If you have already seen my previous blog posts, you know that I am taking a deep dive into the world of apples to celebrate the fall season. I'm tired of pumpkin spice everything. I wanted to showcase a different fall trendgredient: the humble apple. My Autumn Roasted Vegetables feature oven roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and Granny Smith apples! I roast them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, I toss them with freshly chopped parsley. They pair beautifully as the side dish to my Chicken Thighs with Apple Cider Sauce.
A Vegetable Convert
I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I used to HATE most vegetables. I would go to great lengths to avoid veggies. I realize now that the reason for my vegetable aversion was not the vegetables themselves. The reason was I did not have much experience with properly cooked vegetables. If you want people to eat your vegetables, please kindly follow the rules below.
The Three Cardinal Rules For Vegetable Preparation:
- 1: Do NOT boil them forever until they turn gray and mushy.
- 2: Do NOT serve them unseasoned - salt and pepper are a must!
- 3: Do NOT be afraid to brighten them up using other flavors - lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or a fresh herb, like chopped parsley.
My foolproof way of preparing most vegetables is by roasting them. A side of roasted vegetables is my favorite way to add color and flavor to a dish, not to mention nutrients! In a future article, I will write about all of the different roasted vegetables I prepare on a regular basis. Once you learn how to roast them, your vegetable woes will disappear.
Apples in Roasted Vegetables?!
I know, it seems very unconventional to include fruit with your roasted vegetables. But how off-the-wall is it? People make salads with berries all the time. We often find dried fruit like raisins and dried cranberries cooked in stuffings and side dishes, especially during the holidays. We mix citrus with savory foods all the time. So, my thought is - why not?
The autumn vegetables I use are very complimentary of one another. The sweet potatoes and parsnips become sweet as they caramelize in the oven. The Brussels sprouts become crispy and the apples add a punchy tartness that rounds out the whole dish. After they come out of the oven, I toss them with some chopped fresh parsley to brighten them up.
I serve these roasted vegetables year-round, but they are so fun to serve in the autumn. Their heartiness and sweetness remind me of the holidays. If you make the Chicken Thighs with Apple Cider Sauce, you can drizzle the Apple Cider Sauce on them! Delish!
Essential Tools
Please note, this post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small commission on the sale of these items at no cost to you.
All of my posts contain my recommendations for essential tools. I have researched these tools. Many of them are already in my kitchen. The tools that are not come highly rated. I do the research so you don’t have to and I only recommend high-quality tools.
If you are just starting to furnish your kitchen with tools or if you are looking to expand your kitchen toolkit, be sure to reference Expert Guide: Equip Your Kitchen for Less Than $200. This guide contains links to all of the equipment items I recommend for a basic kitchen set up.
My essential tools when making this autumn roasted vegetables recipe include the following:
Autumn Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sweet potatoes chopped into 1" cubes
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts halved
- 1 lb. parsnips chopped into 1" chunks
- 1 lb. tart apples (I prefer Granny Smith) quartered, then sliced, skin on
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper coarsely ground
- 1 tbsp. parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, and apples. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss together.
- Spread vegetable mixture in an even layer on 2 large baking sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, that is okay. Just roast in 2 batches).
- Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, tossing with a spatula halfway through cooking time.
- When vegetables are fork tender and caramelized, remove them and let them cool slightly. Add them to a serving bowl and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve and enjoy!
Such a beautiful fall medley of vegetables. I can only imagine how good it tastes! The addition of apples is certainly different but intriguing. I'll have to give it a try.
Thank you, Judee! I would love to hear what you think when you make them. I usually serve these vegetables as a side dish. They also taste delicious tossed with greens and served as a roasted vegetable salad. Happy cooking! 🙂