How to Roast Courgettes

A courgette is a nutrient-rich vegetable that can be enjoyed in various ways. It’s often served as part of stir fry and is used in many vegetarian dishes, including stews, soups, and main meals such as veggie lasagne.

But is it possible to cook courgettes and enjoy them as they are? And what’s the best way to prepare them? Can you roast courgettes?

To roast courgettes, slice them to your liking and drizzle some olive oil on each piece before roasting them for about twenty minutes in the oven. They will then be delightfully tasty and crispy in equal measure.

How to Roast Courgettes

Roasting courgettes is an excellent way to enjoy them. You can really appreciate these delicious veggies’ unique texture and taste, which isn’t necessarily the case when they’re prepared in different ways.

Here’s how to roast courgettes like a pro: 

1. Preheat Oven
   Switch on your oven and preheat to 400F or 205C. 
2. Prepare Courgettes
   Rinse your courgettes under the cold tap and slice them. How you cut them is up to you, but it’s a good idea to slice them lengthways. 
3. Add to Baking Tray
   Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or foil and place your courgettes on top. Make sure they’re evenly spaced out, and drizzle with olive oil and add some salt and pepper. 
4. Reheat
   Once sliced and seasoned, it’s time to place your tray of courgettes in the oven. You should cook them for twenty minutes, turning each slice halfway through. 
5. Serve and Enjoy
   After the cooking time has passed, your roasted courgettes should be flavoursome and crispy, making the perfect snack or accompaniment to your meal. 

How to Roast Courgettes Successfully

Here are 3 bonus tips to ensure you have complete success when roasting courgettes in the oven:

• Keep Liquid to a Minimum – When adding oil to your courgettes, it’s important not to go overboard. Too much oil (or any liquid) will cause your courgettes to go soggy when roasting them. If you think you’ve overdone it with the oil, use a paper towel to dab the courgettes dry before roasting them.
• Keep the Skin On – Unless you really don’t like it, you should keep the skin on your courgettes before roasting them. The main reason for this is that most of a courgette’s nutrients are in the skin, so it’s a good idea to keep it on to ensure you benefit from the goodness found within. 
• Don’t Slice Too Thin – If you slice your courgettes too thin, they are more likely to burn. Keep your courgettes nice and thick when you prepare them for roasting, and you can always slice them further once they have been cooked.

Why You Should Roast Courgettes?

Roasting courgettes is one of the best ways to enjoy this nutritious veggie, and here’s why: 

Delicious

Ultimately, you’re looking at a different way to cook courgette because you want it to taste amazing. Roasted courgette with a little seasoning is hard to beat from a taste perspective!

You will wonder why on earth it has taken you this long to try it. 

Low Prep

Apart from slicing and drizzling some oil onto your courgettes, roasting them is a super-easy way of preparing this veggie for serving up to your family.

Multiple Variations Available

Courgettes don’t have to be roasted on their own, nor do they have to be roasted with the same herbs and spices.

You can roast courgette rubbed in ras-el-hanout. You can mix it with garlic oil. You can combine it with broccoli, mushrooms and onion wedges. You can sprinkle over dried oregano or thyme. You can add grated garlic and chilli.

There really are endless options when roasting courgettes.

Why You Shouldn’t Roast Courgettes?

Although we love roasting courgettes, it might not be everyone’s ideal way of preparing them. Here’s why you might want to avoid doing so: 

Soggy

If you add too much liquid to your courgettes before roasting them, you will find that they will go soggy during the roasting process instead of crispy. 

Unhealthier

Roasting courgettes in the oven isn’t the healthiest way to enjoy them. But that being said, if you use olive oil or low-fat cooking spray, it’s not the unhealthiest option, either.

As is often the case, the healthiest way to cook vegetables isn’t the tastiest. That’s certainly the case for courgettes.

Is It Safe to Roast Courgettes?

Yes, roasting courgettes is perfectly safe. When you’re cooking any type of vegetable, very little can go wrong from a health perspective!

You just need to make sure your courgettes are in good shape before you roast them, so it’s a good idea to check the skin for any bruises or deformities before slicing them up.

Providing your courgettes are fresh, you should encounter no issues when you come to roast them.

Do Courgettes Roast Well?

Courgettes roast extremely well. In fact, we would say that roasting courgettes is the best way to enjoy them, as it produces a beautiful crisp texture that’s difficult to replicate with other cooking methods.

As mentioned, you just need to ensure you don’t cut them too fine or add too much oil, as they could burn or go soggy. 

Roasting Courgettes FAQs

Do you have further questions about roasting courgettes? Check these FAQs out as they may help you: