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The Sides That Earn the Second Helping π₯¦
Published about 6 hours agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hi Reader,
Somewhere in the first cool week, I realize I've been cheating on vegetables all summer. β Don't get me wrong. I adore tomatoes still warm from the vine, sweet corn dripping with butter, and zucchini that somehow keeps multiplying when you're not looking. But then the first cool evening arrives, I turn the oven back on, and suddenly I'm head over heels for brassicas again. β Brussels sprouts. Broccolini. Cauliflower. Cabbage. β Poor things. They spent decades in boiling water. Entire generations were convinced vegetables were supposed to be gray, limp, and smell faintly of gym socks. Whoever decided that should've had their roasting privileges revoked. β Then someone figured it out. I like to think it was an impatient home cook with a hot oven and good olive oil. Roast them until the edges caramelize, and they taste like a different vegetable entirely. Bitterness softens. The sugars caramelize. The crispy bits disappear from the sheet pan while the rest of the dinner is still cooking. (If you've ever blamed that on "evaporation," welcome to my support group.) β These days, vegetables aren't a side thought. Give them enough heat, enough time, and maybe a little garlic, and they're gone before the main course.
The Secret Is a Little Char
Don't fear high heat. Most fall vegetables brown properly at 425Β°F or hotter. You want browned edges, crispy leaves, and deep caramelization, not pale, steamed vegetables with a roasted label on them.
Give them breathing room. Crowded vegetables steam instead of roasting. Use two sheet pans if you have to. Your patience will be rewarded with crispy edges instead of soggy disappointment.
A sharp note at the end. A squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of tahini, toasted walnuts, or a shower of Parmesan are what they need once the pan comes out.
Mix textures. Creamy roasted cauliflower, crunchy Brussels sprouts, tender broccolini, and charred greens all bring something different to the plate. Variety keeps everyone reaching for seconds.
These belong on a Tuesday. They go just as well next to a midweek roast chicken as they do beside a holiday turkey. Make one and watch the most devoted carnivore at your table go back for the broccolini.
Roasted broccoli with soy sauce. It's a simple, quick, easy, cheap side dish. And kids as well as adults are demanding seconds. Yes, seconds. Of broccoli. Believe it.
Feel free to prepare your Brussels sprouts on the stovetop if you prefer. Just pan fry the veggies and meat in olive oil over high heat until crispy, then toss with the nuts to finish.
This roasted cauliflower with cilantro sauce is a quick and easy side dish made with a whole cauliflower broken into florets and roasted in a chili powder and paprika spice blend until crispy at the edges and tender throughout.
These spicy roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed with a fragrant spice blend before roasting. They turn crispy on the outside and tender within. Then they're finished with dried cranberries and pecans. An easy and healthy side dish.
This broccoli rabe with roasted garlic is mellowed by sweet, roasted garlicky goodness and spiked with the warmth of red pepper flakes. An easy side dish for weeknight dinners. Here's how to prepare it.
Roasted red cabbage (actually, some would argue it looks more like PURPLE cabbage) is so incredibly easyβand surprisingly satisfyingβto make in the oven. Simply toss with oil and cook.
For this broccolini with tahini sauce, boiled broccolini gets glammed up with an easy tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil sauce. Take to the catwalk, baby.
Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laughs in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join 40,000 food lovers and subscribe.
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