Why You Shouldn't Roast Vegetables In A Baking Dish

A favorite side dish for almost any meal, roasted vegetables require little more than tossing them in a pan, seasoning them properly, and letting them sit in the oven until done. However, just because they're so simple to make doesn't mean you can't sabotage them with the wrong equipment.

To roast your vegetables to perfection every time, you need the right baking sheet, not a baking dish. As vegetables roast, they sweat out their moisture, developing caramelized sugars and tasty textures while soaking in the flavors from every ingredient. However, a baking dish's high walls are designed to retain moisture, not let it evaporate. If you make the mistake of swapping a baking sheet for a dish, you'll find that your vegetables start swimming in their own juices, creating an odd halfway point between roasting and boiling that doesn't have the strengths of either preparation method.

Using a baking sheet is especially important if you're going to skip the oil when roasting vegetables. They'll need to desiccate to some extent in order to absorb flavors added after roasting, especially wet ingredients like butter or vinegar. You can speed up the rate at which vegetables' moisture evaporates without putting in any extra effort by preheating the sheet, just one more trick that doesn't work as well with baking dishes. There are tons of tricks you can use when roasting vegetables in the oven, but only if you use the right baking sheet.

Less of a tip and more of a best practice, it's important you use the right size sheet for the job. If it's too small, you'll crowd your veggies and prevent them from roasting properly and releasing all their juices to evaporate. Since you'll be cooking your vegetables at a relatively high temperature (400 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), you need to give them enough space to develop flavor and shed water.

Whether you use parchment paper or not, the side of a vegetable touching the sheet often cooks faster than the other. For something like Brussels sprouts, this could be a great thing, as it creates crispy, flavorful leaves almost like potato chips. However, for root vegetables with longer roasting times, like carrots, you'll want them to cook more evenly to avoid burning. Remember to flip them halfway through your cook to ensure even browning, texture, and flavor.

If you notice a ton of burnt bits on your sheet, don't scrape them off! Keep your vegetables warm by placing them on a plate, covering it, and setting it in the microwave. Add barely enough water to cover the bottom of the sheet and stick it directly under your broiler for several minutes. Once the burnt bits come off easily, transfer the liquid to a pot and simmer before adding a cornstarch slurry to thicken it into a wonderful gravy that's as easy as it is delicious.