New Year, New Cook

12 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables in 2016

You know you want to. Or at least you know you should.
Photo of one of our best bean soup recipes a tomato and white bean soup in a bowl with a spoon.
Photo by Eva Kolenko
  • Photo of one of our best bean soup recipes a tomato and white bean soup in a bowl with a spoon.
    Photo by Eva Kolenko
    1/12

    Simmer a Soup

    A hearty soup is a simple way to pack as many vegetables into your diet as possible. Throwing beans into the pot bumps up the protein to keep you satisfied.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    2/12

    Try It Raw

    Amp up those green salads with vegetables you usually only eat cooked, like Brussels sprouts—shaved thin, they add lots of extra texture.

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  • Zach DeSart
    3/12

    Spike Steamed Veg

    Steaming helps maintain the crisp, fresh integrity of your favorite vegetable. But often steamed vegetables = flavorless vegetables. Solve that problem by drizzling them with a tart vinaigrette.

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  • Photo by Charles Masters, food styling by Chelsea Zimmer
    4/12

    Take a (Creamy) Dip

    It's often hard to get behind snacking on raw vegetables when there's so many other crunchy (read: unhealthy) snacks in the world. But serve them with a creamy yogurt dip and those chips might get pushed aside.

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  • Hirsheimer & Hamilton
    5/12

    Cook Your Vegetables Like Meat

    When you braise vegetables, you cook them in just a small amount of liquid, which gives you long-cooked flavor in a flash. Apply this simple technique to an array of vegetables—hearty greens, celery, carrots, and fennel are all strong contenders.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks
    6/12

    Master the Quick Pickle

    Pickling is the fastest way to make a vegetable's flavor pop. Apply this quick method to carrots, cucumbers, onions, beets, mushrooms, asparagus, etc., etc. Then add your pickles to sandwiches, salads, cheese and meat plates, or just snack on them straight from the jar.

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  • Jason Lowe
    7/12

    Dust Off That Grill Pan

    Everything tasted better grilled, and vegetables are no exceptions. Brushing and tossing them with a simple vinaigrette helps the smoky vegetables caramelize and adds extra flavor. Use any combination of your favorite for a guaranteed win.

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  • Photo by Gieves Anderson, food styling by Anna Hampton
    8/12

    Mash Something (Other Than a Potato)

    Forget creamy polenta and starchy mashed potatoes for a moment. Instead, turn to a simple vegetable puree to catch all the juices from your favorite stew or slow roast. Beyond carrots and parsnips, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, turnips, celery root, and rutabaga are all good choices for purees.

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  • Gentl & Hyers
    9/12

    Wilt a Winter Salad

    A warm vinaigrette is the fastest way to make your salad a little less ho-hum. Try this technique with hearty leaf vegetables like escarole, radicchio, and spinach, which will wilt slightly but still remain crisp.

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  • Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell
    10/12

    Cook Your Salads

    Do all salads need to consist of raw vegetables? Nope. Steam, boil, or roast your favorite, let it cool to room temperature and toss it with a simple vinaigrette for a new take on salad.

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  • Photo by Christina Holmes
    11/12

    Double Down on Greens

    Here's a little trick: Sauté your greens and you'll wind up eating double the amount. A giant bag of spinach wilts down to just a few portions when cooked this way, so you end up eating more than you realize, making it much easier to get your daily dose.

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  • Christopher Testani
    12/12

    Smooth It Out

    Creamy vegetable soups are another way to eat a big amount of vegetables without even realizing it. Focus on one vegetable or toss in whatever mix you may have in your refrigerator's crisper drawer.

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Sheela Prakash is a food and wine writer and recipe developer, as well as a registered dietitian. A longtime editor at Kitchn, she has also been on staff at Epicurious and Food52. Her writing and recipes can be found in numerous online and print publications, including Serious Eats, Tasting Table, ... Read More
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