One Tray, Plenty of Possibilities

One Tray, Plenty of Possibilities

Rachel Martin
There are evenings when I really don't want to spend ages in the kitchen, but I still fancy something tasty. That's when a tray of roasted vegetables comes into its own. Turn on the oven and heat up a tin, de-stress with some chopping, toss everything about in a drizzle of oil, invent a seasoning and, with a quick sizzle, into the hot tin and the oven it goes. It’s as close to effortless as I can make it, and the washing up is just a tin, bowl, knife, chopping board and a plate per person.

Now I will roast just about any vegetable, but some are particularly good at it. They’re the ones that develop lovely caramelised edges, become sweeter as they cook, or hold their shape rather than turning into mush. I am not a fan of mush. And you don't need potatoes to make a really satisfying tray bake, although there’s nothing wrong with adding them too!

🥄 Rachel’s roasting veg list

Rather than an ‘everything-possible-veg-index’, I've managed to settle on my top nine. They're all here for a reason, and I've divided them into three little groups.

Sweet and Earthy 

Carrots become even sweeter as they roast, with a lovely rich flavour and just a little bite. No mushiness here!
Butternut squash turns fabulously tender with sweet flesh and caramelised edges, particularly when cut into chunks.

Beetroot brings vibrant colour and deep, earthy sweetness, keeping its firm texture and shape beautifully.

Golden and Crispy

Red onions turn sweet, jammy and mellow with deliciously browned edges. I think wedges work particularly well
Brussels sprouts are surprisingly good roasted with crispy outer leaves and tender centres. Halve them for more caramelisation. Yum

Calabrese develops crispy, almost nutty edges, very different from the steamed version you may be more used to.

Tender and juicy

Sweet bell peppers soften and sweeten, with a little charring adding a smoky flavour and lovely colour.
Courgette can be tricky, but choose the right variety and it turns tender and golden while keeping its shape.
Cherry tomatoes burst and release sweet, rich juices that help bring everything together. Add them towards the end.

💡 My three top tips

Chop evenly: aim for roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly. I'm not an exact chopper, but Ian freestyles so much that his wedges are all different shapes and I come along and re-chop some of them...

Use enough oil: I use a big mixing bowl, pop in the chopped veg, drizzle with oil and stir to coat. I’ve even put a plate over the bowl and tossed it. That worked brilliantly until one particularly vigorous shake sent the plate flying, breaking it and scattering half the oiled veggies across the floor. Not an effortless clean-up!

Don't overcrowd: its tempting to fit everything on one tray, but spread the veg out in a single layer. Pile it up and it steams rather than roasts. Very disappointing. I've learnt the steamy way and there wasn't a caramelised bit anywhere!

Cooking times are only a guide. Chunk size, your oven and the vegetables themselves all make a difference. And if you're cooking a generous amount, use two trays rather than crowding one.

1. Turn the oven on to 220°C (200°C fan) and pop in the roasting tin to heat up.
2. Chop & oil the veggies, adding your chosen seasonings.
3. Firmer veg goes in first for 15–25 minutes: carrots, squash, Brussels sprouts and beetroot.
4. Add the quicker cooking veg: peppers, calabrese, courgette, onions. Give everything a stir and roast for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Tomato time: scatter in the cherry toms and return to the oven for a final 5-10 minutes

6. Check and serve: are the veggies tender with crispy bits? Yes, serve up, No, give them a bit longer but don’t burn them!

Some flavour variations to try

You know me, I don't like prescribing ingredients and I don't cook with exact proportions, weights or measures. These are the sort of things I do, so use them as a guide and make up some of your own.

Mediterranean: dried oregano, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. I like plenty of pepper and not much salt, but you may prefer the opposite! Dried oregano withstands the roasting heat beautifully. Finish with a splash of lemon juice, crumbled feta and fresh basil.
Brown Butter and Thyme: fresh thyme, crushed garlic cloves (three or four for me!), sea salt and black pepper. Roast with oil, then drizzle over some browned butter at the end for a lovely nutty richness. A splash of balsamic vinegar finishes it off. Particularly good with root veg.
Harissa and Honey: a lovely blend of heat, smoke and sweetness, but go carefully with the harissa or it can overwhelm everything. Stir dried harissa or paste, ground cumin and a pinch of salt into the oil. I'd roast at a gentler 180°C fan, allowing a little longer and drizzle with the honey (or maple syrup) about halfway through the cooking time. Serve with a yoghurt dip.

Garlic, Lemon and Herbs: add crushed garlic (at least 3 cloves for me!), thyme, rosemary and sea salt to the oil. If you don’t like the texture of roasted rosemary use a whole sprig and remove it afterwards. For the last five minutes, scatter over lemon zest and Parmesan. Although I've used lemon juice and finely grated whatever-cheese-was-lurking-in-the-fridge instead! Nothing has to be exact.

Making it your own

It’s easy to change things around. You can use whatever's coming in from the garden or rescue those slightly sad-looking bits lurking at the back of the fridge. Parsnips, swede, celeriac, cauliflower, turnips and potatoes are all good alternatives, with the firmer ones going in first. Leeks, fennel, mushrooms and asparagus can join the tray later. Aubergine? I'd give that a tray of its own, as I can't promise it won't turn to mush!

And don't stop at the four flavour combinations. Paprika is one of my go-to spices, I grind fennel seeds when I haven't got fresh fennel, and last year I was given Brussels sprout dusting powder. You don't even need sprouts in the tin to use it! A little mint sauce stirred into yoghurt makes a lovely dip too.

For something more substantial, try adding halloumi, sausages, chorizo or meatballs, making sure anything you add is thoroughly cooked. Chicken is another possibility, although I prefer to make sure it's properly cooked through before serving rather than rely on the vegetable timings.

🌱 It’s time to grow your own tray bake…

Of course, the best tray bake starts long before you turn the oven on. It starts with deciding what you'd like to grow!

We've put together a Full Flavoured Roast Veggies Collection with all nine varieties, plus three smaller collections if you fancy concentrating on Sweet & Earthy, Golden and Crispy or Tender & Juicy vegetables. 


Seed Collections

In The Garden

What can I Sow?

 

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