Sautéed Vegetables

To sauté means to cook, stirring or tossing, in a small amount of fat in a pan over relatively high heat. This technique releases flavor and moisture from vegetables, and concentrates their sweetness through caramelization (although nowhere near as much as roasting).

The benefits of sautéing are that it is much quicker than roasting, and can be done with just one pan on the stovetop. The down side is that it requires more attention than roasting, as you’re generally adding vegetables to the pan one at a time, and you must stir or mix your vegetables often while they are cooking. (The word sauté comes from the French word for “jump,” so remember to keep those veggies jumping in the pan!)

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perfect sautéed vegetables

Serves 2 (with leftovers)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 to 20 minutes

Total Time: 15 to 30 minutes

• 1 pound vegetables
• 2 tablespoons cooking fat
• Salt and pepper

The key to successful sautéing is to prepare all the ingredients before the first one hits the pan, so you can time the cooking of each ingredient perfectly. As all vegetables have different cooking times, make sure vegetables that take longer to cook are added first.

Prepare each vegetable by peeling and trimming, and cutting into uniform size, if necessary. (Refer to the chart for recommendations.) Heat the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the vegetables in the order of longest to cook to shortest to cook.

Cook the vegetables according to the chart, stirring often to ensure all sides are cooked evenly and nothing sticks to the pan. (Cooking times are variable, so experiment and check often as the vegetables cook as you become familiar with this technique.) Cook the veggies until they are slightly browned on the outside and fork-tender inside.

If the vegetables are browned to your liking before they’ve reached desired tenderness, turn the heat down to medium and continue to cooking, stirring.

Toss with your favorite dressing or sauce (starting here), our seasoning suggestions, or sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, and serve warm.

Sautéing Vegetables

Vegetable	Prep	Sauté Time	Seasoning Suggestions
Asparagus	whole	5 to 10 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Beets	1-inch pieces	15 to 20 minutes	squeeze of orange juice and sprinkle of zest
Bell pepper	1-inch pieces	5 to 6 minutes	splash of balsamic vinegar
Broccoli	1-inch florets	5 to 7 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Brussels sprouts	halved	6 to 8 minutes	dried thyme and lemon zest before cooking
Butternut squash	1-inch pieces	7 to 9 minutes	dried thyme before cooking
Cabbage	8 wedges	8 to 10 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice, dried chives
Carrots	1½-inch pieces	6 to 8 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice, minced fresh parsley and mint
Cauliflower	1-inch florets	5 to 7 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice, dried chives
Eggplant	1-inch pieces	6 to 8 minutes	fresh chopped tomatoes, dried oregano
Fennel	1-inch pieces	8 to 10 minutes	squeeze of orange or lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Green beans	whole	5 to 6 minutes	splash of balsamic vinegar
Kale	2-inch pieces	6 to 8 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Mushrooms	halved	4 to 5 minutes	splash of balsamic vinegar, chives
Onion	½ inch slices	5 to 7 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Parsnips	1½-inch pieces	6 to 8 minutes	sprinkle of dried thyme
Potatoes (all varieties)	1-inch pieces	12 to 15 minutes	drizzle of ghee, sprinkle of rosemary
Spinach	2-inch pieces	4 to 6 minutes	squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of zest
Sugar snap peas/snow peas	whole	4 to 5 minutes	splash of sesame oil, chopped green onions
Tomatoes	1-inch pieces	3 to 4 minutes	drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, coarse salt
Zucchini/summer squash	½-inch-thick rounds	5 to 6 minutes	lemon zest, dried chives