This hearty, full-flavoured and substantial root vegetable salad is adaptable, frugal and very tasty. It is also ideal for using up leftovers. Perfect for picnics, potlucks and barbecues. Naturally gluten free and easily made vegan.
Pesto Roast Vegetable Salad
I love roast vegetables because they are so simple, easy and delicious and as well as adaptable. This root vegetable salad is a great way to use up any roots that are too big or past their best for other recipes. Roasting concentrates the flavours and brings them back to life.
I think this pesto vegetable salad goes well with most mains, but it is also great for bigger gatherings. Serve warm or cold with meats, flans or barbecue dishes. The pesto gives the dish a zesty brightness for summer meals.
For vegan root vegetable salad, choose a dairy-free pesto (or make your own).
How to Make Root Vegetable Salad with Pesto
Step one – First, peel the vegetables and cut into chunks or wedges about the thickness of your thumb. Place in a roasting tray. Then add a good glug of olive oil and salt and pepper. Then give the tray a good shake to coat the vegetables with the oil.
Step two – Place in a moderately hot oven (190°C / 325°F / GM 5). Cook for about 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize. Turn the vegetables once while cooking.
Step three – Put the vegetables in a serving bowl. Add a spoon or two of pesto and another glug of olive oil. Stir well. Serve your root vegetable salad with pesto warm or cold.
Hints, Tips & Variations
- Use a large tray (or two) to give your vegetables plenty of space when roasting, as this helps them to crisp up.
- You can make this with my honey and sherry roasted vegetables.
- Leftover pesto can be frozen. First stir in some extra olive oil and then freeze the jar. The oil will stop it freezing solid, so you can use it from frozen. If you prefer, you can divide the pesto into the cells of an ice cube tray. Then bag up the frozen cubes.
- Make your root vegetable salad vegan by using vegan pesto.
For more inspiration try my Brazilian Roasted Vegetable Feijoada or my honey and sherry glazed roasted vegetables.
Roast Root Vegetables with Pesto
Ingredients
- 750 g root vegetables (A mix of carrots, parsnips, turnip, swede, onions, potato, beetroot etc.)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp pesto
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, peel the vegetables and cut into batons, chunks or wedges about the thickness of your thumb. Place in a roasting tray, add a good glug of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Then give the tray a good shake to coat the vegetables with the oil.
- Place in a moderately hot oven (190°C / 325°F / GM 5) and cook for about 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize. Flip the vegetables once while cooking.
- Place vegetables in a serving bowl. Add a spoon or two of pesto and another glug of olive oil. Stir well. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- You can make this with my honey and sherry roasted vegetables.
- Leftover pesto can be frozen. First stir in some extra olive oil and then freeze the jar - the extra oil will stop it freezing solid, so you can still spoon it from frozen. If you prefer, portion the pesto into an ice cube tray and then bag up once frozen.
- Make this vegan by using vegan pesto.
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in June 2010, but was rewritten and republished with step by step instructions and hints & tips in February 2020.
Amber Shea @Almost Vegan
I definitely agree that roasting is the way to go with root veggies :]
katie
The last bit of winter mixed with the first bit of summer (pesto)! Great idea – and a good way of emptying the fridge of those last bits.
the caked crusader
Lovely dish. I love pesto – I think I could eat it neat from the jar!!!
Miss Anne
Oh Helen – please, please tempt us with beautiful summer salads and strawberries (btw – strawberry pesto. google it. truly delicious). Meanwhile, here in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s winter soltice, and therefore I have months of beautiful sweet roast root vegetables ahead of me! Thanks for reminder about one of the joys of cold weather. xx