Cajun Spice Roasted Vegetables

The rich flavor of roasted, caramelized vegetables reminds me of grilled kabobs in the summertime. Roasting is one of my favorite but most underused ways of cooking vegetables. For some reason, it seems like it would be more work than quickly sauteing but generally the opposite is true: cut, season, mix, roast. Another great thing about roasted vegetables is that the flavor tends to go very well with bold flavors like Cajun seasoning which was the theme for the meal this night.

For this meal, I used zucchini, broccoli, and mushrooms but you can always use others. First, wash and cut your vegetables. Season them and coat with oil in a 9×13 inch baking dish. You can use pre-mixed Cajun seasoning but I prefer to use the individual spices so that I can control things (like the level of heat) more easily. Unfortunately, my kids aren’t sold on spicy foods yet so this recipe will be very mild in regards to heat. Add more cayenne if you like yours spicy.

Set the oven to 425 degrees with the convection setting on if you have it. If not, you will likely need to cook your vegetables on the longer side of the estimated time range. I put mine on the top rack, close to the heating element and stired them about about 10 minutes into cooking. After 5-8 more minutes, they are ready!

I served these vegetables with a red bean étouffée and roasted garlic pilaf-style rice.

I loved how simple they were to cook so I could really dedicate my time to the étouffée. Hope they are a hit in your home too!

Cajun Spice Roasted Vegetables

Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Bold roasty flavor! Great vegetable side dish

Credit: http://www.lavenderlemonandsage.home.blog

recipe-ingredients]
– 1/2 lb. broccoli florets
– 1 zucchini, 1/4 inch slices
– 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 3/4 teaspoon paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
– Pinch or two black pepper
– Pinch or two cayenne pepper[/recipe-ingredients]