Harissa Roasted Vegetables

There was a long stretch of my life when dinner sides were a huge afterthought. I’d put all my effort into the main—hot honey salmon, homemade veggie burgers, a roast chicken—then rip open a bag of frozen vegetables and steam them with a little salt. There was nothing noteworthy about them; they simply filled my veggie quota. But I had it all wrong. It hardly takes any effort to be a bit more intentional with dinner sides, and these harissa roasted vegetables are proof.

All you have to do here is toss cauliflower florets, sliced onions and jaunty-cut carrots and sweet potatoes in a sticky, spicy and sweet harissa glaze. The glaze is quick to stir together, with equal parts harissa paste, honey and olive oil, and a little garlic and salt. Everything bakes on a sheet tray in just under an hour, which gives the veggies enough time to really caramelize. Finish them in a cooling, tangy whipped feta dip that can be made in advance, then garnish the dish with refreshing mint. It’s quick and easy, yet still infinitely better than anything steamed in the microwave.

Ingredients for Harissa Roasted Vegetables

• Harissa chili paste: Harissa is a thick chile paste made from ground chiles, garlic, oil, cumin, coriander and paprika. It’s used as condiment in North Africa and the Middle East in the same way that ketchup is used in the United States (though it tastes completely different). Make your own harissa paste, or buy a jar from the store.
• Honey: A little honey sweetens the glaze, giving it a “swicy” (sweet and spicy) flavor. The sugars from the honey also help the veggies brown and caramelize. If you love hot honey, you’ll love this addition.
• Olive oil: Olive oil provides fat for flavor, and promotes browning. There’s a lot here (1/4 cup!), so be sure to use a good olive oil for the best flavor—but don’t spring for a finishing oil.
• Veggies: Our mix of veggies includes cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots and onions. These hearty vegetables finish cooking around the same time, but cutting them to equal sizes is key.
• Mint: Fresh mint adds a much-needed pop of green and refreshing flavor to the rich, spicy and creamy components.
• Whipped feta dip: Our whipped feta dip is made by blending good feta, plain Greek yogurt, Greek seasoning, garlic, lemon zest and a little olive oil. It’s optional, but its creaminess really cools down the harissa (and it’s such a pretty finisher).

Directions

Step 1: Make the whipped feta

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the crumbled feta, plain Greek yogurt, Greek seasoning, garlic and grated lemon zest in a food processor. Process them until they’re smooth, adding the olive oil as needed. Cover the dip and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve the vegetables.

Step 2: Mix the harissa glaze

In a large bowl, whisk together the harissa, honey, olive oil, minced garlic and salt. Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss to thoroughly coat them.

Step 3: Bake the vegetables

Spread the harissa-coated vegetables on a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Roast the vegetables until they’re fork-tender, stirring occasionally, 45 to 50 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Try not to let anything overlap, or the vegetables will steam rather than caramelize.

Step 4: Garnish the dish

Spoon the whipped feta over the vegetables and garnish with the fresh mint.

Recipe Variations

• Switch up the veggies: No need to stick to our suggested veggies. Switch any of them out for eggplant, red onions, broccoli, potatoes, parsnips or radishes. Try to cut them into the same size so they bake evenly and are all done at the same time.
• Add a crunchy component: Finish your harissa roasted veggies with pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, toasted hazelnuts or roasted chickpeas for extra texture.
• Play with herbs: If mint feels too adventurous, replace it with parsley, cilantro or chives. Or, make a tender-stem herb medley with them all for a flavorful finish.

How to Store Harissa Roasted Vegetables

Allow your harissa roasted vegetables to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Only add whipped feta dip and mint garnish to the vegetables you know you’ll eat, and store them separately in the fridge for better reheating. Everything can be kept in the fridge for up to four days.

How do you reheat harissa roasted vegetables?

Reheat harissa roasted vegetables in a 350° oven until they’re heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Finish them with leftover whipped feta dip and mint for garnish.

Harissa Roasted Vegetables Tips

What do you serve with harissa roasted vegetables?

Serve harissa roasted vegetables as a side to fish dishes like lemon-baked cod and hot-honey salmon. It’s also a fantastic addition to a lemon-and-herb roasted chicken. For something a bit simpler, spoon the harissa roasted vegetables over perfectly fluffy rice and top it all with a fried egg. I love this side with grilled steaks, too!

Do I have to make the whipped feta? Can I use something else?

No, you don’t have to make the whipped feta dip for your harissa roasted veggies, but I do recommend serving a creamy component in its place to cool down the spice. Instead, serve store-bought tzatziki, yogurt dips, caramelized onion dip, ranch dip or baba ghanoush. You could also just crumble feta over the top.

How can I make my harissa roasted vegetables brown better?

To make the harissa roasted vegetables brown better, split the mixture between two sheet pans. When veggies are crowded on a single pan, they’re more likely to steam than to caramelize. Splitting them promotes air flow and direct heat. Just be careful with your oven’s temperatures; anything I put on the lower oven rack cooks more quickly than anything on the middle or top racks. Yours might be the same or the opposite, so just keep an eye out.