Harissa roasted vegetables

These harissa roasted vegetables take minimal preparation and just a little patience as they roast for an incredibly flavor-packed dish. They work perfectly as a side, or serve with couscous or other grain for a meal in itself.

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Sometimes super easy is the way to go, but without skimping on flavor, and these tasty veggies are a perfect example. Minimal prep, easy to adapt and versatile in how you serve them: they have a lot going for them.

Roasted vegetables are great at the best of times, but with a little extra help, they're meal-worthy. Or maybe a special side, depending on what suits. Worth trying, either way.

What is harissa?

Harissa is a chili sauce or paste from the Maghreb region in North Africa. The ingredients can vary but they typically include different types of peppers, garlic, olive oil and sometimes other aromatic herbs or spices.

The flavor is slightly smoky, with a gentle sweetness and aroma, along with spice. It's a very versatile condiment and delicious alongside a whole range of things like roast chicken and added into cooking, like lablabi (Tunisian chickpea soup/stew).

You can buy it ready-made in most good supermarkets or you can make your own (I went easy with store bought here).

While harissa is maybe more often served on the side or with meats, it adds a great flavor to already tasty roasted vegetables with minimal effort.

All you do is mix it with some oil, toss the vegetables in the mixture, then roast. The tasty flavors work their way into the vegetables as they cook for extra deliciousness.

What vegetables should you use?

The vegetables here are by no means fixed. They are really easy to change to what you have and what you prefer. I recommend at least adding some onion, as it caramelizes really nicely to give a good base, and I like to have a mix of textures, color and flavors. But really, it's completely up to you.

Vegetables you might include (far from an exhaustive list!):

• Root vegetables like sweet potato, squash, parsnip and carrot cut into chunks.
• Softer vegetables like eggplant/aubergine, zucchini/courgette and pepper in slices or chunks.
• Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli, cut into florets, or Brussels sprouts in half.

Make sure you keep in mind how long things take to cook. If the vegetables you choose don't all cook at a similar rate, then cut those that are slower smaller, or place some in to roast first, followed by the rest slightly later.

How to serve harissa roasted vegetables

Since couscous is a popular side in Maghrebi cooking, it seems a natural pairing here if you want to make a meal of these vegetables. I suggest adding a herby yogurt here to help bring everything together (and since the vegetables are drier). Some whipped feta, hummus or other sauces could also work well.

You also may prefer to add some more harissa, or go more salad-like with tahini sauce or other simple dressings. A lot depends on your taste and if you want to build up the spice, or balance it out. It's flexible and adaptable, so experiment away.

You could also serve them as a side to other dishes, such as roast meats, fish or with stews and tagines with similar flavors.

These harissa roasted vegetables are a great minimal-effort dish that's hearty and full of flavor. It's perfect on a cold night to warm you and fill you up, with the tasty roast vegetables given that bit of spice, though it would be great any time. Sometimes the best meals are the easiest, and a bonus when they are healthy too.

Looking for more vegetarian meals? Try these:

• Lemon mascarpone pasta, a simple combination of a creamy yet light sauce, pasta and veggies
• Mushroom galette, an easy and delicious savory tart
• Cuban-style quinoa bowl with grilled sweet potato and mango-avocado salsa
• Vegetarian bibimbap, a delicious mix of simple seasoned vegetables and rice.

Plus get more inspiration in the vegetarian recipes archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

This recipe was first shared in November 2015 and has been updated, primarily with new photos.

Try some other vegetarian meal ideas:

• Butternut Squash Kale Lasagna by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Eggplant Rollatini by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Moroccan-style Lentil Chickpea Stew by Food Lust People Love
• Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Portobello Stack by The Freshman Cook
• Stuffed Butternut Squash by Life Tastes Good
• Vegetable Strudel by Palatable Pastime