How to Use a Pizza Oven for Perfect Roasted Vegetables

There’s something about food cooked using an open flame. The gnarly texture and charcoaled, smoky flavour just adds something that can’t really be replicated. One of our favourite things to cook using either a wood fired pizza oven or gas fired pizza oven is roasted vegetables.

Whether they take centre stage or form part of a side dish, choose root vegetables that become deliciously sweet, or Mediterranean style veggies that become soft and buttery, your pizza oven can be the perfect tool to achieve something that’ll have your friends and family asking for more! We have some fantastic cookware that you can use in pizza ovens to cook roasted vegetables…

Why use a Pizza Oven for Roasting Vegetables?

The intensively high heat that at pizza oven can achieve is perfect for cooking pizzas in as little as 60 seconds. However, they’re also great at retaining their heat for a long time, thanks to their incredible insulating properties.

This makes the perfect environment for cooking vegetables, especially as the oven cools. You obviously don’t need the temperatures of 450-500°C that are needed for cooking pizza in super quick time, rather temperatures of 200-250°C are ideal to still achieve the char and impart a smoky flavour without burning the delicate vegetables.

Which Kind of Vegetables Can I Roast?

The answer to that one is any! However, we’ve listed the most common vegetables that people tend to roast in their pizza ovens.

• Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, beetroot, sweet potatoes, and parsnips develop a delicious sweetness and crispness.

• Mediterranean vegetables such as bell peppers, courgettes, and aubergine soften quickly, turning buttery with a bit of char.

• Brussel sprouts, tenderstem broccoli and cauliflower are perfect for high heat cooking, turning caramelised with crispy edges. You can also roast cauliflowers whole, which make a great alternative to roast meat for vegetarian guests.

Not all veggies roast in the same way, so it’s important to be mindful of oven temperature and cooking times. For example, root vegetables will need more cooking time than soft veg like peppers and courgettes. This has a lot to do with water content. Root veg has a lot less water content than soft vegetables, meaning they burn a lot easier at high temperatures. It’s therefore a good idea to cover root veg with foil during the first part of the cooking process, which allows the veg to steam and soften. On the other hand, soft veg like peppers, courgettes and aubergines, can withstand high heat, but will cook a lot quicker, so it’s important to keep an eye on them and turn and rotate the veg as it cooks. This will prevent the veg from catching and burning.

Adding Flavour to Pizza Oven Roasted Vegetables

Although you could get away with just adding a little olive oil and salt and pepper and then let the magic of your pizza oven take care of the rest. It’s also really great to add some extra flavour too. Below are our top picks to really get the most out of your veg and add a touch of je ne sais quoi.

• Rosemary, thyme, and sage add aromatic, earthy notes, while chilli flakes or smoked paprika can add a subtle kick.

• Garlic: Tossing whole or crushed garlic cloves in with your veggies adds a warm, savoury flavour. Top Tip: keep the skin on the garlic to stop it from burning.

You can also add flavour after the vegetables have come out of the oven. Drizzle balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice over the veggies to freshen them up. Sprinkle with Parmesan, feta, or fresh herbs to elevate the dish even further.

Final Thoughts

Roasting vegetables in a pizza oven brings out deep, complex flavours and a gorgeous, gnarly texture that’s hard to replicate in a conventional oven. With a few tips and techniques, you can easily make perfectly roasted vegetables that complement any meal or become a meal in their own right. So, grab your favourite seasonal veggies, fire up the pizza oven, and enjoy the results of high heat wood or gas fired cooking. The Pizza Oven Shop has everything you need to get started with the perfect pizza oven.

Of course, as always, if you’d like any advice from our expert team, they’re on hand to help every step of the way. You can get in touch on 01423 608648 or email in a question on sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.