16 Velvety Melting Vegetable Recipes to Make Tonight

Melting Cabbage

Just trust us—once you try melting veggies for the first time, you'll want to make them just about every night. We've developed an easy formula so you can melt any vegetable you like. From tender garlicky potatoes to creamy ricotta-topped beets, these recipes prove that roasted vegetables can be an ideal comfort food. Serve recipes like our Melting Cabbage and Sour Cream & Onion Melting Potatoes with your favorite main dish—like maybe our Skillet Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs—for a delicious dinner.

01 of 16

Melting Potatoes

Melting Potatoes

The name for these spuds hints at their creamy interior. Roasting these melting potatoes at high heat ensures they get crunchy on the outside. Then, adding a little broth at the end allows the potatoes to absorb the liquid, making the insides extra moist.

02 of 16

Melting Cabbage

Melting Cabbage

This velvety cabbage side dish melts in your mouth and picks up the flavors of caraway, cumin and garlic as it simmers in broth in the oven. Serve it alongside roasted pork or chicken.

03 of 16

Garlic-Parmesan Melting Potatoes

Garlic-Parmesan Melting Potatoes

Crispy, buttery, cheesy, garlicky potatoes--what else could you ask for? Serve these melt-in-your-mouth potatoes alongside steak, pork chops, chicken or fish. If you have leftovers, throw them into a breakfast scramble the next morning.

04 of 16

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter

8339944.jpg

As the name implies, these sweet potatoes melt right in your mouth. After browning in a hot oven, thick slices of sweet potato simmer in broth and soak up the flavors of maple syrup and lemon. This simple dish is great alongside roasted chicken or pork and makes a great Thanksgiving side dish.

05 of 16

Melting Onions

Melting Onions
Jacob Fox

Onions lose their bite and melt in your mouth when they're sliced and roasted with butter and fresh herbs and then tenderized further by braising in broth. Serve alongside roasted chicken or cook them in vegetable broth for an easy, elegant vegetarian side dish.

06 of 16

Melting Beets with Ricotta

Melting Beets with Ricotta
Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst

Creamy, herbaceous, earthy, sweet, crisp and melt-in-your-mouth all at once? This simple recipe is firing on all cylinders. Use any color beets if golden aren't available. Either way, the cider vinegar will still make them pop, and the ricotta garnish adds just the right amount of creaminess.

07 of 16

Sour Cream & Onion Melting Potatoes

Sour Cream & Onion Melting Potatoes

Try this fun spin on sour cream and onion potatoes. The potatoes roast, then "melt," absorbing a savory onion flavor. They're perfect for holidays but simple enough for a weeknight.

08 of 16

Melting Butternut Squash with Cumin & Cilantro

a recipe photo of the Melting Butternut Squash with Cumin & Cilantro on a serving platter and with a serving spoon
Photographer: Brie Goldman Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly Prop Stylist: Holly Raibikis

In this quick and easy recipe, butternut squash becomes crisp on the outside from 20 minutes in a high-heat oven, and creamy on the inside from the addition of a flavorful broth during the last few minutes of roasting. The flavors of garlic, paprika, cumin and cilantro are inspired by the North African condiment chermoula, which is popularly used in seafood dishes but also sometimes used to accompany meat and vegetables. Look for a squash with a long neck for best results.

09 of 16

Melting Beets with Goat Cheese

Melting Beets with Goat Cheese
Photography / Jacob Fox, Styling / Sammy Mila

Roasting the beets with broth makes them crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside. Crumbled goat cheese tops these melt-in-your-mouth beets for an easy side dish.

10 of 16

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Herbs & Garlic

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Herbs & Garlic

This savory spin on sweet potatoes uses earthy herbs and aromatics to help cut through the sweetness of the spuds, creating a beautifully balanced dish. Leaving the skins on helps the sweet potatoes retain some texture after being roasted, but they work just as well peeled. Look for sweet potatoes that are similar in diameter, which will help them cook at the same rate, and try smoked paprika instead of sweet to give them even more of a savory edge.

11 of 16

Lemon-Rosemary Melting Potatoes

lemon rosemary melting potatoes

These full-flavored potatoes are a great new approach to your typical potato side dish. The potatoes roast, then "melt" with the flavors of lemon, rosemary and garlic. They're good enough for a special occasion, but easy enough for a weeknight.

12 of 16

Melting Cauliflower with Lemon, Feta & Oregano

a plate of the Melting Cauliflower
Photographer: Brie Goldman Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly Prop Stylist: Holly Raibikis

Lemon zest and fresh oregano make this melt-in-your-mouth cauliflower recipe come alive. Low-sodium chicken broth cuts down on the salt, and feta makes it creamy.

13 of 16

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows

If you like sweet potato casserole, you'll love these tender, creamy melted sweet potatoes. Slices of sweet potatoes "melt" into a savory broth with spices and are topped with mini marshmallows for a hint of sweetness at the end. They're perfect for Thanksgiving or anytime in fall or winter when cooler weather settles in.

14 of 16

Salt & Vinegar Melting Potatoes

Salt & Vinegar Melting Potatoes

We love this method of roasting potatoes with broth because it creates a crispy exterior and a creamy interior. This recipe takes inspiration from one of our favorite potato chip flavors: salt and vinegar. Serve these potatoes alongside roasted chicken or with crispy fish for a fresh take on fish and chips.

15 of 16

Melting Potatoes with Creamy Lemon Dressing

Melting Potatoes with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Jacob Fox

These savory potatoes roast in a hot oven before they're bathed in broth and slathered in a creamy lemon-infused sauce. Serve these silky potatoes alongside roasted chicken or beef.

16 of 16

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter
Photography / Dera Burreson, Styling / Lauren McAnelly / Holly Rabikis

Once you "melt" sweet potatoes, you won't want to make them any other way. These roasted sweet potatoes soak up broth to turn the interior into a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. A sage-brown butter sauce finishes these potatoes for a truly stunning side dish.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles