Name: Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound asparagus spears (tough ends removed); 2 cups buttercup squash (cubed); 2 cups cauliflower florets; 2 cups zucchini (sliced); 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil; ½ teaspoon onion powder; Salt and pepper to taste; Lemon or lime juice; Flaky sea salt (for finishing); Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, fresh basil); Favorite salad dressing

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Who doesn’t love fresh grilled vegetables? In this recipe, I’m sharing my favorite summer roasted vegetable salad that’s a super simple side dish, it’s easy to make and is healthy to eat! This roasted vegetable salad also is perfect for meal prep and the best way to use up your produce before the end of the week!

a big green bowl filled with roasted squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and asparagus, drizzled with a creamy white salad dressing, topped with roasted nuts and seeds

Roasted summer vegetables for the win!

Have you ever gone to the grocery stores and picked up all the wonderful vegetables available to you, only to discover that you’re nearing the end of the week and your vegetables are looking rather sad?

Well, this is what happens to me quite often (more than I would like to admit!).

Usually, I have every intention of using all my vegetables, and most times, I turn the rest of the vegetables into a stirfry, but this time, I was wanting to make something different, hence my Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad!

I think everyone loves fresh summer produce, I mean, there’s just so much variety to choose from!

a close up shot of a green bowl filled with roasted squash, cauliflower, zucchini, and asparagus with a creamy herb salad dressing in a mason jar in the upper right corner

Even if you plant your own garden full of fresh greens and fresh herbs, you can turn your produce into easy recipes with this simple technique by making a summer salad with roasted vegetables.

What I love about this roasted summer vegetable salad is that you can eat this straight from the oven or the hot grill, you can eat this warm, or even at room temperature.

I think this will also taste better the next day! Either option you choose, the simple salad will still be phenomenal.

You can easily make this into a main dish by adding in your favorite protein sources such as chickpeas, lentils, seitan, or tofu! This will make a great salad that is filling and super satisfying.

Even better, how about upping the flavor factor of your next potato salad with your summer roasted vegetables!

As a student studying nutrition and a Registered Nurse (RN), I want to dive right in and share with you the health benefits of this Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad!

You’ll love this recipe because it’s:

Using what you have on hand: No need to source special ingredients to make this salad. It’s best to use what you have on hand! This recipe helps you to use up what’s already in your fridge and encourages you can reduce your food waste.

The perfect make-ahead meal: Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or you’re having a dinner party, this tasty roasted salad can be made in advance! It’s the easiest way to get more veggies in and it’s such a healthy side dish with great flavors.

Easy to customize: I know I’m always looking for new recipes which makes me love meals that are easy to put together. You can easily customize the seasonings and roast these vegetables to put in pasta, in a soup, a curry, a salsa, or serve alongside your favorite salad dressing!

a wood cutting board with squash, asparagus, zucchini and cauliflower displayed on top

Ingredients & Substitutions:

Buttercup squash: I love buttercup squash and frequently have this amazing vegetable on hand. Buttercup squash has a soft, butter-like texture when roasted and lends itself to taking on seasonings very well. I put squash in my curries because it doesn’t break down completely when cooked for a long time and I love that squash has a lot of indigestible fiber that prevents blood sugars from spiking once eaten.

Asparagus: Asparagus is so good when roasted is a vegetable that has so many amazing nutritional benefits to it. For one, asparagus is so low in calories and is good when eaten in pregnancy as asparagus is super rich in folate – an important B-9 vitamin that helps prevent neural tube abnormalities in a growing fetus.

Cauliflower: Cauliflower is such an amazing vegetable! Because broccoli is my favorite vegetable on this planet (it really is!), cauliflower naturally follows along. Some people may think that cauliflower isn’t nutritious because it’s white in color, but in truth, cauliflower is loaded with Vitamin C, K, and fiber!

Zucchini: Also known as a courgette) is a high water content vegetable which may assist in moving food through your digestive tract easier & it’s been shown to help people with diabetes lower their blood sugar.

Tips:

You can use any vegetables you like in this roasted vegetable salad! Try beets, carrots, green beans, yellow squash, red onion, cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash – anything goes!

Turn this into a full meal by adding your favorite protein source: tofu, lentils, chickpeas, or even seitan.

You don’t have to use much oil for this recipe – a little goes a long way! If you are limiting your oil intake, you can omit to add oil to your vegetables.

Serve this salad warm or at room temperature.

Instructions:

Gather all ingredients and line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Farenheight and wash & slice your zucchini into half-moon shapes, safely remove the tough outer skin of your buttercup squash and cut it into equal-sized cube shapes.

Take your cauliflower and remove the outer green leaves (TIP: save these outer cauliflower leaves ro make your own healthy veggie stock!), and remove the inner core of your cauliflower and break down your cauliflower into floret bite-sized pieces.

Place all of your vegetables on your baking sheet in a single layer, separating each vegetable into its own compartment on your baking sheet.

Drizzle your vegetables with olive oil and your seasonings and roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, removing the pan from the oven to turn the vegetables and placing back in the oven to continue to roast for another 5-10 minutes, or until your vegetables are nicely browned and your squash is tender.

Once roasted to your desired doneness, remove from the oven and sprinkle with some flaky sea salt, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or vegan feta cheese & serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature before serving.