Where are you headed this weekend? This Roasted Vegetable Salad wants to come with! A colorful medley of roasted veggies with chickpeas for bulk and a vibrant Mediterranean dressing, this salad is a big bowl of brightness.
Loaded with a robust array of vegetables you can find in good form year round, like cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and zucchini, and creamy hunks of feta cheese, this hearty roasted vegetable salad is the go-with-the-flow friend who’s happy to follow your mood.
- Carry this meal-prep and travel-friendly salad along for a potluck, where it will freshen up anything you plate alongside it.
- Serve it for a healthy side dish with whatever you have planned for dinner tonight. Most of the cooking happens hands-free while the vegetables roast, so you can use the time while they are in the oven to prepare the rest of your meal.
- Roast vegetable salad can be the meal. Thanks to hearty additions like chickpeas and the fiber-rich vegetables themselves, it has rib-sticking power.
Tip!
To roast a medley of vegetables, and for more tips and seasoning suggestions, check out my ultimate guide to Oven Roasted Vegetables.
I originally served this Mediterranean roast vegetable salad tucked inside warm pita bread for a meatless dinner. I think it would be equally delightful over prepared couscous or quinoa.
The leftovers I mixed with arugula the next day for lunch. Hello mid-day Mediterranean vacation!
TIP!
Looking for more hearty vegetarian recipes? Don’t miss my full collection of Meatless Mains.
As much as I enjoyed the salad when the vegetables were still warm from the oven at dinner, it tasted even better the next day as a cold roasted vegetable salad, once the flavors had a chance to marry in the fridge.
Even my husband Ben—a man who rarely says no to meat—finished this vegetarian meal, looked at me very seriously and said, “You can make this any time.”
Now that is my kind of endorsement!
5 Star Review
“I think I’m in love with this salad! It has everything I adore: zucchini, feta, chickpeas, all mixed up in a delicious Mediterranean dressing!”
— Danae —
How to Make Roast Vegetable Salad
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity here. Though the ingredients and preparation are straightforward, the flavor is complex.
Lightly roasting the veggies gives them a bit of caramelization and concentrates their flavors.
The easy homemade Greek dressing binds and brightens.
The Ingredients
- Cauliflower. Like my tasty roasted vegetable salad Indian-style, Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes, this salad takes full advantage of the magic of roasted cauliflower. Cauliflower caramelizes beautifully, and it soaks up whatever flavors you pair it with. It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Sweet Potato. I adore Roasted Sweet Potatoes, especially in combination with cauliflower. The two are a super pairing (hence, I added them both to the Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken in my cookbook; it’s so yummy I cooked it live on Good Morning America!)
- Zucchini. Roasted Zucchini is a sweet, tender, and colorful addition to this salad. Plus, zucchini is rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
- Red Onion. One of the most underrated roasted veggies! It crisps, caramelizes, and gives the salad surprising complexity.
- Feta. Creamy hunks of this Mediterranean cheese provide just enough saltiness to allow the other flavors to shine. Cheese also makes salads more satisfying.
- Chickpeas. Creamy, nutty, and protein-packed. Chickpeas make this salad ultra scrumptious and satisfying. Also fabulous addition in Quinoa Salad.
TIP!
Chickpea Tuna Salad, Moroccan Chickpea Salad, and Mediterranean Chickpea Salad are three other delicious, meal-prep friendly chickpea salad recipes that can be made ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Parsley. To bring the salad to life.
- Greekish/Mediterraneanish Dressing. With olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, the dressing is reminiscent of what you might find on a Greek or Mediterranean salad. It’s light, bright, and just flavorful enough to perk up the veggies.
Tips For The Best Roasted Vegetables
- A high temperature of 400 degrees F is best for roasting most vegetables and should work nicely with any you care to add to this salad.
- Don’t crowd the pan. I’ve suggested splitting between two sheet pans here to make sure that air can circulate around the vegetables. If the pan is crowded, it can make your roasted vegetables soggy. Roast vegetables uncovered to ensure they brown.
- Flip the vegetables. Use a large spatula (a thin, flexible fish spatula is my favorite) to flip and turn the vegetables twice during roasting. This will help the vegetables brown evenly.
- Rotate the pan. Ovens are often hotter in the back than they are in the front. If you notice the vegetables at the back of the pan browning more quickly, rotate the pan 180 degrees F. It’s also a good idea to switch the pans’ positions on the upper and lower rack.
Bonus!
For even more roasted veggie tips, check out The Well Plated Cookbook, which has an Ultimate Roasted Vegetable Guide with seasoning suggestions, ways to use roasted veggies, and more!
The Directions
- Place the cauliflower and sweet potato on one baking sheet and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Do the same with the zucchini and red onion, on a separate baking sheet. Roast the veggies.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Toss the vegetables and chickpeas with the dressing.
- Stir in the feta and parsley. DIG IN!
How to Serve Roast Vegetable Salad
- As a Salad. Serve the roasted veggies over a bed of greens for a healthy and flavorful salad that makes the ideal lunch or dinner.
- With Grains. The roasted vegetables are delicious served alongside a grain like Quinoa, couscous, or rice. This Moroccan Couscous is a favorite.
- As a Pita Sandwich. Take a note from my Chickpea Salad Sandwich and serve the roasted veggies inside a pita for a tasty sandwich.
- As a Side Dish. Need an easy side for Chicken Kababs or Grilled Salmon in Foil? This roasted vegetable salad is the perfect thing!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate roasted vegetables in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze. While I don’t recommend freezing this salad as the vegetables will become mushy, you certainly can try it. Freeze roasted vegetables in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Perk up with fresh dressing.
