Vegetables
1337 recipes found
Poutine
Composed of freshly made French fries bathed in a rich, brown gravy and dotted with squeaky pieces of fresh cheese, poutine is a Canadian specialty with small town roots. Several restaurants claim to have invented the dish in rural Quebec, an area known for cheesemaking, either in the late 1950s or early ’60s. (In one story former restaurateur Fernand Lachance replied, “Ça va te faire une maudite poutine!”, slang for “That will make a damned mess!”, to a customer who requested cheese curds on fries. Another story links poutine to restaurant owner Jean-Paul Roy, who noticed customers were adding the curds, sold separately at his drive-in, to their fries.) Poutine has expanded beyond its rural beginning, and can be found topped with everything from bacon to duck confit. Here, the fries are made fresh (highly recommended), but frozen packaged fries can be used in a pinch. Layer poutine a bit like you would nachos, except start with cheese on the bottom of the dish, followed by the fries, more cheese and, finally, the gravy.
Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad
This recipe breaks bok choy out of its steamed and stir-fried box, demonstrating how well it responds to charring. Don’t be afraid to cook bok choy aggressively; the stalks are robust and remain crisp, while becoming smoky and sweet. Baby bok choy can be used too, but the leaves are much smaller and more tender, so simply slice them through the middle lengthwise. Other sturdy greens like gai lan (sometimes called Chinese broccoli) or cabbages will also work. The punchy dressing is sweet and acidic, given heat and spice from the grated ginger, while tart rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the maple syrup. Keep this dressing in mind for similar salads; it is equally lovely with cold soba noodles.
Zucchini Salad With Bread Crumbs
A study in contrasts, this textured salad tops mild, gentle zucchini with a bold, invigorating mix of fried capers and toasted bread crumbs. First, you’ll soak diced zucchini in a tangy lemon-mustard dressing. While the zucchini soaks up flavor, you prepare the toppings, sautéeing capers, garlic and bread crumbs until crispy and crunchy. A dusting of Parmesan completes the dish. Serve this zucchini salad one of two ways: You can mix it all together after layering, so that the bread crumbs soak up the dressing, or divide among plates, drizzling any remaining dressing in the bottom of the bowl over everything.
Sopa de Verduras y Chochoyotes (Summer Vegetable Soup With Masa Dumplings)
Chochoyotes, or corn masa dumplings, are commonly added to flavor and thicken soups and guisos (stews) across Mexico. They are also found in mole amarillo, the famous yellow mole from Oaxaca, and added to frijoles de olla because the corn flavor complements the regionally grown beans and herbs. In this soup, a summer vegetable medley, including fresh poblanos, corn and squash, is browned in olive oil to give the broth sweetness from the caramelized sugars in the vegetables. The chochoyotes slightly thicken the soup without any dairy or gluten added and contrast the flavor of the fresh, sweet corn.
Spiraled Spanakopita With Feta
The first thing you’ll notice about this savory Greek pie — called striftí spanakotyrópita in its homeland — is its alluring spiraled form. But the shape serves a purpose beyond aesthetics: It amplifies the irresistible contrast between the crunch of the crust and the tenderness of the filling by increasing the surface area of the flaky, golden, olive-oil-varnished phyllo that encases the herbaceous greens. A handful of dried currants balances the salty cheese, and fresh parsley helps bring it all to life. If you’re lucky enough to have a Greek grocery nearby, look for frozen “country-style” phyllo, which is thicker and more tender than the paper-thin variety found in most supermarkets, making it closer to the handmade dough preferred by Greek cooks.
Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
This colorful, full-flavored salad is finished with a black olive dressing, made with Niçoise olives, capers, anchovy and garlic, and similar to a Provençal tapenade. For the best result, choose the smallest green beans and sweetest cherry tomatoes. Add arugula or other salad greens just before serving, if you wish.
Spanakorizo With Jammy Eggs
Bright and soulful, spanakorizo is a beloved Greek dish, with a name that reflects its combination of two key ingredients: spinach and rice. This version is fairly traditional in its essence, relying upon rice, spinach, lemon and herbs, but includes some flourishes. Though the addition of the jammy egg is not traditional, it injects a sunny burst of color, as well as added protein. For ease, this recipe calls for baby spinach (or chopped mature spinach), but frozen spinach can also be used (simply thaw it and squeeze out the water), or try a hardy green like chard or kale. A whole bunch of scallions delivers a richly aromatic base for the rice. Basmati is used here for its quick cooking time and light finish, but if you would like to use more traditional medium-grain rice, simply add an extra ½ cup of stock (2 cups total). As with any recipe, the timing is a guideline, but you should use your senses: Check your rice at the 15-minute mark, as some brands of rice will cook quicker than others.
