Summer dill + delicious root veggies makes for a perfect, colourful side dish. Make a big batch of these on Sunday & try not to eat them all the first night…they’re that good.
I’m going to go a little crazy on you here and post a root vegetable recipe in August. If you’re reading this and it’s not currently 35 degrees Celsius where you are, perhaps this recipe will seem a little less strange. Here in Toronto, in August, root veggies might be the last ingredients on your mind.
BUT…
Beets and carrots are loaded with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Their colour betrays them — veggies of orange and purple are some of the healthiest you can eat. Here are a few more purple suggestions for your shopping list: eggplant; raddichio; purple cabbage; purple potato; red onion. Other oranges/yellows are: squash; orange pepper; yellow beet; sweet potato.
And root veggies are dirt cheap. Plus, they’re in season and available year-round. So they can make a great, cost-effective, flavourful change from the usual tomato-cucumber-lettuce-bell pepper side dishes of Canadian summer.
I love this recipe for a Sunday night side dish, with BBQd pork or chicken, or something yummy out of the slow cooker. Make a double batch and you’ll love these carrots & beets cold, out of the fridge, tossed into your weekday lunch salads.
The dill lends a summery vibe to these old standby veggies, but you could mix it up with any fresh herb from your garden or windowsill. For summer entertaining, more delicate herbs like dill, basil, or chives are “fresher” than their woody, winter herb friends. But the heartier herbs like oregano, rosemary, and thyme would all work well too.
Mixing up your herbs can make this a summer or winter dish! It’s definitely one I will keep in my rotation year-round.
Roasted Carrots & Beets With Dill
Little jewels delicately flavoured with dill, these are the perfect summer root veggies.
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, washed & peeled, if desired*
- 1 lb beets, washed & peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt & fresh pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to minimize mess.
- Chop carrots & beets into evenly-sized chunks, about 1 – 1 1/2 ” in length and relatively uniform thickness.
- Arrange veggies on sheet in single layer, and toss with oil, using your hands to evenly coat.
- Season well with sea salt & fresh pepper.
- Roast 20 minutes. Remove & toss with half the dill.
- Return to oven and roast another 15-20 minutes, depending on size of veggies.
- Remove & toss with remaining dill. Taste & season if needed. Serve!
Notes
* I usually peel non-organic carrots but only scrub organic carrots & leave the fibre-rich skin intact.