15 Ways To Make Roasted Vegetables Extra Crispy

Roasted veggies are a home cook's secret weapon. They're a perfect accompaniment to main dishes and an easy way to add flavor to almost any recipe — from noodle bowls to pastas to warm salads (they're a thing). Marinade them, toss them in myriad seasonings, or sprinkle on a little salt and pepper, and you're ready to go.

Roasting vegetables is also easy and convenient, especially when focusing on a dish that requires attention. All you need is a baking sheet, some parchment paper, and an oven. You probably already know the drill: season and drop them in at high heat, and they should crisp perfectly — right? Well, no. 

If you pull your vegetables out of the oven only to see they're soggy or unevenly roasted, chances are you've missed a critical cooking step. Whether you're struggling to get that roasted flavor or attempting to make the absolute crispest vegetables you've ever made, the tips below can help you achieve your goal.

What is the biggest mistake you could make with roasted vegetables? Cramming them too closely on the baking sheet. Whether you're popping them in an air fryer, toaster oven, or conventional oven, you need to give your soon-to-be-roasted veggies room to breathe. When they're placed too close together, each piece wouldn't be exposed to the heat of the oven on all sides, preventing the crispness of each vegetable cut.

Even worse, they'll steam in their juices instead of roasting. This is because as each vegetable roasts in an oven, it releases water in the form of steam, offering a result you don't want. You don't need much space to achieve crispy roasted vegetables. The more space you can leave them, the better. However, we're not baking crunchy cookies here, so there's no need to do more than make sure they're not touching.

Believe it or not, there are more ways than one to accidentally steam your vegetables instead of roasting them. All veggies have some water quantity in them — for example, zucchinis are about 94% water, whereas potatoes aren't quite as moist. The more water your vegetables comprise, the more time they need to dry before roasting. This is true for all veggies, but it's especially important when working with those that naturally contain a lot of water.

Gently pat each of your veggies dry before they enter the oven. Make sure to do this after you've sliced them into your preferred sizes so each piece can dry well. Don't put them on the parchment sheet until you achieve this goal. This way, you can avoid getting your baking tray wet and causing more steam to release in the oven.

So, what if you've dried your vegetables thoroughly, but they're still coming out soggy? Perhaps you've taken all the right steps, but your vegetables still don't have that crunchy effect. The trouble could still lie in your vegetable's water content. To combat this, salt your vegetables before roasting. Cut your veggies, dry them off as best as possible, and then season them thoroughly with salt. If you're just trying to get rid of a bit of water, you can add oil and pop them in the oven right after this. 

However, if you think your vegetables need help getting the extra water out, you can salt them (don't add too much; you still want your veggies edible!) and let them sit for about 15 minutes. Then, wash off the salt (or leave it on if you prefer), re-season them, and pop them in the oven. Salt will draw excess water from your vegetables, dehydrating them in preparation for the oven. This can help decrease your cooking time and make it easier to roast moist vegetables properly.

The sugars in your vegetables caramelize during roasting, contributing to their crispy texture. That's why some veggies, like roasted sweet potatoes, form such a sweet outer layer when they undergo this cooking process. They have so much sugar that it's more noticeable when they caramelize compared to other vegetables.

If you want to achieve this crispy, crunchy exterior on your vegetables, all you need to do is caramelize them. Not with actual sugar, either. Instead, you'll want to use a sauce or marinade with sugar, which will react to the heat in your oven and caramelize your vegetables.

Balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, or maple syrup are all great ingredients to help you caramelize your vegetables. You can use them as they are or combine them with other ingredients (like herbs and seasonings) to give your roasted veggies more flavor. This not only gives your vegetables a richer, more complex flavor profile as they cook but also helps them become crisper.

If you're hoping to roast a small batch of vegetables quickly, an air fryer is a great option. Naturally, air fryers are much smaller than regular ovens, so they heat up faster. Additionally, because the heat is so close to the surface of the vegetables (and so concentrated), the food will cook quickly and achieve a crisper crust than it might in a typical oven. This makes air fryers a much better way to achieve crispness.

No air fryer? No problem. If you're looking for other oven alternatives (besides our list of budget-friendly air fryers), you can roast your vegetables in a toaster oven. You'll achieve the same concentrated heat of an air fryer and might even have more room in the toaster oven. Fundamentally, no matter your choice, these two kitchen appliances are a win-win. 

Cornstarch's secret superpower is that, well, it's a starch. What does that mean for your veggies, you might ask? Cornstarch soaks water, especially those that come to the surface when you roast your vegetables. This helps to dehydrate your veggies to finally develop their delicious roasted crusts.

Even better, cornstarch itself becomes rather crispy when exposed to heat. That's why it's so great to use in batters for frying and breading. When you toss your vegetables in cornstarch before you roast them, they'll come out of the oven with a beautifully even and consistent crust on all sides. If your oven struggles to heat properly or you're having trouble getting a nice roast on your vegetables, cornstarch might just save your day (or at least your dinner).

Oil (or melted butter) is an absolute must if you want the crispest roasted vegetables. Don't be shy — you need to fully coat every side of your vegetables in oil. You don't need to straight-up dunk them in a bowl of oil to achieve this. Just take a cooking brush (or your hands) and carefully brush each piece until it's shiny but not drippy. The better coverage you achieve, the crisper your roasted vegetables will turn out. 

Oil gets incredibly hot. And well-heated oil is essential for a good crisp on the exterior of vegetables because it causes their water content to evaporate quickly, turning them golden brown and super crispy. Keep in mind, however, that too much oil will make your vegetables greasy; therefore, more of the stuff isn't always better. 

