I considered trying a vegan Thanksgiving dinner this year but my husband was surprisingly unenthused even though eating more plant-based meals was his idea. It’s not that I’m too upset to have roast turkey, and I did find a way to include a vegan dish. Roast Asparagus with Red Potatoes and Mushrooms has some of my favorite vegetables and didn’t look too difficult. Let’s face it, Thanksgiving cooking is rewarding but exhausting (at least for me). I love it when I find a special yet easy dish, and I think this one will fit the bill.
I’m always looking for new recipes to add some variety to the various holiday tables, be it Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, all the days. We can’t eat the same things over and over. We’re not animals. And as vegans, our festive options could use some expanding.
The Ingredients
One thing this recipe had going for it was a short list of ingredients that were all easy to find and inexpensive. I did double up on the weight of potatoes from four ounces to eight. Four ounces was literally two tiny red potatoes, and I knew we would feel deprived with one each. Fortunately, the amount I bought seemed just right.
The Process
This roast asparagus recipe was as easy to make as I expected, which was wonderful! I did make some adjustments to it though. First, I didn’t quarter all my mushrooms because they were pretty small, to begin with. I only quartered the larger ones. Next, I used my olive oil sprayer instead of drizzling the oil onto the asparagus. It gave a more even coverage.
Roasting the vegetables went pretty well, but I ended up over-cooking the mushrooms. I think I should have taken them out with the asparagus (after 20 minutes). Next time I’ll roast them together and the potatoes by themselves.
The potatoes were nicely browned and crisp after about 40 minutes, so keep an eye on them. I started with small potatoes and halved them into bite-sized pieces. They were on the small side, and I think they would have burned if I cooked them any longer. Alternately, you could leave them whole and try roasting for the full 50 minutes.
The Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cup (this one measures in tablespoons up to 1/4 cup)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small skillet
- Citrus reamer (optional)
