I experimented with four reheating methods for roast vegetables to discover which one leaves you with tasty, still-crunchy veg (no mush here!).
Here’s the quick answer.
The best way to reheat roast vegetables is the same way as you originally cooked them – in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and heat the vegetables for 4-6 minutes. If you have an air fryer, this is also a great method.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
A note on my experiment
I made a big batch of roasted vegetables as a side dish for a dinner party.
After the dinner, I had leftovers, so I stored them in the fridge to try reheating them the next day.
I tried five reheating methods:
- In the oven – the veg kept its crunch and was tasty.
- In the skillet – a good option if the oven isn’t free, but more effort.
- In the air fryer – great if you have one, nice crunchy veg.
- In the microwave – veg was a little soggy, but still tasted good.
- On the grill – great if you don’t mind a bit of char on the veg.
Top tip: root vegetables will reheat better than more watery vegetables, so consider this when making your vegetable choices.
How to reheat roast vegetables in the oven
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Spread your vegetables out on a baking sheet.
- Optional: drizzle the vegetables with olive oil. If the veggies already seem quite oily, skip this step.
- Bake for 4-6 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through to flip the vegetables.
- Bake until sizzling.
Be careful not to put your vegetables too close together, or they will steam and lose their crunch.
If you have other foods to reheat at the same time that requires a lower temperature, you can set your oven to as low as 350ºF (180ºC).
The veg will come out a little softer, but they’ll still be tasty.
Adding some extra seasoning like salt, pepper, or herbs wont hurt either.
Pros: the veggies taste great, and the texture was good too. Plus you can reheat a big portion of vegetables at once without any hassle.
Cons: it’s a tiny bit slower than some other methods (but not much).
How to reheat roast vegetables in the skillet
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet on medium heat. If your vegetables already feel or look oily, you can skip the oil.
- Once the skillet is warmed up, add the vegetables.
- Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.
To add more flavor to your veg, try adding extra garlic, herbs, or even bacon to the skillet while sautéing.
Opt for a reasonably big pan so your vegetables can spread out. If they’re all piled on top of each other, they’ll steam instead of fry so won’t crisp up.
Pros: This is a good option if the oven is occupied, and the veg was tasty because I used extra garlic.
Cons: some of the veg can end up a little overcooked if they rest in the pan too long.
How to reheat roast vegetables in an air fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 375ºF (190ºC).
- Spread the veggies out in the basket so they don’t touch.
- Optional: spray the vegetables with oil to help them crisp up (you can skip this step if they already seem oily).
- Heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to flip the veggies.
The air fryer is a very powerful heating method, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your veg to make sure they don’t burn or dry out.
And like with the skillet, try not to overcrowd the air fryer or the veg won’t crisp up as effectively.
Pros: the veggies stayed super crunchy (I think due to the short heating time), and they tasted great.
Cons: the amount you can reheat depends on how big your air fryer is.
How to reheat roast vegetables in the microwave
- Spread your vegetables out on a paper towel-lined, microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave the veg in 20-second intervals until warm, stirring slightly during each interval.
The paper towel is there to soak up any liquid that runs out. This way the veg wont’ get too watery.
If you’d like, you can place the veggies under the broiler for 30-seconds after they’ve been microwaved to crisp them up a bit.
Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.
Pros: fast, quick, and convenient. Better for root vegetables.
Cons: the microwave muted the flavors a bit, and there was no bite left to the veg. But it wasn’t anything like the ‘horrible mush’ I’d been led to expect by other sources.
How to reheat roast vegetables on the grill
- Set your grill up and heat to medium-heat.
- Skewer your leftover roasted vegetables.
- Place the vegetable skewers on the grill and heat on all sides for 30-60 seconds.
- Keep turning the skewers until
The vegetables will be very prone to burning with this method, so you really need to keep an eye on them.
But the little bit of extra char that you get helps elevate the veg from leftovers to delicious.
I also like to brush the vegetables with a garlic butter before grilling them. YUM.
Pros: you get some extra flavor from the chars, and skewering the vegetables makes it fun.
Cons: this method is a bit more effort than the other options.
How to store roast vegetables
Let your vegetables cool to room temperature before storing them.
Storing hot vegetables will create condensation.
Once they’ve cooled, store your veg in an airtight container and put them in the fridge. If you’re worried about moisture, line the container with paper towels before putting the veg in.
Can you freeze roast vegetables?
You can freeze roast veg, though your veg might have a slightly softer texture after freezing.
Root vegetables like beetroot stand up much better to freezing than more watery vegetables like zucchini.
If you know you’ll be freezing your roast veg, undercooking it slightly will help keep it firm and survive reheating.
If the texture of your veg really suffers after being frozen, don’t worry!
The veg will still be great in a soup, a pasta sauce, ratatouille, or something similar. Even if the texture isn’t there anymore, the taste will be unaffected.
How to freeze roast vegetables:
- Spread your roast veg on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet so they don’t touch.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for 1 to 2 hours, or until the veg is hard.
- Transfer the veg into a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Remove all air from the bag (or vacuum seal it).
- Use within six months of freezing.
Flash-freezing the vegetables while they aren’t touching ensures that they don’t freeze together once you’ve put them in bags.
Removing the air from the freezer bags helps to prevent freezer burn.
I like to dunk the open freezer bag in a big bowl of water to remove the air.
The water forces the air out of the freezer bag, and you can seal it shut.
How to reheat frozen roast vegetables
The best way to reheat frozen roast vegetables is in the oven. Spread the veg out on a baking tray and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Bake for 5-10 minutes, keeping an eye on them as they reheat.
I don’t thaw my veg before reheating them because I find this makes them too mushy.
If you’re making a soup or a sauce with the veg, simply chuck them into your pot frozen.
How To Reheat Roasted Vegetables [Tried And Tested]
Ingredients
- 1 portion roast vegetables
- 1 tbsp olive oil optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Spread your vegetables out on a baking sheet.
- Optional: drizzle the vegetables with olive oil. If the veggies already seem quite oily, skip this step.
- Bake for 4-6 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through to flip the vegetables.
- Bake until sizzling.
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