Since the dressing is made with honey, it's not vegan, but you can easily fix that by using maple syrup or agave nectar instead.

Can I use a different vinegar or dressing?

Yes, of course! I used balsamic vinegar because I'm trying to make a coypcat recipe, but this is adapted from my shallot vinaigrette , which uses apple cider vinegar, instead. You could also drizzle lemon tahini dressing over this salad for a sugar-free option.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Name: Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound sweet potatoes (, cut into ½-inch chunks); 1 pound brussels sprouts (, sliced in half); 2 tablespoons olive oil; fine sea salt (, as needed); ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 shallot ((2 to 3 tablespoons)); 1 garlic clove; sea salt and ground black pepper; 1 head Romaine lettuce; 1 ripe avocado

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This warm roasted vegetable salad is one of my favorite ways to use fresh produce in the winter months. Sturdy veggies like cauliflower, brussels sprouts, or sweet potatoes get roasted in the oven while you blend together a quick balsamic vinaigrette.

The combination of cool and crunchy romaine lettuce, plus warm veggies and a comforting dressing, will leave you craving more salad— even when it’s chilly outside!

I had brussels sprouts and sweet potato on hand when I took photos of this recipe, but it’s also equally delicious with roasted cauliflower, broccoli, beets, or carrots.

roasted vegetable salad topped with sweet potato, avocado, brussels sprouts and dressing.

Roast Vegetable Salad Ingredients

Vegetables (to roast). These are clearly the stars of the show, but the variety is up to you. My favorite veggies to roast, in general, are beets, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. I’ve kept the seasoning simple, since they will be tossed with a flavorful balsamic dressing in this salad.
Romaine Lettuce. I like to buy the 3-pack of romaine hearts, which tend to be smaller than a whole head of romaine. The smaller hearts work better if you’re only serving one portion of salad at a time; use a larger head if you plan on serving more people at once.
Balsamic Vinaigrette. This homemade dressing is made with shallot, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard (which helps make it creamier), and honey to balance the tangy balsamic vinegar.
Avocado. I added this because California Pizza Kitchen’s version included it. If you’re not an avocado fan, or don’t have a ripe one on hand, try adding a creamy cheese, like chevre or feta, or keep it dairy-free with some crunchy walnuts or pistachios on top.

romaine, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, avocado, and balsamic vinaigrette labeled on a white surface.

How to Make Roasted Vegetable Salad

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and cut the vegetables into small chunks. For brussels sprouts, I like to cut them in half or into quarters if they are very large. For sweet potatoes, cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. As long as the veggies are similar in size, they should finish cooking around the same time.

Arrange each veggie on its own sheet pan. (I use half-sheet size, 18×13-inches, to make sure the pans don’t get crowded.) Add a drizzle of olive oil, then toss well with your hands.

Spread the veggies out in a single layer, then sprinkle generously with salt. Place each pan in the oven and bake at 400ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping the veggies halfway through.

Note: Roasting time will vary depending on the veggie you use. Cauliflower and broccoli may be done in as little as 20 minutes, Brussels sprouts cook in about 25 minutes, and sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and beets may require the full 30 minutes.

sweet potato and brussels sprouts before and after roasting on sheet pans.

Step 2:

While you wait for the veggies to roast, prepare the balsamic vinaigrette. You’ll get the creamiest results when you make this in a blender. You can shake it together in a jar if you prefer, but then you’ll need to finely dice the shallot and garlic, and the dressing won’t be as creamy.

In a small blender, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Secure the lid and blend until smooth, which should take about 60 seconds.

Pour this into an airtight jar with a lid and set it aside until you’re ready to serve.

shallot vinaigrette blended together in a small blender.

Step 3:

To assemble the salad, chop the romaine lettuce and add it to a serving bowl. When the veggies are done roasting, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. (This way the lettuce won’t wilt right away from the piping-hot veggies.)

Once the roasted veggies have cooled briefly, add them to the salad along with slices of creamy avocado. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the top, and it’s ready to serve right away.

You can add any other toppings you like at this point, such as perfectly baked salmon or chicken breasts, to make it a complete meal.

chopped romaine added to a serving bowl and topped with roasted veggies and dressing.

Storage & Meal Prep Tips

Store the leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Dressing can thicken when chilled, so let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving again. (Or run the jar under warm running water to speed the process.)

The roasted veggies will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep the chopped romaine lettuce in a separate container, so it won’t get soggy while stored.

If you want to make this ahead of time as part of your meal prep routine, it’s easy to grab these 3 containers from the fridge and assemble a salad in just minutes! If you want warm veggies on your salad, toss them in your air fryer and reheat at 350ºF for 3 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Roasted Vegetable Salad recipe is my favorite way to eat veggies when the weather cools down. It's inspired by a dish that I used to love at California Pizza Kitchen, featuring warm roasted veggies and creamy avocado served over a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce. It's tossed with a restaurant-quality balsamic vinaigrette and is easy to customize with any extra toppings you like!

prep15 mins cook30 mins total45 mins

Servings:4

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Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables

1 pound sweet potatoes , cut into ½-inch chunks
1 pound brussels sprouts , sliced in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
fine sea salt , as needed

Balsamic Vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot (2 to 3 tablespoons)
1 garlic clove
sea salt and ground black pepper

For Salad Assembly

1 head Romaine lettuce
1 ripe avocado

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and gather two 18×13-inch pans. Add the sweet potatoes to one pan, and the brussels sprouts to the other pan. Toss each pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, using your hands to ensure each piece is coated. Then spread the veggies out in a single layer and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake at 400ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
While you wait on the veggies to roast, prepare the dressing. In a small blender, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Secure the lid and blend until smooth, about 60 seconds. Transfer this to a glass jar with a lid.
When the veggies are done roasting, remove them from the oven and let them cool briefly, about 5 minutes. (This way, they won't make the lettuce wilt.) To assemble the salad, start with a bed of romaine lettuce. Then add the warm veggies, sliced avocado, and a generous drizzle of the dressing. Serve right away for a nice contrast of tender and crunchy textures.
Leftover components, like the romaine, roasted veggies, and dressing, can be stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. It's easy to assemble another salad later in the week this way! To warm up the veggies again, toss them in an air fryer at 350ºF for 3 minutes.

Notes

Nutrition information is for a quarter of the roasted veggies, romaine, avocado, and approximately 2 tablespoons of dressing. (The whole recipe makes about 3/4 cup dressing total, so you’ll likely have leftovers to use for a side salad, too.) This information is automatically calculated using ingredients from an online database, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Veggie Note: You can use any other veggies you like to roast for this recipe, like cauliflower, carrots, or beets. Some veggies will cook faster than others, so start checking on them at the 20-minute mark to make sure they don’t burn.

Blender Note: I use this Beast blender (affiliate link) for blending salad dressing. It’s the perfect size for small batches. I still use my Vitamix for blending larger batches and hot drinks, so it’s not the perfect option for all of your needs, but I find myself using it at least 3x a week.