Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables with Maple Balsamic Dressing

These Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables with Maple Balsamic Dressing are the best way to elevate your traditional vegetable side dish. Easy to make and packed with flavour. These veggies go with everything!

Adding variety to side dishes

I’m sure we can all agree that vegetable side dishes need an upgrade. There are only so many times we can make and eat the same green bean casserole or steamed broccoli for dinner. These air fryer vegetables are a healthy and simple way to bring excitement back into cooking.

It seems like there are two types of people that own an air fryer: those that use it for everything they cook and those that have barely even touched the machine. Regardless of the camp you fall into, if you’re looking for new air fryer recipes, this is a fun one to try out! No need to heat up the whole oven, just plug in the air fryer and let’s get to work!

The majority of the prep is just peeling and chopping vegetables before tossing them in seasoning and throwing them into the air fryer basket.

Once the veggies are cooked, you have the option to add even more flavour with a delicious maple balsamic dressing. If this pairs well with the other food components of your meal, I highly recommend giving it a try!

You could also prepare this recipe in advance and have a batch ready for a busy week ahead. Enjoy these Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables as a side dish to chicken, beef, fish and plant-based options as well!

 

Ingredients needed

Here are the ingredients you need to make these air fryer veggies:

• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Bell peppers
• Sweet potato
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder, basil and oregano

 

For the Maple Balsamic Dressing, you will need:

• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Maple syrup
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic cloves, oregano, salt and pepper

 

Substitutions and add-ins

In case you don’t have some of the above ingredients or if you have a preference for others, here are some substitutions you can make.

• Potato
  • Instead of sweet potato, feel free to use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes.
• Italian seasoning
  • This blended seasoning will work just fine if you don’t have basil and oregano.
• Vinegar
  • If you don’t have balsamic vinegar for the dressing, you can use an alternative like red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Honey
  • Honey is a great substitute for maple syrup in the dressing. Use equal parts to what is recommended.
• Lemon juice
  • Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the cooked vegetables if you want an acidic flavour without making the dressing.
• Parmesan cheese
  • Everything’s better with cheese! Feel free to add a sprinkle of parmesan to the roasted veggies right before serving.

 

How to make Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables

These vegetables are super easy to make, they just take a bit of prep time before they are added to the air fryer. Here’s how to make them:

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Select either the roasting or air fryer setting, if these are available on your air fryer. 

Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2” pieces and toss them into a large bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the potatoes and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix this together until the potatoes are well coated.

Chop the broccoli, zucchini and bell peppers into bite sized (2”) pieces as well and add them to a separate large bowl. These veggies are kept in a different bowl so the potatoes can be added to the air fryer first, to ensure even baking*.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil on the veggies and stir to make sure they are well coated in the oil. Add the seasonings: garlic powder, basil and oregano and mix again. Set these vegetables aside.

Add the potatoes in a single layer into the air fryer basket. Roast for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Then you can add the remaining veggies and bake everything for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables reach your desired texture and doneness. The final cooking time is also dependent on the strength and size of your air fryer so I recommend checking the veggies every 5 minutes or so, to make sure they don’t overcook.

Once they are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and allow them to cool for 3-4 minutes before pouring the dressing on top.

 

*Root vegetables, like the sweet potatoes in this recipe, take a bit longer to cook. For this reason, you can add them to the air fryer about 5 minutes before adding the other veggies to make sure they are all evenly cooked.

How to make Maple Balsamic Dressing

This Maple Balsamic Dressing is completely optional but highly recommended! When the roasted vegetables are done, they are delicious already, but this dressing adds another level of flavour that makes you want to come back for more!

All you have to do is pour the ingredients into a measuring cup and whisk until combined. This recipe makes extra so you can make multiple batches of the vegetables or use the extra dressing on salads, pasta, as a marinade, and more! Keep it in the fridge and use it when needed!

Nutrition information

As a dietitian I aim to create recipes that are enjoyable for many reasons. They have to be easy and approachable, delicious (of course), and it doesn’t hurt if they provide some nutrition benefits as well! These Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables tick all of the boxes and then some!

 

Did you know these nutrition facts about each vegetable (per 1 cup)?

• Broccoli
  • Provides 5 grams of fibre, 3.5 grams of protein, a significant source of a variety of B vitamins, over 100% of your daily vitamin C and vitamin K needs, and minerals like potassium, manganese and more!
• Zucchini
  • Provides 2.5 grams of fibre, 2.5 grams of protein, a variety of B vitamins, a significant source of vitamin C, vitamin K and minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium and more!
• Bell peppers
  • Provides 1 gram of fibre, 1 gram of protein, a significant source of vitamin B6 and more than 100% of your daily vitamin C needs.
• Sweet potatoes
  • Provides 9 grams of fibre, 5.5 grams of protein, a significant source of a variety of B vitamins and vitamin C, a significant source of minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese and potassium!

 

Dietary considerations

This recipe is already vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free and nut free. No need to make any adjustments.

However, if you choose to use honey instead of maple syrup in the dressing, this will result in a dressing that is NOT vegan.

FAQ

• Is it better to roast or air fry vegetables?
  • You can do both and one is not better than the other. In this recipe we’re achieving the roasted effect while using the air fryer. A win win! Whatever method you use mostly depends on what equipment and time you have available. Roasting in a traditional oven can take more time than using an air fryer.
• How long does it take to cook vegetables in an air fryer?
  • This recipe suggests cooking the vegetables for about 15-20 minutes.
• What settings on the air fryer do you use?
  • You can use the bake, roast or air fry setting for this recipe. However, to achieve the look and taste of roasted vegetables, the roasted setting would be the best.
• Why are my vegetables not crispy from the air fryer?
  • The most common reason why the vegetables aren’t crispy is that they were crowded in the air fryer. Make sure they are spread out in a single layer to ensure optimal texture.

 

More side dishes

• Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Feta
• Herb and Garlic Potato Salad
• Spicy Cauliflower Wings with Creamy Peanut Sauce

 

If you make these Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutrition.rd!