Name: Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 medium carrots; 2 small beets; 1 parsnip; 7.05 ounces celeriac/celery root; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 teaspoons honey (plus 1 for the glaze); 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (such as Italian); ¼ teaspoon onion and garlic granules (each); ⅓ teaspoon fine sea salt and pepper (each); 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (for the glaze)

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Balsamic roasted vegetables are a fantastic side dish perfect for any occasion. The vegetables are immersed in a sweet and savoury balsamic dressing before roasting and finished off with a rich balsamic glaze for maximum flavour.

Check out also spiced roasted vegetable salad!

Side view of roasted balsamic vegetables in white bowl.

Balsamic roasted vegetables are a delicious side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare and made using a handful of ingredients. Simple roasted vegetables are delicious on their own but the addition of the balsamic vinegar (along a few other simple ingredients) really intensifies their flavour.

Balsamic roasted vegetables ingredients and substitutions

Vegetables: I chose a few popular root vegetables, but you can use others, such as sweet potato, turnip, rutabaga/swede, kohlrabi etc.
Balsamic vinegar.
Honey: adds sweetness and flavour. Vegan alternatives include maple or agave syrup.
Dried herbs: I used ready mixed Italian herbs including thyme, rosemary, marjoram and basil, but you can just use one of these or your favourite dried herb mix.
Olive oil.
Onion and garlic granules: add depth of flavour.
Sea salt and pepper.

Balsamic roasted vegetables ingredients in individual dishes. — Ingredients for making balsamic roasted vegetables dressing mixture.

Does this recipe work with other vegetables

Yes, it does! Balsamic vinegar can be used to enhance the flavour of virtually all roasted vegetables so use seasonal produce or what you have on hand.

Top tip

Softer vegetables, such as zucchinis, for example, may need less time in the oven (alternatively cut them into thicker pieces).

Is it better to peel the vegetables

Not necessarily. If you prefer a more robust side dish you may want to roast the vegetables unpeeled (though I do recommend peeling the celeriac as it’s hard to remove all the soil from its knotted, wiry skin). Just scrub them thoroughly.

How to cut the vegetables for roasting

Cut the carrots and parsnip along their length and width in half or into quarters depending on their thickness (see photos below). Cut the celeriac into similar size pieces (so they cook evenly) and the beets into slightly smaller pieces as they take a little longer to cook.
Don’t cut the vegetables too big as they’ll take longer to cook and the balsamic might cause them to char.
If your vegetable pieces are quite small you may need to shorten roasting time.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/fan 190 C/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Make the balsamic mixture by combining the balsamic vinegar, oil, seasoning, herbs and 3 teaspoons of honey. Stir well and set aside.

Balsamic dressing in white bowl with orange spatula.

2. Peel or scrub the vegetables (the celeriac should ideally be peeled) and cut into similar size pieces.

3. Place the vegetables in a large bowl (all except the beets), drizzle over the dressing and stir until all the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Arrange on top of the sheet without overlapping one another (leave the leftover dressing in the bowl).

Coating peeled chopped root vegetables in balsamic mixture.

4. Place the beets in the dressing mixture, coat thoroughly and place on top of the sheet (keep the beets separate from the rest of the vegetables). Reserve the leftover balsamic mixture.

Roast in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are 95% cooked (still slightly underdone, check with a fork).

Pieces of root vegetables on top of parchment ready for roasting.

5. Approx. 15 minutes into roasting start making the balsamic dressing. Pour the leftover dressing into a small pan and add a teaspoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Simmer gently for 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes syrupy stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Making balsamic glaze in small pan with orange spatula.

6. Remove the vegetables from the oven and brush the balsamic glaze over the tops then place the baking tray back in the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.

Top tip

If the glaze becomes too thick add a drop of balsamic vinegar or soy sauce to loosen the consistency before coating the vegetables.

Roasted sticky vegetable pieces on parchment with pastry brush.

7. Remove your balsamic roasted vegetables from the oven and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

Roasted vegetables with balsamic vinegar are the perfect holiday season side dish. They make an ideal accompaniment to any centrepiece whether it’s roast beef, duck, chicken or turkey or nut roast.

These balsamic vegetables also go well with other festive side dishes such as stuffing (both meat and vegetarian) and cranberry sauce.

Can I roast the vegetables along with the leftover balsamic mixture

I do not recommend it as most of the mixture will end up stuck to the parchment paper. Turning your leftover dressing into a glaze makes the most of these delicious ingredients adding lots more flavour to the finished dish.

What to do with leftover roasted balsamic vegetables

Serve hot with your favourite tomato sauce and freshly cooked pasta for an easy vegetarian meal idea.
Add to a pasta or rice salad along with fresh herbs, drizzle of lemon juice and oil.
Combine with leftover chicken or turkey, stir in a little sundried tomato pesto or cranberry chutney and serve in a panini.
Turn into a satisfying snack by serving alongside grilled halloumi.
Combine with other holiday leftovers and crunchy lettuce, add a dollop of ranch dressing or vegan caesar dressing and enjoy as a salad meal.

Top down view of sticky balsamic roasted vegetables in white bowl with spoon.

Top tips

Do NOT leave the vegetables in the balsamic mixture to marinate as they will start releasing water. Coat in the mixture then roast immediately.
I recommend using rubber gloves when preparing the beets.
Beets are very tough so you can cut them into slightly smaller pieces than the other vegetables (to ensure they cook evenly).
Use a large baking sheet so the vegetables are not overlapping one another and roast evenly. Keep the beets separate as they might stain the other vegetables.
It’s important to roast the vegetables in the centre of the oven (so the temperature is not too low or too high), unless using a fan-assisted oven (where temperature should be equal everywhere).
These balsamic roasted vegetables are best served immediately.
Not suitable for freezing.

Check out also these other side dish recipe ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make this balsamic roasted vegetables recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. What vegetables did you use? Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables