Agrodolce in Italian means sweet and sour (technically sour and sweet) and refers to the delicious vinegar and syrup glaze that gets poured on the vegetables after they are roasted to perfection. I taught this recipe in last year’s Thanksgiving class and made it for Thanksgiving at my home as well.  I was looking at my notes from last year which said, “sooooo delicious! Everyone loved it.  Make again next year.”  Done!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Adds a sweet and sour flavor to basic roasted vegetables; 
• Super easy to make! 
• Great vegetable side dish for Thanksgiving or any fall-winter holiday.

Ingredients

• Autumnal vegetables – parsnips, winter squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, beets, fennel, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and/or  red onion are wonderful in this recipe. 
• Olive oil – I like to roast vegetables with olive oil. 
• Maple syrup – adds a nice sweet element to the agrodolce sauce. 
• Fresno chile – is a red pepper that is similar in size and heat level to a jalapeño but with thinner pepper walls. 
• Red wine vinegar – has a tangy flavor. I love using it in vinaigrettes and pickled onions. 
• Lemon zest – you’ll need the zest of one lemon.

How to make it? 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet(s) with unbleached parchment paper.
2. Place the vegetables in a large bowl and toss to coat with the oil. Spread out over the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup, chile, vinegar and salt to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon zest. Just before serving, spoon the agrodolce over the cooked vegetables.

Tips

• I like to roast vegetables on convection when making multiple sheet pans. Remember to lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using convection. 
• Spread vegetables in one layer on the sheet pans (do not overcrowd) to help them caramelize. 
• Cut the vegetables into sizes that will all cook at the same rate.
• Don’t boil the agrodolce syrup too much or it will evaporate!

Substitutions

• Fresno chile – jalapeno pepper
• Red wine vinegar – white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
• Maple syrup – honey or Lakanto liquid sweetener (if you can’t do carbs)

My Thanksgiving ebook is available!  Don’t waste hours of your time scouring my site, the internet and dozens of cookbooks.  My ebook has everything you need to prepare Thanksgiving without stress! Seriously, EVERYTHING!

My 2022 Thanksgiving Cooking Class with 5 brand new recipes is ready!  You watch on your own time and you can join a live zoom later in the month for Q&A if you have questions. You can purchase just this class, no commitment or a monthly subscription.

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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