For uniform crispness, all vegetables should be relatively the same size. This will allow your veggies to roast simultaneously. If not, you risk removing the baking tray multiple times to check on their doneness. You might also undercook the large cuts and burn the smaller ones since different vegetables require unique cooking times. 

In addition to same-sized cuts, ensure your vegetables aren't super large or thick. This can prevent them from roasting nicely. Thicker vegetables take longer to cook, which could cause their edges to burn while their insides remain undercooked. However, the roast-to-center ratio is much better when you cut your vegetables into small pieces. You want a nice crunchy crust and roasted flavor with every bite. Larger vegetables will have a more steam-cooked center that hasn't been imbued with the roasted flavor and golden-brown crunch.

If you want something a little quicker and more controlled than oven-roasted veggies, you can always pop them in a pan on your stovetop instead. This will require more attention than oven-roasted vegetables, but it's a worthwhile method if you're looking to achieve maximum crispness. Just pour a bit of oil or throw butter in a pan and let it heat. Once ready, toss in your veggies (ensure they're nicely coated with oil or butter). 

Season to taste and allow them to roast, making sure they all have enough space between them. You can add more oil as needed. Stir your vegetables as they sizzle in the pan to ensure each side crisps perfectly. A pan gives you more control because you can manipulate the heat as you watch your vegetables cook, turning it down to prevent burning and increasing it if they're not cooking fast enough. 

If you're roasting multiple vegetables simultaneously, the key is to start them all at different times. For example, water-rich vegetables, like zucchini, need more time than, say, potatoes. The same goes for various-sized veggies — large chunks of carrots will take longer to cook through than very small bits of broccoli.

Place your largest, water-rich vegetable in the oven first. Give them a head start (research how long each one should take), and at the appropriate time, add the others. For example, if potatoes take 14 minutes to roast and carrots need 7 minutes, cook the former for half its cooking time before adding the latter. Simple, right? This will help all of your vegetables to roast perfectly without causing them to be burned or undercooked.

When you cook veggies on high heat, they caramelize quickly, achieving even browning on all sides. If your oven heat is too low, your vegetables will likely turn out soggy and wet. That's because lower temperatures don't produce enough heat to crisp vegetables. A slow and low roast can be delicious for well-cooked veggies, but it won't give them that delightful-sounding crust of high heat.

Generally, you'll want your oven to be around 400 degrees Fahrenheit when roasting vegetables. This can vary from recipe to recipe, but you'll notice that most roasted vegetable recipes hover right around the 400-degree Fahrenheit mark. The biggest change will come when you're roasting veggies with low water content versus high water content. The former can be roasted at lower temperatures and still become crispy, whereas the latter needs those high temperatures to help all the water content evaporate.

If you still have trouble achieving the perfect crisp on your veggies, don't be afraid to go even higher than 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, use a thermometer to ensure you've achieved your desired temperature. If you're at 450 (or even 475) degrees Fahrenheit with absolutely zero crisps, it's time to check your oven.

Have you ever wondered why your vegetables (and other baked goods) turn out better in some ovens than others? It might be because you've secretly been dealing with a convection oven, which is more powerful than a regular oven. These are fantastic for roasting veggies because the air in a convection oven circulates instead of coming from the top downward. This speeds up cooking time, dries the vegetables quickly, and allows them to roast more thoroughly.

A convection oven also helps to achieve better crispness on all sides, not just the tops, because of the circulating air. You may find that it helps dry out vegetables with high water content more effectively. If you're working with a convection oven, you might want to closely monitor your veggies as they will require shorter cooking times than you may be used to.

Layering your vegetables on top of one another seems like a great way to maximize your baking space at first — just like a sauceless ratatouille. Unfortunately, this will cause the same kind of trouble that squishing your vegetables too close together does. When you pile your vegetables on top of one another, they'll continue to steam each other throughout the roasting process. Even worse, the vegetables on top will be roasted on one side but soggy on the other; those at the very bottom won't roast at all — the heat just won't reach them.

It's important to keep this in mind when you're arranging the vegetables on your sheet. If you notice that you're mostly giving your vegetables enough space, but one or two overlap, you'll accidentally create the same problems again. It's worth the extra time to pop an extra baking sheet of veggies in the oven once the first tray is done (or just accept that you'll have to do a few extra dishes and cook two trays at once).

Since roasting vegetables is all about getting as much heat to circulate the food as possible, you want to choose a shallow pan. A baking sheet (rather than a baking dish) will be best for this. Its shallow, thin edges will keep the oil on your veggies from spilling over onto the bottom of the oven below, but it will also thoroughly expose all of the vegetables to the heat of the oven.

If you're using a deep pan, the water evaporating from your vegetables can be trapped, causing them to steam more. The edges of a deep pan can also prevent your vegetables from thoroughly roasting, making them less crispy and preventing their edges from crisping. In a shallow pan, on the other hand, your veggies are completely exposed to the heat, and the steam they release isn't protected by the walls of the pan.

If you're having trouble achieving the perfect roast on your vegetables, finishing them with a quick broil can definitely get you there. Broiling puts your oven on a super high heat and is only meant to be used for a short time. It's great for setting baked goods (like the top of your lemon meringue pie) and for making sure all of your roasted vegetables are evenly crisped.

If your vegetables are already golden brown when you're done cooking them, then there's no need for a broil — too long in the oven could cause them to burn instead of continue roasting. If you've reached the end of your cooking time and your vegetables still look undercooked, however, a broil might help speed things up.

The heat from a broil is very intense, causing a crispy, golden crust to form on your veggies within just a few minutes. Don't leave them in any longer than that, or you'll smoke out your oven. As soon as you see that golden brown crust start to appear, it's time to shut things down.