Roasted Vegetable Salad

This Roasted Vegetable Salad is easy to make and incredibly versatile. It’s also loaded with flavour!

I know a vegetable salad may seem slightly mundane to some, but I promise this salad is so incredibly delicious. Follow me…

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Roasting is an easy way to inject extra flavour into vegetables. There’s a fair few veggies I’m not overly keen on if they’re raw, steamed or boiled. But once they’re roasted I can’t get enough! By roasting vegetables you lightly char them, which adds a really nice smoky/bbq flavour. Roasting vegetables also pulls out the their natural sugars, where they rise to the surface and caramelize.

What vegetables to use?

You can choose vegetables based on season (i.e when they’re at their best) or even by variety (root veg, soft veg etc). I tend to use whatever I’ve got on hand, just as an opportunity to clear out the cupboards/fridge before it goes off! Here’s the usual suspects:

• Eggplant/Aubergine
• Courgette/Zucchini
• Peppers
• Onion
• Sweet Potato

In reality you can roast almost any vegetable and they’ll work nicely in this salad. The main thing to consider is how big you chop them. I tend to chop root veg smaller than soft veg, just so they all cook at an even rate.

Roasted Vegetables

When it comes to roasting the veg, there’s a few tips and tricks to consider:

Space them out

It’s important to space the veg out on your baking tray, otherwise the veg will steam and go soggy. What I’ve done here is right on the limit of how much you want. Use two trays if you have to.

What to season roasted veg with?

Bring out the best in the veg with a good seasoning of salt and pepper. I also like to throw on some oregano and garlic powder, just to really enhance the natural flavours in the veg.

What temp to roast vegetables?

220C/425F works best for roasting veg. You want to roast at a high temperature to lightly char the veg, which mimics the flavour/texture you get from BBQing.

Once I’ve roasted the veg I like to throw some feta and pine nuts on the tray, then pop back in the oven for a few mins. This will lightly toast the pine nuts and soften the feta. Both of these go gorgeously in a veggie salad!

Process shots: add veg, oil and seasoning to tray (photo 1), mix to combine (photo 2), roast (photo 3), add pine nuts and feta and roast again (photo 4).

Roasted Vegetable Salad Dressing

Alrighty, veg roasted, let’s talk dressing. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This makes a great base for dressings because it’s got a good punch of flavour. Regular olive oil is much more mellow, but if that’s all you have you can use that.
• Balsamic Vinegar – I love a balsamic based dressing in this salad because it goes so well with the veg. You can however sub another form of acidity (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar etc).
• Honey – Balances out the acidity with a hit of sweetness.
• Dijon Mustard – Adds a nice gentle background heat.
• Garlic Powder – Can sub a clove of minced fresh garlic.

To make the dressing I find it easiest to combine in a small jar and shake to emulsify. You can however use a small bowl and whisk.

To make the salad simply top salad leaves with the roasted veg, drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. I like using Romaine lettuce because it’s firm and offers a nice crunch, which goes nicely with the soft veg.

Do I serve this salad hot or cold?

You can serve it cold or warm. I don’t recommend serving with hot veg because it steams the lettuce and causes it to go soggy. I prefer it warm, so let the veg sit for 5-10mins once out the oven, but you can allow the veg to completely cool then toss through the salad if you prefer!

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yep! Just allow the veg to completely cool, then toss through lettuce WITHOUT dressing and cover in the fridge. Toss dressing just before serving.

If you want to take this salad to the next level you could also serve with some Crispy Onions!

Process shots: add lettuce to serving dish (photo 1), spoon over veg, pour dressing then toss (photo 2).

And there we have it! All my top tips for the best roasted vegetable salad.

If you’re looking for another veggie sandwich side then be sure to check out my Crisp & Creamy Coleslaw!

For a fruity kinda salad check out my Berry Fruit Salad!

If you’re after a veggie style sandwich check out my Pumpkin Sandwich!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this roasted veggie salad shall we?!

How to make a Roasted Vegetable Salad (Full Recipe & Video)

Roasted Vegetable Salad

This Roasted Vegetable Salad is easy to make and incredibly versatile. It's also loaded with flavour!

5 from 5 votes

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Course: lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Universal

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings (click & slide): 5

Calories per serving: 311kcal

Author: Chris

Cost per serving: £1 / $1

Equipment

• 1-2 Large Baking Trays
• Spatula/Turner
• Serving Dish & Salad Tossers
• Small Jar or Bowl with Whisk (for dressing)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients

Vegetable Salad

• 1 large head of Romaine Lettuce, root trimmed then chopped
• 2 medium Peppers, cored & diced into large chunks
• 2 small Red Onions, peeled & quartered
• 1 medium Eggplant/Aubergine, quartered lengthways & diced into chunks slightly smaller than the peppers
• 1 medium Zucchini/Courgette quartered lengthways then diced into chunks same size as eggplant
• 1 medium Sweet Potato, peeled & diced into chunks smaller than zucchini/eggplant (can sub butternut squash)
• 1/3 cup / 50g crumbled Feta, or more to preference
• 2-3 tbsp Pine Nuts, or to preference
• 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp EACH: Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Dressing

• 1/4 cup / 60ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Dressing: Add extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a jar, tightly screw on the lid then shake until it's blended. You can also do this in a small bowl with with a whisk. Place to one side.
• Veg: Place zucchini/courgette, eggplant/aubergine, peppers, sweet potato and onions on a large baking tray. Use two trays if there's not enough room otherwise all the veg will steam and go soggy. Add olive oil, oregano, garlic powder and s&p and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
• Roast: Place in the oven at 220C/425F for 25-35mins, or until lightly charred and fork tender, flipping the veg once during. Take the tray out and sprinkle over pine nuts and feta. Place back in for few mins until the pine nuts starts to brown and the feta goes soft and gooey. Leave veg to steam and slightly cool for 5-10mins.
• Salad: Place lettuce in a large serving dish then spoon over the veg. Drizzle over dressing then toss everything until evenly combined. Serve right away and enjoy!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Can I use other vegetables? - Absolutely! In total I recommend using 2lb/1kg veg. Also just make sure you dice root veg smaller than soft veg, just so it all cooks at an even rate. Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, sprouts, asparagus and beets all roast really well and work well in a salad!

b) Do I serve this hot or cold? - I usually let the veg cool slightly then toss it through the salad. This way the salad is warm, but not too hot that the veg cooks the lettuce and turns everything soggy. You can let the veg completely cool and then toss through the lettuce and serve as a cold salad.

c) Can I make this ahead of time? - Sure! Just let the veg completely cool then toss through the lettuce WITHOUT the dressing. Tightly cover in the fridge, then toss through the dressing just before serving.

d) Calories - whole salad divided by 5:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 311 Calories from Fat 187

% Daily Value*

Fat 20.81g32%

Saturated Fat 3.898g24%

Trans Fat 0.007g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.447g

Monounsaturated Fat 12.157g

Cholesterol 9mg3%

Sodium 131mg6%

Potassium 923mg26%

Carbohydrates 28.58g10%

Fiber 8.9g37%

Sugar 16.24g18%

Protein 6.42g13%

Vitamin A 17299IU346%

Vitamin C 81.2mg98%

Calcium 130mg13%

Iron 2.62mg15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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