Loaded with a robust array of vegetables you can find in good form year round, like cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and zucchini, and creamy hunks of feta cheese, this hearty roasted vegetable salad is the go-with-the-flow friend who’s happy to follow your mood.
Carry this meal-prep and travel-friendly salad along for a potluck, where it will freshen up anything you plate alongside it.Serve it for a healthy side dish with whatever you have planned for dinner tonight. Most of the cooking happens hands-free while the vegetables roast, so you can use the time while they are in the oven to prepare the rest of your meal.Roast vegetable salad can be the meal. Thanks to hearty additions like chickpeas and the fiber-rich vegetables themselves, it has rib-sticking power.
I originally served this Mediterranean roast vegetable salad tucked inside warm pita bread for a meatless dinner. I think it would be equally delightful over prepared couscous or quinoa. The leftovers I mixed with arugula the next day for lunch. Hello mid-day Mediterranean vacation! As much as I enjoyed the salad when the vegetables were still warm from the oven at dinner, it tasted even better the next day as a cold roasted vegetable salad, once the flavors had a chance to marry in the fridge. Even my husband Ben—a man who rarely says no to meat—finished this vegetarian meal, looked at me very seriously and said, “You can make this any time.” Now that is my kind of endorsement!
How to Make Roast Vegetable Salad
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity here. Though the ingredients and preparation are straightforward, the flavor is complex. Lightly roasting the veggies gives them a bit of caramelization and concentrates their flavors. The easy homemade Greek dressing binds and brightens.
The Ingredients
Cauliflower. Like my tasty roasted vegetable salad Indian-style, Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes, this salad takes full advantage of the magic of roasted cauliflower. Cauliflower caramelizes beautifully, and it soaks up whatever flavors you pair it with. It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Sweet Potato. I adore Roasted Sweet Potatoes, especially in combination with cauliflower. The two are a super pairing (hence, I added them both to the Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken in my cookbook; it’s so yummy I cooked it live on Good Morning America!)Zucchini. Roasted Zucchini is a sweet, tender, and colorful addition to this salad. Plus, zucchini is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Red Onion. One of the most underrated roasted veggies! It crisps, caramelizes, and gives the salad surprising complexity.
Feta. Creamy hunks of this Mediterranean cheese provide just enough saltiness to allow the other flavors to shine. Cheese also makes salads more satisfying.
Chickpeas. Creamy, nutty, and protein-packed. Chickpeas make this salad ultra scrumptious and satisfying.
Parsley. To bring the salad to life.Greekish/Mediterraneanish Dressing. With olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, the dressing is reminiscent of what you might find on a Greek or Mediterranean salad. It’s light, bright, and just flavorful enough to perk up the veggies.
The Directions
How to Serve Roast Vegetable Salad
As a Salad. Serve the roasted veggies over a bed of greens for a healthy and flavorful salad that makes the ideal lunch or dinner.With Grains. The roasted vegetables are delicious served alongside a grain like quinoa, couscous, or rice. This Moroccan Couscous is a favorite.As a Pita Sandwich. Take a note from my Chickpea Salad Sandwich and serve the roasted veggies inside a pita for a tasty sandwich. As a Side Dish. Need an easy side for Chicken Kababs or Grilled Salmon in Foil? This roasted vegetable salad is the perfect thing!
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate roasted vegetables in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days. To Freeze. While I don’t recommend freezing this salad as the vegetables will become mushy, you certainly can try it. Freeze roasted vegetables in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Perk up with fresh dressing.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Baking Sheets. The ideal tool for roasting vegetables. Mixing Bowls. Stackable, dishwasher-safe, and incredibly versatile. Liquid Measuring Cup. This measuring cup is fantastic because it’s microwave and dishwasher-safe.
This summer, roasted vegetable with feta will be my go-to for picnics and potlucks, a sure destination for my farmers market haul, and a lunch I’ll look forward to all morning.
Summer Vegetable Salad. Use a combination of zucchini, yellow summer squash, and red bell peppers.Italian Vegetable Salad. Combine bell peppers, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes.Fall Vegetable Salad. Swap the zucchini for another root vegetable (such as butternut squash) or broccoli.
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