Ovens are powerful and amazing cooking devices, and I rely on mine almost every day to enjoy delicious roasted vegetables. From broccoli and sweet potatoes for quick and easy weekday sides to whole stalks of Brussels sprouts when friends come over for dinner, roasted vegetables are the unsung heroes of my kitchen.
If you've ever wondered why some of the vegetables you roast come out perfectly, while others look like charred bits from a campfire or turn mushy, I have the answer for you. I'll share my secret – the only temperature I use to cook vegetables in the oven – and specific cooking times for a variety of vegetables.
The golden temperature
Whether it's florets of broccoli or cauliflower, cubes of butternut squash, potatoes or mushrooms, the key to the most flavorful roasted vegetables is cooking them to the right temperature. The best temperature for roasting vegetables is 425°F. This is the perfect place to get crisp-tender vegetables with just the right amount of browning.
Our favorite oven thermometer
Is your oven actually heating to the right temperature? Some ovens run hot, while others run cold. The only way to know is to insert a thermometer inside the oven. Even an affordable oven thermometer like this $5 one can get the job done.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Why 425°F is the best temperature for roasting vegetables
Roasting and baking are methods of cooking food by circulating hot air. The two are often used interchangeably, but I associate roasting with a higher temperature than baking.
Cooking occurs between 325°F and 375°F. Consider recipes for banana bread, pumpkin muffins, cakes and cookies that rely on these temperatures to give them a chance to rise, bake and develop flavor.
Roasting, on the other hand, occurs between 400°F and up to 475°F. A higher temperature cooks food faster, giving it a crisp, golden exterior while the interior remains tender and not overcooked. After years of testing, I have found that 425°F produces the best roasted vegetables.
Can you cook vegetables at a lower temperature? Of course you can! A lower temperature, say between 350°F and 375°F, means a longer cooking time, which will result in limp, overcooked vegetables that never have a chance to caramelize or turn crispy. If these things don't matter to you, a lower temperature will be just fine for you.
What if you roasted vegetables at a higher temperature? Once again, yes, it’s okay! However, higher temperatures will increase the risk of burning, especially with more delicate foods like broccoli florets and asparagus. You will need to watch them while they roast. A higher temperature will also cook the exterior faster, so firmer vegetables like winter squash may end up getting burned before they're fully cooked.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
How long to roast your vegetables
At 425°F, here's how long it takes to roast about a pound of the following vegetables, cut evenly into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. Be sure to use a large baking sheet to leave enough space between each piece and stir once or twice halfway through cooking.
- Asparagus: 12 to 15 minutes
- Broccoli florets: 15 to 20 minutes
- Brussels sprouts: 15 to 20 minutes
- Carrots: 15 to 25 minutes
- Cauliflower florets: 15 to 20 minutes
- Parsnips: 15 to 25 minutes
- Potatoes: 30 to 45 minutes
- Summer squash: 10 to 15 minutes
- Sweet potatoes: 30 to 45 minutes
- Winter squash: 30 to 60 minutes
