The humble roasted veg is no less than a hero on my Thanksgiving table. Seasoning them is crucial so they don’t end up tasting bland, but when you season them can be the difference between succulent or scorched. Here’s my trick to roasting veggies quickly in the air fryer without torching the seasonings.
Air fry your roasted vegetables
The first time I hosted Thanksgiving, I did not have an air fryer. (I shudder just thinking of it.) Roasting Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, or squash took ages and commanded most of my oven space. Once I finally incorporated the petite convection oven into my kitchen, my Thanksgiving cooking experience vastly improved, and I wouldn’t dream of hosting the big meal without it.
The high velocity winds of the air fryer easily knock 20 to 30 minutes off the cooking times we all used to deal with prior. This is a boon for hosts juggling several dishes, but the forceful hot winds don’t leave the seasonings faring as well. While dry herbs and powdered seasonings may hold up in a conventional oven at a lower temperature, they can get torched in the air fryer (even if they’re coated with oil) and result in a bitter flavor.
Cook first, season after
To prevent that sad result, I prepare the vegetable quite simply for its trip to the air fryer—a toss with enough oil and salt to coat. That’s it. Oil will help conduct the heat to all parts of the veg more equally and salt draws out moisture while adding flavor. All of these things result in faster, more even cooking. Oh, and salt doesn’t burn.
Air fry the vegetable as long as is needed, then toss it in dressing afterward, just before serving. Depending on what you like, that might be a simple drizzle of lemon juice, zest, and extra virgin olive oil, or a spicy tahini vinaigrette.
Bloom seasonings for roasted vegetables separately
Moisture and the heat from cooking normally plays a role in bringing out the flavors of your dry spices. If you usually season your oven-roasted potatoes or charred Brussels sprouts with powdered seasoning—say cumin, cayenne pepper, and garlic—you might miss that if you abstain from adding them to the air fryer. Well, I won’t have that. We absolutely want to maximize on the flavor, so I suggest blooming herbs and spices separately in a small pot on the stove while your veggies get beautifully blistered in the air fryer.
To do that, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil or butter to a pot (as much as you’d normally use to coat the amount of vegetable you’re roasting). Stir in the dry seasonings and heat it up over low heat for about two minutes. The spices will become fragrant when it’s done, so you can turn off the heat and wait until the veggies are ready to be dressed with your spiced oil or butter. This trick for blooming and activating flavors works wonderfully with freshly chopped herbs as well, and makes for an elegant Thanksgiving presentation.
