How to Season Your Roasted Vegetables Like a Pro

Roasted vegetables are a versatile and delicious staple in the kitchen for vegetarians and omnivores alike: They work well in grain bowls, become a quick and filling sheet pan dinner, a perfect side to your protein of choice, or can even be turned into pancakes. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of vegetables while adding a light smokiness and transforming the texture. In the words of our old colleague Simone, they are the “OG” (also the initials of its German translation Ofengemüse) in the kitchen.

How to season vegetables for roasting

While, the choice of vegetables and the cooking temperature matter (check out our guide here!), under-seasoning is often the reason behind bland-tasting vegetables. Follow these simple tips to make your roasted or grilled vegetables flavorful every time.

Dig into your pantry
Oil, salt, and pepper are the basic trio for roasting. While neutral or olive oil is the classic choice, experiment with different types of fat, such as coconut oil, bacon, or poultry fat for added depth. Flaky sea salt (look no further than ourFleur de Salty) and flavored pepper for a subtle upgrade. From there, you can layer flavors by adding spices, herbs, and other seasonings.

Choose one or two spices that complement the vegetables without overpowering them. Sturdy root vegetables, squash, carrots, and parsnips can take well on warm spices such as paprika powder and coriander (which can extend to pastes, like gochujang and miso). More delicate sorts, like zucchini or mushrooms, prefer lighter dried herbs. Take inspiration from different cuisines, such as harissa for cauliflower, za’taar for eggplant—endless flavor profiles you can take notes from. Other condiments you use in your cooking, can be used in roasting: soy sauce and honey/maple syrup are also great flavor enhancers.

Coat your veggies well
Be generous with oil to prevent burning. Toss your vegetables in a bowl or use your hands to distribute the oil mixture evenly. For leafy vegetables like kale and Brussels sprouts, give them a gentle massage, so every leaf gets the flavor treatment.

Don’t sleep on aromatics
Roasted whole garlic has inspired waves of social media trends since the famous garlic bread. A less daunting alternative is to add unpeeled garlic cloves to your baking sheet and squeeze the flesh out to flavor your dip or dressing, like in this recipe. Allium vegetables such as onion, scallion, and leek add a little more oomph, and the best thing is that you can add them whole!

Garnish with fresh herb, citrus and more
If you have half a lemon or sprigs of almost wilted herbs (or carrot top greens) lying around, throw them in after the roasting to bring some freshness out. To make it even more show-stopping, add toasted nuts (like a simple gremolata) and pomegranate seeds.

Shortcut? Our seasoning blend does the magic!

When time is of the essence, our new Veggie Wunder seasoning (available in our German shop) comes to the rescue. With a thoughtfully crafted blend of paprika, garlic, onion, sea salt, pepper, and citrus peel, Veggie Wunder elevates your roasted vegetables in a pinch. You can add it directly to the vegetables with oil before roasting.

Elevate your roasted vegetables with a pinch!

Veggie Wunder seasoning

from Kitchen Stories

Check it now

Try these recipes to up your veggie game!

Looking for ideas on how to make and pair the best oven-roasted vegetables? Start with our recipes!
Roasted vegetable couscous
Herby roasted vegetable grain bowl
Roasted root vegetables with brown butter and hazelnuts
Orzo salad with harissa-roasted pumpkin and Brussels sprouts
Sheet pan spring vegetables with miso-tahini sauce

What’s your go-to seasoning for roasted vegetables? Let us know in the comments!