The Common Mistake You're Making When Roasting Veggies, According to Our Test Kitchen Experts

Cooking at home can feel overwhelming, especially for someone like me—a recent college graduate. Sure, I cooked in college, but my meals were mostly limited to ramen, chicken nuggets, and pizza rolls (sorry, Mom!). Now that I'm expected to function as a proper adult, I have to figure out how to cook a meal that goes beyond those classic college staples. One simple dish I love making is spaghetti paired with roasted Brussels sprouts and a medley of other veggies.

Unfortunately, my roasted veggies never seem to turn out right—either they’re too crispy or not crispy enough. The good news about working at a food site is that I can consult talented chefs, so I reached out to our test kitchen experts for some guidance.

What is the Most Common Mistake People Make When Roasting Vegetables?

The answer is actually quite straightforward. According to our Senior Recipe Tester/Developer Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman, overcrowding the pan is the biggest mistake. She explains, “When you crowd the pan and don’t leave enough space between the veggies, you end up steaming them instead of achieving that perfect crispness and tenderness.”

If you're like me, you might just toss everything onto your baking sheet and hope for the best. But leaving some room between your veggies will ensure they cook more evenly, with no raw spots left behind.

Here are a few more common mistakes you might be making, along with tips on how to fix them:

• If you’re roasting a mix of vegetables, make sure to pair ones that have similar cooking times for a more even roast. If some have a shorter cooking time, add them later rather than all at once. 
• Food Stylist Julian Hensarling recommends ditching the aluminum foil and going straight on the pan. While it might be a mess to clean up after, putting your veggies on the pan rather than foil allows for a crispier roast. If you’re worried about charring, he recommends putting some foil on top of your veggies. 
• If you’re looking for a crispier roast on your vegetables, Food Stylist Vivien Tran explains that you should put your tray in the oven before putting your vegetables on the tray. By heating up the pan, it allows for a better roast. But be careful with this one—you’ll want to rotate your veggies rather than just leaving them in the oven to allow for a nice, even crisp on all of them.