Mexican Roasted Vegetables with Herbed Crema

About This Recipe

Roasting vegetables hard at high heat until they blister and char at the edges reflects a common technique across Mexican cooking, where charring vegetables like tomato, onion, and chile is the foundation of countless salsas and sauces. Here, that same high-heat approach is applied to a broader mix of vegetables — zucchini, bell pepper, and sweet potato — seasoned simply with cumin, chili powder, and lime before roasting. A drizzle of herbed crema, made by blending Mexican crema (or sour cream) with cilantro, lime, and a small clove of garlic, isn't a traditional finishing sauce for roasted vegetables specifically, but it draws on the same crema-and-herb combinations found throughout Mexican cooking, from elote to enchiladas. Its cooling tang balances the smoky char and gentle heat of the roasted vegetables well. The key to good char without overcooking is roasting at a genuinely high oven temperature and not overcrowding the tray, which lets steam escape rather than trapping moisture that would leave the vegetables soft and pale instead of blistered and caramelized at the edges.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 wholezucchini, cut into thick rounds
• 2 wholebell peppers, cut into chunks
• 1 wholesweet potato, cubed
• 1 wholered onion, cut into wedges
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 1.5 tspchili powder
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 cupMexican crema or sour cream
• 0.25 cupcilantro leaves
• 1 clovegarlic
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 2 tbspcotija cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and prep

   Preheat oven to 230C (450F). Toss zucchini, bell pepper, sweet potato, and onion with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and salt.

2. 2

   Roast the vegetables

   Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet, without crowding. Roast 25-30 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges and tender.

3. 3

   Make the herbed crema

   Blend crema, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice until smooth and pourable, thinning with a splash of water if needed.

4. 4

   Assemble

   Arrange the roasted vegetables on a platter.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Drizzle generously with the herbed crema and top with crumbled cotija before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add corn on the cob, cut into rounds, for extra sweetness and texture.

• •

  Use a chipotle-spiked crema instead of plain herbed crema for more heat.

• •

  Serve over rice or with warm tortillas to turn it into a full meal.

Storage

Refrigerate roasted vegetables and crema separately in airtight containers up to 3 days; reheat vegetables in a hot oven or skillet to bring back some char, and add the cold crema fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions