Roasting vegetables can be a game-changer when it comes to enticing your family to eat their recommended five servings a day. Instead of the usual boiled veggies, roasting them can bring out their natural flavors and make them more appealing.
If you’re still facing resistance from picky eaters, a food expert suggests a simple trick to transform roasted vegetables into a crowd-pleaser. According to Jeanette Hurt, a recipe developer, and writer at Simply Recipes, adding cheese to virtually any vegetable dish can win over even the most hesitant diners.
Jeanette’s technique involves roasting vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil, sometimes with a hint of balsamic vinegar, and seasoning them with salt and pepper. She emphasizes that roasting enhances the inherent sweetness of most vegetables, setting the stage for a delicious dish. Her secret ingredient? Shredded cheese.
The type of cheese you use should complement the specific vegetables you’re cooking. For example, roasted asparagus pairs well with grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, or goat’s cheese. Jeanette recommends adding a tablespoon or two of cheese to the vegetables for optimal flavor.
When it comes to courgettes, cheeses like gouda, Parmesan, Swiss, or cheddar work wonders. For a bold twist, blue cheese can add a unique dimension to the dish. Cauliflower is another versatile vegetable that can be paired with Indian spices and feta or goat cheese for larger florets, while smaller florets go well with cheddar, Swiss, or Gouda.
Broccoli shines when combined with cheddar or cheddar blends, while root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, and sweet potatoes benefit from Swiss cheese, Goudas, and aged cheddars. To elevate the flavors further, adding a splash of cream to the roasting tray along with the cheese when preparing root vegetables can take the dish to the next level.