot*
• parsnip*
• pumpkin
• zucchini/squash
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• capsicum
• onion
• asparagus
• cherry tomatoes
• mushrooms
• Brussels sprouts

Preparing Cooking and Storing Roast Vegetables

When it comes to preparing roast vegetables ahead of time, you have two options.

You can either cut the vegetables and store them ready to be cooked on the day.

Or you can pre-cook them ahead of time and reheat them when you’re ready to eat them.

To cook roast vegetables, grease a baking tray with a little oil. Toss vegetables in olive oil and selected seasonings if using and spread them out in a single layer on the baking tray. Make sure there is some space around the vegetables as this will stop them steaming and becoming soft and soggy.

Roast vegetables in a hot oven until crispy and cooked through.

Don’t forget, if you have denser vegetables like potato, cut them smaller so they cook the same time as the more delicate vegetables, OR parboil them OR place them in the oven for five – 10 minutes before adding the delicate vegetables (see above).

Roast vegetables can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Reheating Roasted Vegetables

Reheat roast vegetables in the oven, not microwave to prevent them from going soggy.

To reheat, preheat the oven to 180°C and place cooked vegetables on a baking tray in a single layer, spreading them out so they aren’t touching.

Cook in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until heated through.

How to Use Roasted Vegetables

There are lots of ways to use up roasted vegetables. In fact, if you prep a tray of veggies on a Sunday, you can turn them into a different meal every day of the week.

Here are some ideas:

• served with couscous, polenta or rice
• roast vegetable frittata or quiche
• veggie Pizza
• roast vegetable pasta
• roast vegetable pate/dip
• vegetable burrito with feta cheese or pita with hummus
• use as a side to meat or chicken
• puree with stock to make a roast vegetable soup
• mix with a white sauce or gravy and top with pastry for a roast vegetable pie
• serve with greens as a roast vegetable salad
• make a roast vegetable lasagne

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