Roast Bacon Vegetables

Roast Bacon Vegetables

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
12 ounces baby potatoes, cut in half
24 ounces vegetables such as broccoli florets, cauliflower florets or carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 large red onion, cut into large pieces
2 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon dried thyme, divided
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Put 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, bacon, potatoes, 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss (I use my hands for this) until well combined.

Dump bacon and potato mixture onto the sheet pan. Make sure the bacon is evenly distributed. Roast in preheated for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the other 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, vegetables, onion, garlic, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the mixing bowl. Toss until well combined.

After the potatoes have been cooking for 30 minutes, remove sheet pan from oven and dump the vegetable mixture on top. Distribute evenly and return pan to oven. Roast for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, depending on desired level of doneness.

NOTES

We are mad for these vegetables. Raving mad. Before I go any further, I can only try to stress how fantastic and delicious and amazing this dish is by simply saying...

I am making this as our main Christmas Eve dinner side dish.

Ahem.

Honestly, this is one of those things I never really thought about posting a recipe for, roast vegetables. Always such a loose interpretation each time with those things. However, after accidentally creating one of the best lunches of my life back in November with some random odds and ends, the last of my bacon stash and my vegetable drawer:

I knew this had to become a permanent fixture. And it has. Tonight was the third week in a row I've made it, twice with pork chops, once with chicken:

Can't. Stop.