Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple & Cardamom

Jim Robinson

By Jim Robinson

Updated

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5 from 3 votes

This Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple & Cardamom recipe is a hearty cool-weather side dish. It features an earthy medley of fresh root vegetables with a touch of maple sweetness, brought to life with the distinctive, aromatic character of cardamom.

Roasted root vegetables seasoned with cardamom in a black roasting pan.

I adapted this dish from the recipe for Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom in an old issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. I was intrigued the moment I saw the recipe because I hadn’t ever used cardamom like this before.

Cardamom is not inexpensive. I held out on purchasing it for quite a while because it costs so much and I use it so infrequently. I figured I could surely get by without it! But once it joined my spice collection, I quickly succumbed to cardamom’s charms and won’t be able to go without it again. Since cardamom has a very strong flavor and most recipes (including this one) call for small amounts, I’m hoping my jar will last quite a while.

Roasted root vegetables seasoned with cardamom on a white plate.

As far as cooking with cardamom goes, it is used frequently in dishes of Indian origin. It is also traditionally used in Scandinavian countries, as both an addition to breads and pastries and as one of the ingredients in the mulled wine known as Glogg. Cardamom is also favored in the Middle East; in fact, much of the cardamom harvested in the world is exported to Arab nations and used there to flavor coffee.

This side dish is easy to make and serves eight people, so it’s great for a holiday side dish. Just cut up the veggies, coat them with olive oil and season, and then roast them in the oven. When they come out, toss them with the maple-butter sauce and serve.

You’ll want to roast the vegetables in two separate roasting pans so they can cook in a single layer and crisp up on the edges (if you cook them all in one roasting pan, the veggies will essentially steam each other and the texture could be mushy. When you’re nearing the end, the vegetables on the lower rack may be done sooner than those on the upper rack, so watch closely to make sure they don’t burn.

If you’re lucky, you might end up with one of these cute little guys. Does he look happy or scared?

Carrot face.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. This dish can even be made a day ahead; To reheat, just put the cooked root veggies (without the cilantro) in a large nonstick skillet and cover with a lid. Heat gently over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the cilantro and season to taste with salt just before serving.

Roasted root vegetables seasoned with cardamom in a black roasting pan.
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5 from 3 votes

Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple & Cardamom

This Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple & Cardamom recipe is a hearty cool-weather side dish. It features an earthy medley of fresh root vegetables with a touch of maple sweetness, brought to life with the distinctive, aromatic character of cardamom.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 148kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 lb seasonal winter squash and root vegetables about 10 cups, diced mixed (I used a combination of butternut squash, carrots, turnips and parsnips), peeled and diced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • coarse sea salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

Instructions

  • Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two large, heavy-duty rimmed baking sheets with foil.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, oil, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss to coat well. Divide the vegetables between the two pans and spread evenly in one layer. Roast for 20 minutes. With a large spatula, flip the vegetables. Swap the pans’ positions and roast until tender and nicely browned on a few sides, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the ground cardamom and coriander and allow to infuse over very low heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
  • Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Gently reheat the sauce, if necessary, and stir in the lemon juice. With a heatproof spatula, toss the sauce with the roasted vegetables. Add half of the cilantro and salt to taste and toss again. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 14063IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

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