Miso-Chile Asparagus With Tofu
Broiling asparagus gives it a charred exterior but still keeps the vegetables soft and sweet within. Here, the stalks share a pan with cubed tofu, and everything is glazed with a pungent miso sauce spiked with mirin, rice vinegar and a good hit of chile. Served over rice or noodles, it makes a salty, spicy and deeply flavored meal that’s ready in less than half an hour.
Pan-Seared Asparagus With Cashews
In this speedy, springy dish, a crunchy mix of nuts, seeds and coconut flakes gives seared asparagus plenty of texture, while a squeeze of lime and handful of fresh herbs add brightness right at the end. This makes a hearty side dish for simple roasted fish or chicken, or it can be a light meal when served over rice or alongside a fried or soft-cooked egg, the yolk turning into a glossy sauce that coats the stalks.
Bhaji Sliders
These spicy, hearty sandwiches are a simplified, quick take on pav bhaji, a popular Mumbai street food that is a celebration of humble vegetables — pav means bread in Hindi and bhaji means vegetables. Potatoes and cauliflower make the backbone of this hefty, generously spiced vegetarian main. Peas balance with sweetness. And although 4 tablespoons may seem like a lot of butter, in the end it’s vital to the characteristic texture of the dish: rich, glorious sloppiness. Served on a mini bun, the basic ingredients rise to the occasion and make for a fun and satisfying, albeit messy, slider.
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpeas With Mole Verde
Mole verde is one of the seven famous moles from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. There are an almost infinite number of variations on this classic mole — the type of ingredients, the method of preparation, the length of time cooked and what is served with it. But what they have in common is their shade of green, from raw moles that are bright emerald green to the long simmered, charred vegetable mole that has a deep olive hue. This version gets its bright color from the spinach and cilantro, and its tang from the tomatillos with a little heat from the poblanos. It’s served topped with roasted broccoli and chickpeas for a vibrant vegan dinner but would complement a roasted chicken just as easily.
Spinach Gomaae
A nutty, savory-sweet sesame dressing coats spinach in this Japanese dish, horenso no gomaae. It comprises four impactful ingredients that taste especially great with a bowl of white rice or as part of a breakfast spread with soup and salmon. Gomaae, pronounced go-MAH-ae, means sesame sauce and is more than just a recipe: Toasted sesame seeds, ground to a tan powder and simply mixed with soy sauce and sugar, are an excellent flavor canvas for spinach and beyond. You can swap in any vegetable, really, but sprightly, crunchy ones like lightly boiled green beans, sugar snap peas and broccoli shine with this application.
Roasted Spring Vegetables
Come spring, there are a number of long, slender, green vegetables that happen to cook at the same rate, so roast a variety together on a single sheet pan for a special side dish that takes as much effort as your default green beans. The scallions add a bittersweet onion-y flavor, although you could use green garlic, ramps or spring onions instead. Serve anytime you need a side of green vegetables — like with baked fish or a creamy pasta — or turn the combination into a big salad with lettuces and a mustard vinaigrette.
Turnip Greens
Braised until soft and yielding, with a mild sweetness stemming from long cooking and a hit of balsamic vinegar, these turnip greens — more tender than collards with a slight pepperiness, similar to mustard greens — become flavorful and savory. Many recipes for turnip greens use smoked meats or ham, but here they get a wonderful smokiness from smoked paprika. Though you can certainly find them attached to their root, turnips, these tasty greens are so popular that they are also sold on their own.
Cagaar (Spinach Stew)
Reflecting its main ingredient, cagaar (pronounced “ag-aar”) is both the Somali translation for the color green and a spinach stew. While spinach is the heart of this dish, other vegetables are often included such as okra, carrots, zucchini, or cabbage, depending on one’s preference. This dish almost always utilizes tomatoes as the base, weaving in warm xawaash spices and sparks of mild heat from the jalapeños. This flavorful vegan dish works well over soor (grits), white rice, or alongside suqaar and muufo (corn flatbread).
Grilled Asparagus With Miso and Olives
Grilling asparagus brings out its natural sweetness and adds delightful charred notes. Here, the asparagus is doused in a salty, nutty and umami-rich olive, pine nut and miso dressing. This recipe calls to cook the asparagus in a grill pan, but you can instead opt for a cast-iron skillet or set your asparagus on an outdoor grill. You can also achieve similar flavor by popping the asparagus into the broiler or roasting at the highest temperature your oven can reach. A touch of dill adds a fragrant note, enhancing the overall aroma of the dish, but feel free to omit, or use other soft herbs that you have on hand, like chives. Eat alongside a roast chicken, or incorporate into a spring salad spread.
One-Pan Creamy Artichokes and Peas
This creamy stew, full of seasoned sweet leeks, lemon zest and Parmesan, is a celebration of spring that you can make all year long, thanks to the canned artichokes and frozen peas. The creaminess comes from dolloping fresh ricotta over the top, then swirling it into the warm stew as you eat so it melts a little. Serve this with crusty bread or over pasta, gnocchi or rice to soak up the fragrant, herby pan sauce.
Broccoli Korma
Broccoli florets are simmered in coconut milk and almond butter then topped with slivered almonds, resulting in a nutty, luxurious main or side in just 30 minutes. Malabar pepper, grown and commonly used in the south of India, has a delicate lingering heat. (You could use another black pepper, but if the former is an option, try it.) Garam masala dials up the spice and an onion provides subtle sweetness. Serve with rice or roti.
Miso Leeks With White Beans
In this reinterpretation of the classic French dish leeks vinaigrette, tender braised leeks are bathed in a punchy miso vinaigrette, tossed with creamy white beans then served with an oozy soft egg for an easy, comforting midweek meal. Steady, gentle heat is the key to achieving the rich, jamlike leeks, coaxing out their sweetness while ensuring that they stay silky. The miso leeks can also be eaten in other ways — on a slice of toast, stirred through warm potatoes or pasta, or tossed with French lentils and peppery arugula for a simple salad. Make sure you use the whole leek. Many recipes recommend the white part only, but the green parts, while slightly tougher with a stronger flavor, can also be cooked and tenderized, especially in recipes where they are braised. The miso leeks improve over time and can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Crispy Smashed Sweet Potatoes
With charred skin and crispy bits, this irresistible side dish embodies the beloved dichotomy of smashed potatoes or tostones — soft inside and crunchy outside — but with the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. The key is to cut the sweet potatoes at just the right thickness — about ½ inch — so they can spread out when smashed. The optional step of sprinkling a thin layer of cheese on top before the final broil gives each piece a slight salty finish, with additional texture: Any bits that fall onto the pan become crisp and frico-like. A tangy, lime-mustard-yogurt dip or drizzle would also be welcomed.
Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes With Eggs
This sheet-pan meal of buttery sweet potatoes, kale chips, jammy eggs and toasted coconut feels like it comes together by magic simply by staggering the times the ingredients are layered onto the pan. Because thick slices of sweet potato take longer to cook through, they roast first, before the more delicate kale, eggs and coconut are added. The eggs cook in a nest of curly kale leaves that hold them in place. Drizzle everything with a creamy, punchy sauce like the one here, made from just peanut butter and harissa — or, use mint chutney, green goddess dressing or miso-sesame vinaigrette. Serve over grains, quinoa or couscous for a complete, satisfying meal.
Cheddar-Roasted Broccoli
With frizzled florets and crisp-tender stems, roasted broccoli is pretty delicious on its own. Follow Step 1 if you need a go-to basic method, or keep going for broccoli all dressed up in lacy skirts of Cheddar. Store-bought grated cheese will work, but freshly grated cheese will have an easier time surrendering to the heat of the oven. Let the cheese go past melted to just golden brown, at which point it will crisp into chips on your florets. Serve the broccoli alongside chicken cutlets, sausage or refried beans — or eat it straight from the sheet pan with your fingers.
Roasted Root Vegetables With Hot Honey
In this one-method-fits-all recipe, turn any combination of sturdy root vegetables into caramelized morsels. Whether you have carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes or sweet potatoes, rutabagas or any other root vegetables hibernating in your kitchen, cut them into pieces roughly the same size and cook them together on a sheet pan. Roasting on the oven’s bottom rack without stirring ensures one side will be golden brown without the interior drying out. You could stop after Step 1 and enjoy the vegetables’ inherent sweetness, or go on to Step 2 to toss them in a combination of butter, honey, lemon and crushed red pepper. The heat from the sheet pan will meld the ingredients into a spicy, tangy glaze for the vegetables. Enjoy with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, a hearty salad or a fried egg.
Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
This three-ingredient vegan soup isn’t a trick: It’s as velvety and rich as its creamy, dairy-full counterparts, with a sweetness that lingers and warms. Coax deep, nutty flavors from cauliflower and a whole head of garlic by roasting them until caramelized; next you’ll simmer them until nearly falling apart, then blend the mixture until silky-smooth. Gentle and comforting on its own, the soup can also serve as the start to your own creation: You could roast sliced onions or leeks instead of the garlic; stir in Cheddar, Gruyère or Parmesan; or top with fried sage or capers. Accompany with grilled cheese or pumpernickel bread, or a hearty salad with grains or lentils.