Balsamic Maple Roasted Roots with Brussels sprouts

In this medley of maple roasted vegetables, a touch of maple syrup and balsamic vinegar heighten the natural sweetness of roots and Brussels sprouts. Oven-roasting brings out the natural sweetness of many vegetables — especially root vegetables. Even seasonings are optional — roasting brings out such incredible flavors that it’s best to keep it simple.

In most cases, just the lightest sprinkling of salt and pepper is all you’ll need. This medley of balsamic and maple roasted vegetable gets an extra flavor kick with vinegar and syrup in perfect balance.

Tips and variations for maple roasted vegetables

The nice thing about most any kind of roasted vegetable preparation is that the recipe serves mainly as a guideline — there’s not much more to them than cut, toss with oil, and roast in a hot oven until lightly and evenly golden.

You can vary the vegetables suggested here, as well as the amounts, as there’s no need to measure each vegetable precisely, as long as your pan holds them comfortably.

Here are a few ways to vary the recipe:

• Stir in ribbons of collard greens or lacinato kale, about 10 minutes before the vegetables are done.
• Substitute other vegetables each time you make this. Other root vegetables that work well are sweet potatoes, parsnips, daikon or other hardy radishes, turnip, and rutabaga. Try cauliflower and/or broccoli in place of Brussels sprouts.
• Add some chopped garlic to the mix for even deeper flavor.

Tips for the beets: Peeling raw beets is challenging. It helps a lot to partially cook them, either in a saucepan covered in water, or in the microwave (2 to 3 minutes per raw beet, depending on size).

Cook just until you can poke through about a quarter inch into the beet. Let the beets cool to room temperature (if you need to expedite this, plunge them into a bowl of ice water).

To minimize the mess when cutting, peel the beets over the trash or compost container, then slice or chop them on a cutting board covered with wax paper. 

Many ways to serve maple roasted vegetables

This is a fantastic side dish for any kind of cool-weather meal. In addition, here are a few ideas for ways to serve this both as a main dish and a salad:

• To make this a main dish, serve on a bed of cooked lentils or quinoa.
• This can be transformed into a delicious salad. Let the vegetables cool and serve over mixed greens. Give the salad a little crunch with sliced red bell peppers.
• While you have the oven going, roast some tofu or tempeh in teriyaki marinade (or even bottled or homemade sesame-ginger dressing) to serve alongside these yummy roasted veggies.
• Leftovers are delicious in wraps. Chop a bit more finely so that they wrap up more easily. Spread a wrap with hummus, add a handful of leafy greens and a dollop of these roasted vegetables, roll up, and enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner.

See lots more delicious roasted vegetable recipes and 8 Easy Roasted Vegetable Dishes That Hardly Need Recipes

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Yield: 6

Balsamic and Maple Roasted Roots with Brussels Sprouts

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In this medley of maple roasted vegetables, a touch of maple syrup and balsamic vinegar heighten the natural sweetness of roots and Brussels sprouts.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium beets (red or golden), peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks (see note)
• 
6 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch sections (or 2 cups baby carrots)

• 1 pound tiny new potatoes or fingerlings, cut in half
• 
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 
Fresh rosemary or dill leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F. 
2. Prepare all the vegetables as directed, and place in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Combine the oil, syrup, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together. Drizzle into the vegetables and stir together. 
4. Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined roasting pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. The vegetables should be tender on the inside and touched with golden brown on the outside. 
5. Season with salt and pepper; then transfer to a covered serving container and keep warm until serving. Garnish with fresh rosemary or dill, if you’d like.

Notes

Variations

• Stir in ribbons of collard greens or lacinato kale, about 10 minutes before the vegetables are done.
• Substitute other vegetables each time you make this. Other root vegetables that work well are sweet potatoes, parsnips, daikon radish, turnip, and rutabagas. Try cauliflower and/or broccoli in place of Brussels sprouts.
• Add some chopped garlic to the mix for even deeper flavor.

Tips for the beets: Peeling raw beets is challenging. Partially cooking them, either in a saucepan covered in water, or in the microwave (about 2 minutes per raw beet) really helps.

Cook just until you can poke through about a quarter inch into the beet. Let the beets cool to room temperature (if you need to expedite this, plunge them into a bowl of ice water).

To minimize the mess when cutting, peel the beets over the trash or compost container, then slice or chop them on a cutting board covered with wax paper. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 4g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

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Photos: Jeni photo / Bigstock