Recipe - Roasted Vegetables and Tomato Sauce
A Method for Oven Roasting Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Other Vegetables
Sep 17, 2009
Roasting vegetables is an easy way to bring out great taste in vegetables for a variety of uses. This basic method can be used to roast vegetables as a side dish, as an entree, or even as a sauce or soup base for a richer tasting tomato sauce.
The basic method is to roast vegetables, coated in herbs and olive oil at a high heat for a short period of time to intensify the flavor and retain some of the crisp texture of the vegetables. Roasting vegetables is simple, results in very flavorful vegetables, and it is an excellent way to create a base for a flavorful tomato sauce that is good for both pasta and pizza.
Roasting time varies depending on the type of vegetable used and the temperature of the oven. Lower temperatures allow vegetables to roast longer and sweeten more, while higher temperatures allow vegetables to roast more quickly and form a nice crust. If roasting large vegetables, cut them into bite sized pieces. Also, be sure to cut denser vegetables into smaller pieces than less dense vegetables to allow them to roast together without overcooking one and undercooking the other. Potatoes, squashes, carrots and other root vegetables can take considerably longer to roast than many other less dense vegetables, so roast those separately to arrive at a tender result
Basic Recipe for Roasting Vegetables as a Meal Side or Entree
Ingredients
- Vegetables, such as zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, corn or bell peppers chopped to bite sized pieces. There should be enough to cover the bottom of a baking dish, but not so many that they become crowded
- 1 onion, minced finely
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons vegetable rub (or, alternatively 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper), depending on preference
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- Fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, mint or rosemary, depending on preference
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF and lightly grease a baking dish with oil or a spray.
- Combine the vegetables, onion, garlic, seasoning in the baking dish by tossing together. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat the vegetables.
- Arrange the vegetables in a single layer in the baking pan and season with salt and pepper. Make sure any tomatoes are skin side down.
- Roast in the preheated oven until vegetables are tender and golden, which, is approximately 18 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh herbs and cheese, and serve immediately.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
To make a tomato sauce from roasted vegetables is relatively simple.
- Roast about 2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, along with 3 cloves of garlic, one minced onion, and seasonings as above, except before topping with fresh herbs and cheese, let tomatoes cool enough to touch.
- Once cool enough to handle, remove tomato skins and discard.
- Place all of the tomatoes, onions, garlic and juices into a blender, and blend to your desired consistency. Blend a little for a chunky sauce, or blend more for a smoother sauce. Adjust flavor by adding additional olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, and cheese as desired
Warm through in a sauce pan and toss with pasta or use for a pizza and enjoy!
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