I spent the better part of my pregnancy despising veggies. I’m making up for lost time with these DELICIOUS Herb Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction. They are the perfect healthy side to any meal and they’re super flexible- use practically whatever vegetables you want!
Have you ever tried balsamic reduction? If not, you are in for a treat. You can easily make it yourself (which I did– see recipe below) by simmering balsamic vinegar until it’s reduced by half. The result is a thick, sweet, syrupy sauce that tastes amazing on these veggies, drizzled over pizza, on a Caprese salad, or even on strawberries. Some people make it with added sugar, which you can do if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary (plus it’s healthier without).
You can also buy balsamic reduction already made- Trader Joe’s has a great one without any added sugar. You can find other brands at your local grocery store where the balsamic vinegar is.
For this recipe, I used zucchini, cauliflower, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. You can use other veggies if you want- sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, asparagus… really anything would be great! It’s an awesome way to use up any random produce you have hanging out in your fridge before it goes bad.
I have two tricks for making the best roasted vegetables:
- Mix the veggies, oil, and spices in a bowl first, then place on baking sheet. I find the oil coats more evenly this way, so you can use less and the veggies get more evenly browned than when you drizzle it over on the baking sheet.
- Use a Nordicware half bakers sheet– the heavy duty aluminum ensures even cooking and no buckling under temperature changes.
Recipe for Herb Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction below! Enjoy :-)
Herb Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 zucchini quartered and sliced
- 1 small red onion halved and sliced (or 1/2 large)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or 2 tablespoons store bought balsamic glaze, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix together olive oil (2 tablespoons), vegetables, fresh rosemary (1 tablespoon), fresh thyme (1 tablespoon), and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Spread evenly on rimmed baking sheet and roast in oven for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and tender.
- Meanwhile, simmer balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup) and whisk constantly until reduced by half; about 5 minutes (skip if using store bought balsamic glaze)
- Serve vegetables drizzled with balsamic reduction/glaze.
Notes
- You can use other vegetables in place of or in addition to the ones listed- squash, sweet potato, broccoli, asparagus... anything you need to get rid of in your fridge!
- To save time, use store-bought balsamic glaze. Keep in mind, it may have added sugars or ingredients, depending on brand.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
RossC
A yummy idea… also… balsamic reduction is wonderful with eggs, such as your mushroom and cheddar omelette…
Elizabeth
What an awesome idea- I never thought of putting it on eggs! I’ll have to try that.
Bethany @ athletic avocado
Balsamic reduction makes everything taste better! I’m totally craving these delicious looking veggies right now!
Elizabeth
Seriously… I’m obsessed with balsamic reduction!!