Roast fall vegetables

Roasted vegetables are the simplest way to make fall dinner feel like something. You chop, toss with oil and salt, and the oven does the work. The high heat browns the edges and turns the middle sweet. It takes an evening because of the oven, but you are only busy for ten minutes.

What you need

This serves about four as a side, or two as a dinner with some bread or grains.

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of fall vegetables, such as butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, Brussels sprouts, parsnips or red onion
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• Optional: a few cloves of garlic, fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, paprika or cumin

You will want a large baking sheet, or two. The more space the vegetables have, the better they brown.

Make it

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. If you can, put the empty baking sheet in while it heats. A hot tray gives you more browning.
2. Wash the vegetables and dry them well. Peel what needs peeling.
3. Cut everything into pieces of about the same size, around 1 inch. Halve small Brussels sprouts, and cut larger ones into quarters.
4. Toss the vegetables in a big bowl with the oil, salt and pepper until they have a light, even coat. Add herbs or spices now, if you are using any.
5. Spread them on the tray in a single layer, cut side down where you can. Do not crowd them. Use two trays if you need to.
6. Roast for 25 to 40 minutes, turning once halfway through. They are done when the edges are browned and a knife slips in easily.
7. Taste, add more salt, and eat them hot.

Timings

These are rough guides at 425°F, for pieces about an inch wide.

• Butternut squash cubes: 25 to 35 minutes
• Sweet potato cubes: 25 to 35 minutes
• Carrots, cut in chunks or halved lengthways: 25 to 35 minutes
• Brussels sprouts, halved: 20 to 30 minutes
• Red onion wedges: 20 to 30 minutes

If you mix them, cut the faster ones larger or add them to the tray partway through. Check the oldest vegetables with a knife rather than trusting the timer.

Make them taste like more

Salt is the main thing, so do not skip it. After roasting, a squeeze of lemon, a splash of balsamic vinegar or a spoonful of maple syrup makes them brighter. Toss in a handful of toasted nuts, crumbled feta or fresh herbs at the end. A little yogurt with garlic and lemon is good for dipping. Leftovers go into grain bowls, omelettes or soup.

Tips for better browning

Dry vegetables brown better than wet ones, so pat them dry after washing. Use enough oil to coat each piece lightly, since too little makes them dry out and too much makes them greasy. Cut surfaces brown fastest, so lay pieces cut side down on the hot tray. Do not stir them too often. Leave them alone for the first 15 minutes, then turn them once. And use a metal baking sheet if you have one, because glass and ceramic dishes brown less.

If something goes wrong

• They are soggy. The tray was crowded or the vegetables were wet. Spread them out and dry them first.
• They are burnt outside and hard inside. The pieces were too big or uneven, or the oven was too hot. Cut smaller, and lower the heat a little.
• They are bland. They need salt. Add it while they are hot, and finish with lemon or vinegar.
• They are dry. There was not enough oil. Toss with another spoonful.
• The garlic is bitter. It burned. Add whole cloves in their skins, or add chopped garlic for the last 10 minutes.

Keeping them

Cool the vegetables and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for three to four days. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a hot oven for about 10 minutes to bring back some crispness. The microwave warms them quickly, but they will be soft.

Make it a fall evening

Bring home vegetables from a market meal trip, or make a tray of them to go with a movie night. If you roast a whole butternut squash, you can blend half of it into squash soup the next day.