Roasted vegetables are so easy and delicious—with nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of sea salt, and a hot oven, the vegetables get all crispy and caramelized on the outside and soft in the middle. It’s a great dish for company, since it can be made ahead of time and reheated or served at room temperature. But even when you don’t have guests, cook enough for a crowd and use the leftovers in salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, or omelets. Most all vegetables are good for roasting, including turnips, beets, rutabagas, fennel, asparagus, corn, summer squash, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and all kinds of winter squash and pumpkins. Just make sure to wait to add quick-cooking vegetables until any slow-cooking vegetables are almost done.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　1 pound small new potatoes

　　1 small acorn or butternut squash, cut in half, seeds removed, and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　4 tablespoons fresh rosemary

　　4 tablespoons fresh thyme

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 red onion, quartered

　　5 or 6 small carrots, trimmed

　　2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Place the potatoes and squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Spread evenly in a single layer and season with 2 tablespoons of the rosemary, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring several times while cooking, until soft when pierced with the tip of a small knife and light brown around the edges.

　　

Step 3

While the potatoes and squash are roasting, place the onion, carrots, and parsnips on a separate rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons rosemary, 2 tablespoons thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir the vegetables to coat evenly, and spread in a single layer. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from the oven, arrange on a platter with the other vegetables around the pot roast, and serve warm.

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.