Roasted Root Vegetable Salad (Printable version)
Hearty salad featuring roasted root vegetables, tangy feta, and a fresh vinaigrette dressing.
# Ingredient list:
→ Root Vegetables
01 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
02 - 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
03 - 2 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Salad Base
09 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or baby kale)
→ Toppings
10 - 3.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
11 - ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 teaspoon honey
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine carrots, parsnips, beets, and sweet potato. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried thyme until evenly coated.
03 - Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and tender.
04 - Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
05 - Arrange mixed greens on a serving platter or bowl. Top with warm roasted vegetables.
06 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad, then sprinkle crumbled feta, toasted nuts, and chopped parsley atop.
07 - Serve immediately while vegetables remain slightly warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Those first bites hit you with natural sweetness you didn't expect—the roasting process brings out the vegetables' hidden sugars, making every piece taste like it's been caramelized into something fancier than it really is.
- It comes together in just over an hour and feels hearty enough to serve as a main dish, but light enough that you won't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
- Don't skip the halfway stir during roasting—those vegetables that stay still will brown on one side and stay pale on the other, and you'll miss out on the caramelization that makes this dish shine.
- The vegetables taste best while they're still warm, so time your roasting so everything finishes just before you're ready to serve; a cold roasted vegetable salad is a different (sadder) dish entirely.
03 -
- Cut your vegetables slightly larger than you think you need to—they'll shrink more than expected during roasting, and bigger pieces stay firmer and less shriveled at the edges.
- Make the dressing while the vegetables roast so you can warm the vinaigrette slightly before drizzling, which helps it blend better and taste more cohesive with the warm salad.