Roasted Root Vegetables | Olives for Dinner (2024)

These roasted root vegetables are fun to arrange and look really pretty once assembled. Very thin slices of red and gold beets and rutabaga alternate to create a visually stunning pattern. I drizzled them with olive oil and thyme, and finished with balsamic vinegar for umami. It created a silky and crispy texture with slightly caramelized edges.

Last week, it was on the cooler side, a bit rainy (for Southern California) and kind of grey outside. I loved it! Wrapping myself in a sweater, I drank tea, listened to Nimrod snore, turned this up, and just felt cozy being inside. I took advantage of the drop in temperature to turn on my oven. Basking in the little waves of heat it gave off felt nice given it’s not always doable in California. Inhaling the aroma of these earthy, slightly sweet beets and rutabaga was heavenly.

Lining up and spiraling out these paper-thin slices of red and gold beets and rutabaga is so relaxing. It allows me to focus on only what’s in front of me, the present moment. This took about 30 minutes to slice and arrange. Or maybe it was more like 45 … I didn’t really time it.

How to arrange these root vegetables in a spiral pattern

Lay alternating slices of the three root vegetables in a strip down yourpalm in a line. You can press sections of it around the pan, starting aroundthe outside, tipping them upwards at a 120-degree angle. Alternatively, you can also lay these beets down flat, which is a bit easier. Just start your spiral in the center and work your way out, like I did for this ratatouille.

To make the sections really tight, go back and insert leftover slices of root vegetables in between the slices. Once completed, push everything down slightly with the palms of your hands. Place into a 400-degree oven for about an hour and watch itbe transformed from this:

To this! You’ll want to oil your pan before adding the mandoline-sliced root vegetables. During th roast time, you’ll want to be generous with another drizzle of oil to prevent burning. Balsamic and fresh thyme are added after the one-hour bake time, then given another 15-minute bake to finish. Serve with fresh focaccia or other crusty bread and a glass of red wine!

Using a Mandoline slicer in this recipe

It’s pretty important to use a mandoline slicer in this recipe. A super-thin slice is going to cook more quickly and evenly than hand cut slice. You can find fancy mandoline slicers with different blades and safety guards. However, it’s not really necessary. I have been using a mandoline slicer I bought for about five dollars at TJ Maxx over a decade ago. It works just fine!

For more beet recipes, check these ideas out!

Salt-Roasted Golden Beets with Teriyaki Sauce and Nori Dust

Roasted Beet Stack with Balsamic Vinegar and Fresh Thyme

Balsamic-Glazed Tofu

Beet Caviar Served Gunkanmaki-Style

This post was last updated on February 9, 2024.