Meal Prep Tip
Chop all the vegetables up to 1 day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator. You can also whisk the dressing ingredients together up to 1 day in advance and store the mixture in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Roasted Vegetable Salad
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheets. The ideal tool for roasting vegetables.
- Mixing Bowls. Stackable, dishwasher-safe, and incredibly versatile.
- Liquid Measuring Cup. This measuring cup is fantastic because it’s microwave and dishwasher-safe.
The Best Baking Sheets
High-quality baking sheets rank among my most-used kitchen tools. This set is perfect!
This summer, roasted vegetable with feta will be my go-to for picnics and potlucks, a sure destination for my farmers market haul, and a lunch I’ll look forward to all morning.
If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
Roasted Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 small head cauliflower or broccoli cut into florets
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 small red onion
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Warm pita couscous, or quinoa (optional for serving)
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Scrub the sweet potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and the cauliflower into florets. Place them on the first sheet pan and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.
- Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes and the red onion into 1/2-inch slices. Place on the second sheet pan and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.
- Sprinkle each sheet pan with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat, then spread the vegetables into an even layer. Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, then with a spatula toss the vegetables to promote even cooking. Spread back into an even layer, rotate the pans' positions, then continue baking until the vegetables are crisp-tender about 10 to 15 additional minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, prepare the dressing: in a small bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Once the vegetables have finished roasting, scrape them into a large serving bowl. Add the chickpeas. While the vegetables are still warm, pour the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat.
- Gently stir in the feta and parsley. Enjoy with pita, couscous, or quinoa as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE. Refrigerate roasted vegetables in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
I crave this salad which says a lot since I didn’t even eat any vegetables other than corn and potatoes until just a few years ago :-) But this whole combination, I absolutely love and it has become a go-to for me for sure!! I will say that I never use zucchini just because I don’t particularly care for it, but I always use both cauliflower and broccoli.
Hi Dana! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’ve made this twice in the last week! So good! I added roasted broccoli. I’ve made it with farro and quinoa—- both great
Hi Chrissy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So you aren’t cooking the garbanzo beans at all? Just added them once rinsed and drained from the can?
Hi Natasha! The canned chickpeas are already cooked, so just rinse and drain. If you prefer a more tender bean, I’d follow the instructions on that can for reheating them. Hope this helps!
We are attending a barbeque on Sunday. Do you have any tips on making this ahead of time? Like do I wait to put the dressing on right before the event, or is it better to “marinate” with the dressing? Looks great! I am going to add some red peppers. Do you think asparagus would also work well? I would like a big variety of veggies in the dish. Thank you!
Hi Sally, to make ahead: Chop all the vegetables up to 1 day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator. You can also whisk the dressing ingredients together up to 1 day in advance and store the mixture in the refrigerator. You could definitely use any kind of vegetables! Hope this helps!
I LOVE your recipes. I am doing Weight Watchers and every time I find one of your recipes that will work with my points budget, I make it. Making this for tonight. I am thinking of roasting the garbanzos and adding them to the veggie mixture when we serve it. Looking forward to some great yums tonight! BTW on holidays we don’t count points and I make your rosemary olive oil bread every holiday :-)
Hope you enjoyed it Cynde!
This was delicious. We shared it with our daughter who also loved it and the next day my husband took the last serving to work for lunch. I will be making this often. Thank You for sharing this
Hi Vicky! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review.
I am very excited to try this! Looks delicious. I may add some of my favorite new ingredient, quick-preserved lemons.
Enjoy Kara!
This recipe was easy to make and so satisfying to all the senses! Highly recommend!!
Hi Beth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This salad was delicious!!! I added mushrooms and purple cauliflower and it turned out beautifully! I ate this with a turkey burger and it made for a super nourishing dinner ! Also the dressing is to die for- I think I’m going to have to put it on everything :-)
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is the bomb. Made the veggies in foil packets and crisped up the chickpeas in a cast iron while camping. I did substitute fresh thyme in the dressing and yellow squash as it is what we had on hand. Served with a wild rice blend 😙👌. Best meal we had all weekend and we had ribeye the night before. Craveable and hard to stop eating – so yummy!
Hi Katherine! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this as a side dish to go with leftover chicken and ended up eating only this. It’s DELICIOUS and easy to make. I used the ingredients listed and added a small butternut squash. Since I used a big head of cauliflower, I doubled the dressing. Sprinkled with dry parsley and mixed in pearl couscous.
Hi Norma! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is an outstanding recipe; perfectly balanced. A little sweet, a little savory, a LOT delicious. I’ve never left a food review before, but am hopping on to write this one as I finish a bowl of this. YUM!
Hi Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Didn’t have any sweet potatoes on hand, but made this as the recipe states to a T otherwise. Turned out wonderful and ended up just eating it as a bowl-dish without the pita. I imagine it would be even better with that! Easy meal to prepare and have for a weekend on call at work. Would recommend 10 times over!
Hi Lauren! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe is delicious! I use any combination of vegetables and it has turned out great each time. Thank you!
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is delicious! I had to substitute with balsamic vinegar, but it was still amazing. I doubled the recipe for a party and was asked to share with group. I had enough leftover for lunch the next day and it was good cold too.
Hi Arianna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is delicious! I made it to bring to a cook-out and it was just perfect. The cauliflower took the longest to cook, and so I think I’ll cut the other veggies a bit bigger next time. It was a nice gluten-free option at the party. I’ll be making again for sure!
Hi Erin! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was SO good! So flavourful, absolutely loved it. This is the first review i have ever done for a recipe . THANK YOU
Hi Narelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!