Create Your Own Hearty Roasted Vegetable Salad

Combine mixed greens, caramelized fruits and vegetables, and a warm vinaigrette to make a hearty winter salad.

by Susie Middleton

from Fine Cooking
Issue 133

Create Your Own Hearty Roasted Vegetable Salad

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have salad for dinner on a cold winter’s day than in the middle of summer. That’s because my winter salads are hearty affairs, with tender roasted vegetables and fruits and lots of yummy toppings (like cheese, nuts, and dried fruit), all piled over sturdy greens and dressed in a warm vinaigrette. They’re a perfect marriage of comfort food and fresh ingredients.

I like these salads so much that I’ve come up with a way to vary them infinitely by mixing and matching the ingredients, and now you can, too. As long as you pick at least one item from each category, your winter salads will be chock full of intriguing flavor and texture. And maybe, like me, you’ll never pigeon-hole salads as summertime fare again.

Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish

Roast the vegetables & fruit

The secret to speedy roasted vegetables is a combination of using high heat and cutting the food into small, uniform pieces so they cook quickly. Arrange the vegetables and fruit in a single layer on a heavy-duty baking sheet—no crowding the pan, please!—so they roast, not steam.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. (If using beets, position racks in the upper and lower thirds.)

In a large bowl, combine 1-3/4 lb. mixed winter vegetables and fruits (see options below) with the 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Toss well and transfer to a large rimmed heavy-duty baking sheet. (If you're using beets, toss them separately with oil and salt, and transfer them to their own baking sheet.) Spread into a single layer. Roast, flipping with a spatula halfway through and rotating the baking sheet(s), until browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the sheet(s). Transfer to a large bowl.

Choose 2 to 5 vegetables and/or fruits, for a total of 1-3/4 lb. (trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch dice or wedges; about 6 cups total)

Sweet potatoes (unpeeled)
Red, yellow, or purple potatoes (unpeeled)
Carrots, any color (peeled)
Parsnips (peeled)
Turnips (unpeeled)
Rutabagas (peeled)
Butternut squash (peeled)
Red or yellow beets (unpeeled)
Pears (firm-ripe, unpeeled)
Apples (unpeeled)

Make a warm vinaigrette

Each of these dressings will pair with any combination of roasted fruits and vegetables, so pick whichever you’re in the mood for. Remember to taste the vinaigrette for seasoning before dressing your salad, and don’t be afraid to add more acid if you like it brighter.

Choose one vinaigrette (click the links for the recipes)

Assemble the salad

Lightly season 4 lightly packed cups mixed sturdy winter greens (torn or cut into bite-size pieces if large) with kosher salt and then drizzle with 2 Tbs. of the warm vinaigrette. Toss, taste, and add a little more dressing, if necessary. Arrange the greens on a platter or plates.

Season the roasted vegetables with a pinch more salt, and dress them lightly with 1 to 2 Tbs. of the remaining vinaigrette.

Scatter over the greens, then top with 1/4 cup toasted nuts, 1/3 to 2/3 cup cheese, and 3 Tbs. driedfruit (all optional; see options below). Serve right away, passing the remaining dressing at the table.
Choose 2 to 4 Greens