Vegetable Roasting Times
Typical times at 400–425°F, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces unless noted — check for fork-tender doneness rather than trusting time alone.
| Vegetable | Time |
|---|---|
| Asparagus | 12–15 min |
| Broccoli / cauliflower florets | 20–25 min |
| Bell peppers (strips) | 20–25 min |
| Zucchini / summer squash | 15–20 min |
| Brussels sprouts (halved) | 25–30 min |
| Carrots | 25–35 min |
| Potatoes (cubed) | 30–40 min |
| Sweet potatoes (cubed) | 30–40 min |
| Beets (whole, wrapped) | 45–60 min |
| Butternut squash (cubed) | 35–45 min |
| Whole onions (halved) | 35–45 min |
Density and cut size drive the time more than the vegetable itself
Dense root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets) take longer than watery, quick-cooking vegetables (asparagus, zucchini, peppers) because there's simply more mass for heat to penetrate — cutting a dense vegetable smaller shrinks the time closer to a faster-roasting one, while cutting a quick-cooking vegetable larger stretches it out.
Crowding the pan is the most common reason roasted vegetables steam instead
Vegetables piled too deep on a sheet pan release steam that has nowhere to escape, which softens and steams them instead of the browning, caramelized result roasting is meant to produce — use two pans or a bigger sheet rather than crowding one pan if you're roasting a large batch.
Mixing vegetables with very different roast times
If a recipe calls for roasting several vegetables together, cut the slower ones smaller (or start them in the oven earlier) so everything finishes around the same time — carrots and potatoes cut to match asparagus's cook time, or added to the pan 15–20 minutes ahead of it, are both reasonable ways to bring a mixed roast together.