Roasted Root Vegetable Platter with Lemon, Shallot & Thyme Vinaigrette | Thanksgiving Sides Recipe

We haven't had a home large enough (or close enough) to host Thanksgiving for the last couple of years, so we do the traditional dance around town to two Thanksgiving feasts - My family around noon, then Mike's family in the evening.  Oddly enough, it seems I'm always asked to bring vegetables.  I know it doesn't sound very exciting when I could be baking beautiful pies, but I really kind of like being in charge of "vegetables."

I really love, love the mashed potatoes and the herbed stuffing with gravy, so instead of another heavy, saucy vegetable casserole (you know the ones...), I prefer something fresher and more colorful.  

For the last two years, I've prepared this Roasted Vegetable Platter that is roasted with a Lemon, Thyme & Shallot Vinaigrette.  It is fresh, seasonal, colorful, bountiful... and very easy.  The vegetables can go into the oven to roast just as the turkey comes out to rest.  After 25 minutes in the oven they are ready for the table.  Easy. 

Roasted Root Vegetable Platter 
with Lemon, Shallot & Thyme Vinaigrette

1 pound of carrots
1 pound of parsnips
1 sweet potato
1 acorn squash
1 red onion
1 pound of brussels sprouts
4 beets
....
2 lemons, juiced
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper

400 degree oven

Prepare all of the vegetables by cutting them into wedges, long stripes or cubes.  You can do any shapes you like, but I like to keep long vegetables long, and round vegetables into wedges or cubes.  Place on sheet pans (you'll need two).  Mix together lemon, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Drizzle half of lemon oil mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat.  Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and browned.   Drizzle the rest of the lemon oil over warm vegetables.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

You can prepare vegetables the night before, but wait to drizzle the lemon oil over until just before roasting.

I love how the carrots and parsnips look in long pieces.

Acorn squash looks great in wedges.  I keep the skin on the sweet potatoes for extra color and texture - same with the beets.

 Yum, yum!   I just love how bountiful and colorful this looks.  I make this same platter all of the time to serve with a roasted chicken or just toasted bread smeared with goat cheese.

If you eat all of these veggies along with your Thanksgiving feast, you won't feel so bad about all of that pie later :)



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