How to roast vegetables properly

What good roasting looks like

Well-roasted vegetables are sweet, golden and slightly crisp at the edges, and soft in the middle. Pale, soggy roast vegetables have been steamed, not roasted. Four simple rules fix that.

1. Hot oven

Use a hot oven: 200–220°C (180–200°C fan). Let it heat up fully before the tray goes in.

2. Big tray, single layer

Spread the vegetables out in one layer, with a little space between them. Crowded trays trap steam. If they do not fit, use two trays.

3. Same size pieces

Cut everything about the same size so it cooks evenly. Cut dense vegetables (potatoes, carrots, squash) smaller than soft ones (peppers, courgettes).

4. Enough oil, seasoned well

Toss the vegetables in enough oil to coat them lightly — about 1 tbsp for every 500 g — with salt and pepper. Do this in a bowl, or on the tray with your hands.

Turn once

Turn the vegetables once, halfway through, so both sides brown.

Roasting times at 200°C (180°C fan)

Times are a guide. Ovens differ, so check with a knife: it should slide in easily.