My 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Better Roasted Vegetables (It’s Already in Your Fridge)

My family eats a lot of vegetables. Part of the reason is that our taste buds love, love, love fresh produce from farmers markets, so there’s usually something green, yellow, or red on our table. And if you’ll let me brag one bit, part of it also is how I prepare them. 

If I’m not making a fresh salad or firing up the grill, the most common cooking technique I employ is roasting. The process couldn’t be simpler. I heat the oven to between 350°F and 400°F, depending on the veggie, brush them with olive oil and sometimes balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle on salt and spices.

Roasting brings out most vegetables’ inherent sweetness, and that’s the first step in making them taste great. I also deploy my secret ingredient: shredded cheese.

How To Shop for High-Quality Cheese On a Budget

If you want to wake up your asparagus or make your cauliflower craveable, add a sprinkle (or a handful) of shredded cheese to it.

I recommend starting with a reasonably high-quality cheese. Fortunately, I’ve found some amazing cheeses—both shredded and wedged—at ALDI. I also look for cheese remnants at my favorite cheese shops (these are orphaned, odd-sized bits of expensive cheese that can be had for just a few bucks). Quality matters because if you use a good Gruyère or a quality cheddar, you don’t have to use as much.

What Kinds of Cheese To Use for Different Vegetables

I use different amounts and types of cheese for different vegetables, though the method is similar for all—roast the vegetables until cooked through, sprinkle them with your cheese of choice, then return them to the oven for just a few minutes to melt the cheese.

I sprinkle roasted asparagus with just a tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or goat cheese. Many different kinds of cheese work for zucchini—Gouda is good(a), parm is delicious, and you can also use Swiss or cheddar. Even blue cheese works, adding a pungent dimension.

Cauliflower is another versatile vegetable. If I’m roasting half heads or large florets, I like to pair Indian spices with a quarter cup or so of feta or goat cheese. If I’ve cut the pieces into smaller florets, then I smother it with cheddar, Swiss, or Gouda, or sometimes all three.  

Broccoli calls for cheddar or cheddar blends, while roasted root vegetables—carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, and sweet potatoes—call for all kinds of Swiss cheese, Goudas, and really strong-tasting cheeses, such as aged cheddars.

I sometimes layer two or three types of root vegetables in a dish with a little cream and then add just a touch of Swiss or Parmesan on top for variety. 

And this might sound a bit odd, but roasted radishes taste like candy. I roast them, and then add just a touch of Parmesan or goat cheese to finish them off. It’s so, so good.