Making raw veggies taste their best is kind of my thing. Everyone loves my buttery maple roasted carrots, and my honey roasted parsnips are always a hit around the holidays. I always make sure to have a platter of these colorful Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables at Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. They taste indulgent but are actually so healthy!

I went with a combination of sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, and beets tossed with olive oil, fresh rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper for this easy side dish. Just take these veggies as a suggestion, though. You can easily use parsnips, rutabaga, or even winter squash and swap the herbs or spices to suit your taste buds.

From the gorgeous colors to endless ways to customize them, these roasted winter vegetables are so simple to make and are a must-have for any cold-weather meal. One bite and you’ll understand why I can’t stop making them!

Roasted Root Vegetable Ingredients

Root vegetables – Of course! I used sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, beets, and garlic. All of these veggies are super hearty and roast in the same amount of time.

Olive oil – Coating the vegetables in olive oil encourages browning and helps them taste their best. You can technically skip the oil if you’d rather keep the recipe oil-free, but the veggies won’t be as caramelized or flavorful.

Herbs and seasonings – The vegetables are seasoned with a blend of salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme.

This list provides further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Change the vegetables – Feel free to add parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, and celeriac to the sheet pan if you want. Winter squash (butternut, delicata, honeynut, etc.) technically isn’t a root veggie, but it will fit right in with the others.
• Seasoning ideas – You can season the vegetables with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder, or a pre-mixed blend. Herbes de Provence, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or chipotle blend would all be delicious.
• Different herbs – Use sage leaves, fresh oregano, or tarragon instead of rosemary or thyme.
• Garnish ideas – Once they’re out of the oven, garnish the vegetables with chopped nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, or pepitas), crumbled feta or goat cheese, a drizzle of lemon juice, honey, or balsamic glaze, or spoon my lemon yogurt sauce over top.

How to Roast Root Vegetables 

Step 1: Coat. Toss the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, beets, and garlic with olive oil and salt until coated. 

Step 2: Roast. Lay the vegetables in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then roast in the oven for 25 minutes. 

Step 3: Finish. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle the fresh herbs over the top. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until the veggies are fork-tender and lightly golden around the edges. Serve hot and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t overcrowd the vegetables. If necessary, roast them on two pans instead. Giving them all a little breathing room will allow the hot air to circulate and caramelize every edge.
• The veggies are done roasting when they’re fork-tender. I like to do a quick “taste test check” at the 35-minute mark; if the veggies are sweet, crisp-edged, and melt a little on your tongue, they’re done.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables FAQs 

Storage

Make ahead: You can chop your vegetables and refrigerate them in a resealable bag for up to 24 hours before roasting. 

Refrigerator: Transfer any cooled leftover veggies to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheating: For the best texture, reheat roasted veggies in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re hot and crisp again. The microwave will also work, but it will make the vegetables soggy.

This Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese is for those days when you’re fighting the temptation to make something cheesy and comforting for dinner, but still want to be “healthy.” Like my cottage cheese alfredo sauce and cottage cheese lasagna, it’s a little more nutritious than the classic version and never skimps on the indulgent creaminess you love.

A cheese sauce made with cottage cheese, milk, spices, and shredded cheddar cheese packs each bowl with a whopping 35 grams of protein per serving! And no, it doesn’t taste like cottage cheese at all. The result is good-for-you comfort food in just 25 minutes. 

Looking for a dairy-free version? Look no further than my vegan mac and cheese recipe!

Ingredients

Pasta – Use elbow macaroni to keep it classic, or go with another short-cut pasta noodle instead, like shells, cavatappi, rotini, or penne. Gluten-free pasta will also work.

Cottage cheese – Full-fat cottage cheese is the star ingredient in this high-protein mac and cheese. You can use low-fat cottage cheese as a substitute, but the sauce will not be as creamy, rich, and velvety smooth.

Flour – I used all-purpose flour for the roux in the mac and cheese sauce. If you’re gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend instead.

Cheddar cheese – I recommend shredding the cheddar from the block. Freshly shredded cheese tends to melt perfectly into cheese sauces compared to pre-shredded cheeses. Opt for sharp cheddar for a stronger, more “adult” flavor or swap it for mild or medium cheddar if you’re feeding this to your kids.

Variations

• Instead of cheddar – Upgrade the cheese sauce using shredded Gruyère, Fontina, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella instead. For an extra layer of richness, stir in Parmesan or smoked Gouda as well.
• Add veggies – For some sneaky nutrition, stir in peas, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, or butternut squash when combining the pasta with the sauce.

How to make mac and cheese with cottage cheese

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Blend the base. Add the cottage cheese, milk, and seasonings to a blender. Blend until smooth. 

Step 3: Build the sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute, then whisk in the blended cottage cheese mixture. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil.

Step 4: Melt the cheese. Whisk in a handful of shredded cheese at a time. 

Step 5: Combine. Add the cooked noodles to the pan and toss until they’re coated in the cheese sauce.

Step 6: Serve. Serve the mac and cheese in bowls with extra black pepper and/or paprika on top. Enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t add all of the cheese at once. Instead, whisk in a handful at a time until it melts, then continue adding more. Dumping it all into the pot at the same time can make the sauce grainy.
• Don’t cook your pasta past al dente, or else the noodles will soften and become mushy when mixed with the hot cheese sauce. 
• For the most luscious, creamy cheese sauce, blend the cottage cheese mixture until it’s completely smooth. If you skip this step, you may notice tiny, unpleasant curds in the sauce.
• The roux needs to be cooked and stirred constantly for at least 1 minute before adding any liquid. This cooks the flour, removes any raw flour taste, and prevents the sauce from clumping.

Protein mac and cheese FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: Transfer the cooled mac and cheese to an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: The mac and cheese will also freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw the leftovers overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Gently reheat the leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring in a splash of milk as needed to bring the creamy sauce back to life.

Ingredients

Brussels sprouts – For best results, use firm, bright green sprouts with tightly packed leaves. You can shave them by hand, use a mandoline, let a food processor do the work, or just grab a bag of pre-shaved brussels sprouts from the produce section to save time. 

Parmesan – I highly recommend shredding the parmesan yourself. The pre-shredded cheese often has added starches that keep it from melting as smoothly, so grating it yourself is worth the extra step. 

How to Make Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Step 1: Sauté the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded brussels sprouts, onion, and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the sprouts begin to soften and the onion turns translucent.

Step 2: Add the garlic. Sauté the garlic in the pan until the sprouts are tender and lightly browned around the edges.

Step 3: Finish with cheese. Transfer the sautéed sprouts to a serving platter or bowl. Immediately sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top, season with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Tips

• Before shaving the brussels sprouts, trim the stems, remove any loose or browned outer leaves, and slice each one in half.
• You can shave brussels sprouts by hand with a sharp chef’s knife or a mandoline. Or, for a truly hands-off approach, run them through a food processor fitted with a slicing blade.
• Don’t burn the garlic! Garlic cooks much faster than sprouts and onions, which is why I recommend adding it to the pan after the veggies have softened. Also, stir it frequently to help it tenderize and become fragrant without burning.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store any leftover cooked and cooled shaved brussels sprouts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Warm up the sprouts in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through or quickly zap them in the microwave. The microwave will soften them slightly, but they’ll still taste great.