Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables Recipe

This recipe for Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables makes a vegetable casserole that is not only a tasty side dish but a healthy one as well. It’s truly an easy recipe for summer vegetables. 

Jump to:

• Introduction
• Mise en Place
• Instructions
• Optional breadcrumb topping
• Tips:
• What do roasted vegetables taste like?
• What are some of the best vegetables to roast?
• Recipe inspiration
• Recipe

Introduction

Are you a fan of roasting vegetables?

If you are, great! You are going to love this recipe 🙂

If you aren’t, I am hopeful that you will give this recipe a try because grilling vegetables really is a game-changer as far as taste is concerned.

I first observed the virtue of oven-roasted vegetables with Brussels sprouts. Growing up, my mom would only ever make us boiled Brussels sprouts, and the smell… oof.

In fact, I was completely turned off until I discovered two cooking techniques. The first was using the stovetop for cooking shaved Brussels sprouts. The second was cooking Brussels sprouts in the oven.

But I did not stop there.

Have you ever tried roasted beets? Oven-roasted broccoli? Grilled fennel? Or what about roasted bell peppers? Roasted root vegetables too -with carrots, beets, parsnips and turnips.

These are just a few of the vegetables that taste incredible when roasted.

I could go on, but I think you can appreciate my fascination with roasting or grilling vegetables. Once you realize that oven-baked vegetables will appease even the pickiest of eaters, I’m sure these recipes will quickly become part of your healthy eating habits. 

Are you ready to witness (and eventually taste) this almost magical transformation of this summer vegetable recipe?

Great!

Let’s start roasting some vegetables that are extremely popular in Italian cuisine.

Mise en Place

Before we start chopping up some wonderful vegetables, let’s get the oven preheated. The temperature to roast vegetables for this particular recipe is 400°F / 200°C. 

We also need a 9 by 13-inch large baking dish. Use a non-stick spray, or brush a thin layer of olive oil to coat the inside. 

Before we start assembling this casserole, we need to slice and saute some of the vegetables. 

Prep and saute the onions, peppers and garlic: More specifically, slice 2 red peppers and 2 medium onions lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices, just like we did for these caramelized onions.

We also need 4-5 roughly chopped garlic cloves. Feel free to use more (or less) according to your personal preference and the size of your cloves. 

In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 

Saute the sliced onions for about 5 minutes or until slightly softened.

Add the red bell peppers, saute another 3-5 minutes or until slightly softened.

Add the garlic and saute briefly for about 1 minute. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

While sauteing the onion and peppers, let’s slice the rest of the vegetables. 

More specifically, slice 1 zucchini, 1 summer squash, 2 Chinese eggplants and 4-5 Roma tomatoes about  ⅛ inch thick. 

Instructions

Now that all of our vegetables are prepped, it’s time to assemble our vegetable casserole dish.

Place the sauteed vegetables (onions, peppers and garlic) in a lightly greased baking dish.

Layer the vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and eggplant), in an alternating pattern in the baking dish, over the sauteed veggies.

Sprinkle with oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the top with 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

You can also place a few sprigs of well-oiled thyme over the top. 

Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 400°F oven for about 40-45 minutes.

You will notice that the vegetables will release some of their moisture. Some of this will evaporate. If desired, the rest of this tasty juice can be drizzled over the top when serving. 

Serve this vegetable dish hot, warm or at room temperature.

Optional breadcrumb topping

If desired, sprinkle a breadcrumb topping evenly over the top 10 minutes before the end of the bake time. 

To make the topping, combine 4 tablespoons of plain breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of grated Romano cheese, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste. If you like, you can also add a pinch of hot pepper flakes or a few pinches of paprika. 

Tips:

• Slice the vegetables uniformly to ensure even roasting.
• Use a combination of fresh vegetables that have the same overall total roasting time.
• Follow the same order of stacked vegetable slices to get a beautiful visual of the dish. 
• Serve this vegetable dish hot, warm or at room temperature.
• The vegetables will release some of their moisture, some of this will evaporate while baking. The rest of this tasty juice can be drizzled over the top when serving. 
• This is a great vegetable side dish to serve a crowd… did someone say Thanksgiving? Don’t forget the Chestnut Stuffing!
• Transform these roasted vegetables into a Roasted Vegetable Pasta -a great weeknight meal!

What do roasted vegetables taste like?

When exposing the vegetables to intense heat, the natural sugars found in the vegetables begin to caramelize. On the outside, this will result in the vegetables becoming golden brown and obtaining a crispy texture.

This process will almost immediately begin to transform the natural sugars found in the vegetables on the inside. The result is a concentrated, naturally sweet flavor distinct from each vegetable.

What are some of the best vegetables to roast?

• eggplant
• zucchini
• peppers
• garlic
• beets
• carrots
• squash
• turnips
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts

…to name but a few!

Recipe inspiration

This healthy side dish would often be found at the supper table during my youth, especially during the summer months when the family garden would be bursting with fresh vegetables.

This vegetable tian would be considered as an appropriate contorno whenever roasts would be served. It never felt like it was the same recipe because the proportions of the ingredients would depend on the vegetables that would be picked on any particular day from the garden.

Eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes are some of the best vegetables to roast. The addition of garlic transforms the dish into a taste sensation!

But that’s not all. The leftovers from this healthy vegetable casserole, if you have any, are great when combined with pasta. 

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

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Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for roasted Italian vegetables, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on August 24, 2018, and republished on August 21, 2020, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing.