8 Different Ways Of Cooking Vegetables

Cooking vegetables is so much more than just throwing them in a pot and boiling them! In actual fact, vegetables are a really versatile food and there are lots of different and delicious ways to cook them.

If you've been lacking some inspiration of late and are getting bored of the same old ways of cooking with vegetables, help is now at hand!

In this article we'll show you all the different ways you can make your veggies - such as grilling, roasting, stuffing, steaming, boiling, stir-frying, sauteeing and pureeing.

And like all our recipes, these methods of cooking vegetables are also really simple and straightforward and will have you whipping up mouth-watering masterpieces in no time!

1. Steaming

Steam cooking is where food is cooked by steam, as opposed to using oil or fat.

Steaming is perhaps the healthiest way of cooking vegetables as it preserves more of their valuable nutritional and vitamin content than other methods of cooking, and it uses no added fat or oil.

A gentle way of cooking with vegetables, it also allows vegetables to retain more of their natural flavor, texture, color and shape.

As steam is hotter than boiling water, it is also one of the quickest ways of cooking too.

Our great article discusses steaming in more depth and shows you how to successfully steam vegetables in 7 easy steps.

2. Roasting

There's nothing quite like crisp, roast veggies - mmmm...! And they're really so simple to make.

This method of cooking with vegetables works best with root vegetables and squashes, and summer vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers.

Simply cut your preferred veg into large even-sized chunks, place in a large bowl and drizzle over a little olive oil. Stir well until all the veggies are coated. You can also add in any seasoning of your choice, such as sea salt, coarse black pepper, dried chili flakes, minced garlic and dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano.

Cover the base of a roasting tin with a little oil and place in your oven. Preheat to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 4. Once the oven has heated up, carefully remove the roasting tin and place the vegetable chunks on it. Be very careful when you're doing this as the hot oil may 'spit' slightly.

Return the roasting tin to the oven and cook until the vegetables are tender and are beginning to turn brownish-black at the edges, turning over occasionally. Vegetables will usually approx 30-50 minutes to roast, depending on the particular type.

3. Grilling

Chargrilled veggies done on a BBQ look so visually appealing, and this way of cooking vegetables also allows them to retain their flavors without them becoming over-saturated with oils.

Grilling vegetables is really easy to do - our helpful article will talk you through the process step by step.

4. Boiling

Boiling is one of the most common methods of cooking lots of different types of vegetables, although you need to be careful not to overboil them as this can lead to a loss of valuable nutrients. Also make sure you don't boil them too vigorously as this can cause some vegetables - especially potatoes - to breakup while they're cooking.

The best way of boiling denser root vegetables is to place them in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil, and then cook with the lid on.

Leafy greens and brassicas, on the other hand, should be placed in a pan of water which is already boiling and then cooked uncovered.

The actual cooking time will of course vary depending on the vegetables in question and their size, but as a general rule of thumb root vegetables, squashes and tubers will take approximately 10-25 minutes, while greens and brassicas take roughly 5-8 minutes.

To test if your veggies are ready, either taste them or pierce them with a fork - they should be tender in the middle. Once cooked, drain immediately - don't leave them standing in the cooking water as nutrients and vitamins can 'leak' out into it.

I like to add a vegetable stock cube to the cooking water for a bit of added flavor, and once the vegetables have cooked you can reserve this and use it as a base for stock for soups.

5. Stir-Frying

Like steaming, stir-frying is another method of cooking vegetables which is particularly effective in preserving nutrients, flavor and color. This is because the vegetables are cooked rapidly using a minimum amount of liquid.

The key when stir-frying vegetables is to coat the base of your wok or frying pan with a little oil and then heat over a high heat until the oil begins to smoke.

Once this happens, add in thin strips or slices of your preferred vegetables, starting with the denser ones which take longer to cook. Stir the vegetables continuously over a high heat until they're crisp and glossy. If they appear to be drying out while they're cooking, add in a little water or stock - don't add in more oil.

Stir-frying is a such a quick way of cooking vegetables so you may want to have the rest of your meal prepared and ready to serve as soon as the vegetables are cooked.

For a simple Asian-inspired vegetarian dish that you can make in minutes, why not try stir-frying some mixed peppers, pak choi, onions, beansprouts and ginger in a little soy sauce or some ready-made Thai sweet chilli dipping sauce, and serve with some fragrant jasmine rice.

6. Pureeing

Pureeing is a method of cooking vegetables which lends itself well to root vegetables and squashes.

Simply boil, steam or bake your vegetables first and then mash to a puree. If you want to thicken or thin the consistency of your mashed veggies try adding in a little butter, cream or milk before seasoning with some herbs, spices or salt and pepper.

Plain pureed vegetables also make excellent baby food, though always make sure that you don't add any salt while they're cooking if you're planning to feed them to your little one.

7. Sauteeing

Sauteeing, or sweating as it is sometimes known, involves cooking finely chopped vegetables in a little butter or oil over a low heat in a saucepan until they are tender, but have not coloured or turned crisp.

Sauteed vegetables make a delicious base for soups and sauces.

8. Stuffing

I really love stuffed vegetables - they look great and you can just pop them in the oven and leave them to cook while you get on with other things!

Larger stuffed vegetables such as peppers, artichokes and portabello mushrooms make a substantial vegetarian main meal, while smaller ones such as button mushrooms or tomatoes are ideal to serve at parties as little appetizers.

Vegetables which are particularly good for stuffing include artichokes, butternut squash, eggplant (aubergines), jacket potatoes, mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes.

And the list of fillings for stuffing is just as diverse, for example cous cous, savory rice, chopped vegetables and cheese.

We do a yummy recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers with a smoked paprika filling.

As you can see, there are so many diverse ways of cooking vegetables that you needn't get bored with the same old ways of preparing these delicious foods! And remember, you can always eat lots of different types of them raw as well - a really great way to give your body a boost of essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals.

For more kitchen tips like this article on cooking vegetables, click here.

Or return to our home page for free and delicious vegetarian recipes.

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