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These Roasting Pans For Vegetables Bake & Brown To Perfection
A roasting pan can be an investment, both in terms of cost and space in your kitchen, so it’s helpful to find one worth its weight. Roasting pans are kitchen workhorses that are useful for far more than just roasting a turkey, and the best roasting pan for vegetables can bake up everything from sweet potatoes to Brussel sprouts perfectly.
Many cooks use a thin baking sheet to roast vegetables, but a more heavy-duty roasting pan is less likely to warp under the high heat that makes roasted vegetables delicious (think: 425 degrees Fahrenheit).
Here are some details to keep in mind when shopping for a veggie-friendly roasting pan.
Materials
Pans come in a variety of materials, each with some pros and cons.
- Stainless steel: Stainless steel lasts a long time, is generally dishwasher safe, and is particularly suited to browning foods, making it ideal for roasting your favorite root vegetables. These pans can be tougher to clean.
- Ceramic/stoneware: A true oven-to-table pan, ceramic bakeware is easy to clean and looks good on the table, too. Ceramic dishes also won’t react with ingredients, though the dishes themselves can chip. Since veggies need to be roasted at pretty high temperatures, many ceramic options won't be able to handle the heat, so look for ones capable of withstanding the temperatures you need (like the ceramic pick below, which comes with non-porous enamel finish).
- Cast iron: Cast iron withstands high heat and is built to last, though it's heavy and can react with certain ingredients. While cast iron doesn't have the best heat distribution, and it can take longer to heat up, it makes up for those traits with its non-stick surface (from seasoning) and its ability to hold heat better and for longer periods of time. If you're concerned about the upkeep of this option, an enamel coating simplifies the maintenance of cast iron and makes it dishwasher safe.
- Carbon steel: Carbon steel is similar to cast iron, but noticeably more lightweight and affordable. Acidic ingredients, like tomato, can strip its patina, so look for a coated pan if you want to avoid this.
Size & Accessories
A 9-by-13-inch roasting pan is a good all-purpose size. Look for a roasting pan with walls about 2-inches high so it’s easier to toss vegetables for even roasting. A pan with handles will make for easy tossing of vegetables and then later easy serving, and a lid traps heat and prevents veggies from overbrowning.
Since this list focuses on roasting pans for vegetables, most of my picks forego traditional U-shaped or V-shaped racks intended for large cuts of meat. Flat racks with smaller openings between slats are more useful for vegetables because they keep veggies from falling through.
Now, let's get you cooking. Below are the best roasting pans for vegetables, each one comes highly rated on Amazon.
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
1The Best Nonstick Roasting Pan With A Rack
This nonstick roasting pan is made of carbon steel with a food-grade silicone coating made to stricter European standards (LFGB). Reviewers commented they love the weight of this rectangular, versatile pan and its easy-to-clean surface.
Though it doesn't have handles or a lid, this pan includes a flat rack with narrower slats that's particularly useful for roasting vegetables. This pick comes in an attractive champagne gold hue, and it can withstand a maximum of 428 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember to wash it by hand so that it stays in great condition.
At 13.8-by-10 inches, this pan is slightly bigger than the 9-by-13 inch standard and has 2.5-inch walls, making it easy to shake to toss around the veggies while roasting.
A helpful review: “Love this pan. Easy to clean. Roasted potatoes, roasted veggies, YUM!
2The Best Stainless Steel Roasting Pan
If you're looking for a superior quality stainless steel roasting pan, you'll want to invest in a traditional one with a rack. This pick from Calphalon comes with outer layers of stainless steel that are bonded with high heat and pressure for impressive durability around a heavy-gauge aluminum core. It's made with durable tri-ply construction, with a middle layer of aluminum that conducts heat well and a stainless steel top layer that won’t react with ingredients.
Calphalon's rectangular pan is broiler safe, which means it can withstand 500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Its U-shaped rack won't stick to food, and the pan has vertical handles that curve inward, though no lid.
With more than 400 reviews, this pan has an impressive 4.7-star rating. Just make sure you have the room for it in your kitchen or pantry, since this roasting pan is 16 inches with four-inch walls — larger than all of the other pans on this list. This pick is dishwasher safe.
A helpful review: “[...] When roasting vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, a large surface area is best, so you can have everything in a single layer. I've used 13 x 18 baking sheets, but I find I get better result with this pan. [...]”
3A Heavy-Duty Cast-Iron Roasting Pan
An enameled cast iron roasting pan gives you all the benefits of cast iron without having to worry about seasoning it or being mindful of acidic ingredients. This rectangular Cuisinart pan features wide handles extending along the width of the dish, and it comes in deep shades of blue or red that can complement your tablescape.
The pan is safe to use under the broiler, which is 500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. There's no lid or rack with this highly-rated roasting pan and it is dishwasher safe.
The interior of this pan measures 14 inches, making it slightly larger than a standard-size pan, and it has high 2.7-inch walls.
A helpful review: “We love to load this tray up with cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, etc., and drizzle everything with olive oil before backing at 450-500 degrees until everything has been cooked well (it is important that the food come close to burning, otherwise it just tastes like cooked vegetables instead of the delicious roasted vegetables that caramelize into sweet delicious goodness). [...]”
4The Best Ceramic Roasting Pan With A Lid
A ceramic roasting pan is a beautiful way to present vegetables, and this stoneware piece has a non-porous enamel finish that protects, shines, and keeps food from sticking. Despite the fact that most ceramic cookware isn't safe in high temperatures, this rectangular pan is safe to use in extreme temperatures that range from -65 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two handles extending out the sides are convenient for removing the pan from a hot oven, and a lid with a knob can keep your dish warm. You won't find a rack with this one, but it is dishwasher safe. Choose from a goes-with-everything glossy white or statement-making orangey red.
This is a standard 9-by-13-inch pan with roomy 2.5-inch walls that prevent splatters.
A helpful review: “I am very pleased with this casserole dish. Not only does it do an excellent job in the oven with a wide variety of recipes from traditional casseroles to meats to roasted vegetables, but it is a beautiful piece to have on the table for serving family or dinner guests. [...] with superbly even heat distribution throughout the dish and the flexibility of using or removing the lid as needed depending on what you are making, you could prepare just about anything to your particular liking. [...]It is worth the price for its high level of quality, and I can’t imagine ever needing or wanting to replace it.”
5The Best For Roasting Chicken & Vegetables All At Once
Consider this pan an investment piece. It deviates from standard roasting pan features and measurements, but has a unique design that allows you to whip up one-pot meals. In lieu of a rack, a vertical roasting pan has a spike in the center typically used to hold a chicken upright. The round tray beneath is then filled with vegetables that roast under the chicken's juices, making a complete meal at once. Staub's roasting pan is made of enameled cast iron and is oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Made in France, this lidless pick has wide handles on the sides, and it comes in black or gray. It is resistant to chips and can be placed in the dishwasher.
A helpful review: “This is the third one I've bought, one for myself and then two as gifts because they absolutely rock. Put some cut squash or sweet potatoes or potatoes in the tray and prepare to be bowled over by the rendered shmaltzy goodness!”
