How to make crispy roasted vegetables in the oven

How do I get roasted veggies to be crisp? I typically use olive oil, salt and pepper, space them out on a pan and roast at 425 degrees, but they come out soggy and rarely with any browned crispy parts.

This was a question that came up during our weekly live chat, where we help you level-up your skills in the kitchen. I think this reader is off to a good start. Here are a few other suggestions.

Make sure the vegetables are as dry as possible before you roast. Pat them dry with a towel and let them continue to dry on the towel while the oven preheats.

Preheat the baking sheet. Set it on the rack while the oven heats up. When it’s time to roast, carefully add the vegetables, already tossed with oil, salt and pepper, to the pan (you’ll hear them sizzle right away) and slide it right back in. If you have a pizza stone or steel, place the baking sheet on it.

Make sure your oven is actually hot! Confirm it’s getting to the right temperature by using a stand-alone oven thermometer. If you know your oven runs a consistent number of degrees off, adjust the dial accordingly. (Or look into recalibrating it yourself or with an appliance repair person.) And as we’ve discussed before, your oven may signal that it’s preheated when it’s not. If yours is anything like mine, it could take up to 30 minutes to reach the right temperature, especially the higher you go. If you don’t want to wait until the oven is fully heated, be prepared to cook the vegetables longer.

Reconsider your rack position. Where is the heating element? The default middle rack may not actually be the best spot. Moving the pan closer to one of the elements can help. I find that I get lots more crispy edges when I roast vegetables on a rack in the upper third of the oven.

Use the convection feature on your oven, if you have one. The fan helps better circulate hot air. Or try the air fryer!