Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

If you’re bored with all the usual side dishes you serve with your meal, then these roast Mediterranean vegetables are perfect for you. They could be served as an appetiser too, but we reckon they’re best as a side with grilled meat or fish, or as part of a BBQ feast.

This is the latest dish in our series of recipes that feature a max of 7 ingredients, all of which any home cook can easily make.

You can do the grilling in advance and just pop the veggies in the oven when you need them, so they are also perfect for a dinner party. So simple, yet such a taste sensation.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables: Ingredients

  • Eggplant (aubergine)
  • Red pepper
  • Basil
  • Zucchini (courgette)
  • Lemon
  • Red onion
  • Garlic

Use a sharp knife or mandolin to slice the eggplant and zucchini. They should all be even in size, so that they cook evenly.

Remove the seeds from the red peppers and add to the tray along with the peeled and roughly chopped onions. Cover with a generous amount of olive oil.

Add the sliced garlic and mix it through the vegetables evenly.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Grate the zest of the lemon.

Add the lemon zest and a generous amount of cracked black pepper and salt to the veggies.

Use your hands (if the are super clean!) or a set of tongs to make sure that everything has been evenly mixed together.

Heat a large chargrill pan to a medium to high heat and start grilling the veg. They will take a couple of minutes on each side and should have those lovely distinctive grill marks. As soon as they are cooked, pop them back on an oven tray.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Do the same with the aubergine, making sure to scrape any of the garlic off when cooking in the pan. It would burn too easily.

The peppers will take slightly longer than the other veggies, but you really want to extract that wonderful sweet flavour.

Finish by tossing the onions in the pan for a couple of minutes. You want to absorb all those lovely juices – make sure to pour the onions and the juice over all the other veggies on the tray.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Pop the tray into the oven at 200C/400F for about 5-6 minutes. Give them a good toss when they come out of the oven to combine all the flavours.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Finely, slice the basil and cut the lemon in half.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Sprinkle the basil over the veggies along with a generous squeeze of lemon. These roast Mediterranean vegetables are one of life’s great dishes.

Simple but delicious.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

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Staff Writer

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