Roasted Root Vegetable Salad (Printable version)
Caramelized root vegetables combined with fresh greens and a tangy vinaigrette for a vibrant dish.
# What you need:
→ Root Vegetables
01 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
04 - 1 small beet, peeled and cubed
05 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
→ For Roasting
06 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Salad Base
10 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby kale)
→ Vinaigrette
11 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup for vegan
14 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
15 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Optional Toppings
16 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (omit for vegan)
17 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How To:
01 - Set the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, beet, and red onion with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and dried thyme until evenly coated.
03 - Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and caramelized at edges.
04 - Whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
05 - Arrange the mixed greens on a platter or individual plates, top with the warm roasted vegetables, and drizzle with the prepared vinaigrette.
06 - Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese or feta, toasted nuts, and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted vegetables taste almost like candy—caramelized and sweet in a way that makes you forget salad is supposed to be virtuous.
- You can make it ahead, which means less scrambling on busy nights when you still want to eat something real.
- It works as a side dish or a main, and it actually gets better as it cools, so there's zero pressure to serve it immediately.
02 -
- Don't crowd the baking sheet—if your vegetables are piled on top of each other, they'll steam and turn mushy instead of caramelizing into crispy-edged perfection.
- The greens will wilt slightly when you add warm vegetables and warm dressing, and that's exactly what you want; it creates this pleasant textural contrast between tender and crisp.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables to roughly the same size so they finish roasting at exactly the same moment—nothing worse than crunchy parsnips next to mushy beets.
- Don't be shy with the salt on the vegetables before roasting; it helps them brown properly and doesn't disappear like it sometimes does in other cooking methods.