Elevate Roasted Vegetables With Your Favorite Infused Oil

Roasting is a long-standing favorite way to cook vegetables because of the extra flavor and texture they develop in the oven that sauteing and steaming just can't match. But if you thought there was still a limit to the depth of flavor that you can achieve with simple roasted veggies, think again — and then try using infused oil the next time you make them. Cooking oil can be infused or flavored with no shortage of spices, herbs, and other aromatics, and the oil takes on the flavor of each differently than if you were to add them directly to your vegetables.

If you like things hot, grab some chili infused oil and make roasted, spicy potatoes. If you're fond of herbs, try rosemary oil on crispy root vegetables. If citrus is your thing, you'll love lemon or orange flavored oil on all of your summer squash recipes. And if you're a garlic-lover, garlic oil will be your new obsession (on everything). 

Nowadays, many types of infused oils are available at the grocery store, so you can pick the one that seems like the best pair for your preferred veg. If you've tried the store-bought stuff, can't get enough, and want to experiment with different flavors, you can even create your own infusions at home with a little research on safe methods. 

The infusion process involves allowing the aromatics (think ginger, garlic, herbs, etc.) to sit in the carrier oil (olive, sunflower, or grapeseed are a few popular choices) long enough for their flavor to transfer. The oil is strained, and then it's ready to store and use. Hot infusions use heated oil, which quickens the process, while cold infusions require no heat but can take days or weeks for a strong flavor transfer.

With subtle flavor pre-added to your oil, you have the liberty of playing around with additional spices to add to your vegetables before cooking without worrying about drowning them in powder or leafy herbs. If you're using garlic oil, for instance, then there's no need to add garlic powder or go crazy with the chopped garlic — it's already covered! If you're using rosemary-infused oil, omit the fresh stuff and save yourself the hassle of having to pick around woody twigs and leaves after cooking.