Our Favorite Hefty Vegetable Recipes

Braised Potatoes and Mushrooms with Garlic and Parsley

The combination of potatoes and mushrooms is an Italian classic. Meaty, umami-packed fresh porcini foraged at the height of the season are the fungi of choice. But according to Colman Andrews in his book “The Country Cooking of Italy,” because porcini

By Courtney HillApril 22, 2022

Crisp Oven-Fried Cauliflower with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Corn starch and oven frying mimics crispy-creamy Lebanese fried cauliflower, for the home kitchen.

Potato, Eggplant and Pepper Stir-Fry

In the classic Chinese dish called di san xian, purple eggplant, yellow potatoes and green bell peppers are fried then tossed in a simple, lightly sweetened soy-based glaze-like sauce. The vegetables create an interesting textural combination of silky

Taiwanese Grilled Corn

This smoky-spicy-sweet grilled corn was the highlight of Chris Kimball’s trip to a carnival-like market in Taipei.

By Diane UngerJune 4, 2018

Broccolini with Miso Caesar Dressing

This spin on Caesar dressing uses mayonnaise as a base. It’s rich in umami because of the Parmesan (or anchovies), and a couple tablespoons of white miso adds incredible depth of flavor, loads of complexity and a subtle sweetness. A splash of olive oi

By Malcolm JacksonOctober 17, 2023

Butter-Roasted Cabbage with Citrus, Hazelnuts and Mustard

Butter-roasted cabbage: a humble vegetable made luxe and elegant.

By Courtney HillNovember 19, 2021

Vietnamese-Style Caramel Cauliflower with Shiitake Mushrooms

Caramel sauce is not just for sundaes! Inspired by Vietnamese caramel pork, we skillet-braise cauliflower and shiitake mushrooms in a savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger and fresh chili. The pan gets very hot while the florets are seared, so let it

By Milk StreetMarch 27, 2025

Eggplant “Katsu”

In this vegetarian version of the widely popular Japanese fried chicken, a cornstarch slurry makes for an ultra-crispy “cutlet.”

By Calvin CoxNovember 3, 2021

Braised Mushrooms with Sichuan Chili Oil

A heap of meaty mushrooms, with tongue-tingling spice: the ultimate dish for lovers of both veggies and Sichuan spice.

By Courtney HillNovember 17, 2021

Baked Zucchini Fritters with Feta-Yogurt Sauce

The perfect vehicle for yogurt dip: zucchini fritters with a light and crispy Panko coating.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Tagine

A tagine is a shallow Moroccan earthenware pot with a conical lid. The term also refers to the stew cooked in the vessel. Here, however, we use the more common Dutch oven to simmer a cauliflower and chickpea “tagine,” and we season it with ras el hano

Grilled Eggplant with Sesame and Herbs

We learned the beauty of smoky-fresh, summery eggplant in the Arabic restaurant Ein Hod, by the Mediterranean Sea: smoky and charred, yet bright and herbal.

By Diane UngerJune 5, 2017

Bucatini with Sweet Corn and Scallions

Peak-season fresh corn gives this creamy-yet-light pasta dish a beautiful vegetal grassiness. OR This creamy, no-cream pasta sauce balances corn’s sweetness with a buttery, savory flavor base.

Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Feta

This whole-roasted cauliflower encapsulates Ikaria’s no-fuss home cooking with minimal manipulation, lots of flavor and brightness.

By Courtney HillJanuary 22, 2024

No-Fry Neapolitan Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di Melanzane)

Skip the breading for a lighter, silkier eggplant Parmesan. OR Naples's hands-off eggplant Parm is lighter, silkier, and golden-browned. OR In Naples, we learned a hands-off, no-fry eggplant Parm that's lighter and silkier—opposite of the familiar gut

By Rose HattabaughFebruary 1, 2023

Zucchini Carbonara

Is it possible to get a vegetarian carbonara that’s still meaty and rich? Yes—with the added benefit of garden freshness. OR Zucchini carbonara delivers on the vegetable's ability to straddle a “wonderful line between meaty and rich, yet still light a

By Rose HattabaughJune 22, 2023

Grilled Corn with Miso Butter and Sesame Salt

We balance the toasty sweetness of grilled corn with the creamy-salty richness of butter, miso, sesame and salt. To keep the cooking simple, we borrow cookbook author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s clever idea of using a disposable aluminum pan to contain the e

By Courtney HillMarch 25, 2025

Soaked-and-Seared Eggplant Pita Pockets with Tomatoes and Tahini

You’ve brined birds, but what about eggplant? Brining chunks of eggplant in acidulated water seasons the eggplant throughout and prevents it from turning mushy. The pieces also absorb water, reducing oil absorption. To top it off, we make a simple tom

By Courtney HillJanuary 28, 2025

Cauliflower Shawarma

Cauliflower is often the veg of choice for meatless shawarma, with a satisfying crispy, hearty texture that's ideal for loading up with flavor. Dressed with tangy sumac and creamy yogurt—all tucked into tender pita breads—it’s pretty amazing

By Courtney HillSeptember 1, 2021

Artichoke Tart with Gouda and Herbs

Peru’s pastel de alcachofas—artichoke cake or tart—envelops artichokes in rich custard, flavored with herbs, loaded with Gouda and Parm. OR Perfect for a weekend meal, this Peruvian-inspired tart is packed with artichokes.

By Rose HattabaughSeptember 17, 2021

Vietnamese-Style Broiled Eggplant

Cà tím nướng is a popular Vietnamese dish of grilled eggplant with nước chấm, the ubiquitous savory-sweet dressing made with fish sauce, lime and garlic. For this recipe, we moved the cooking indoors and fired up the broiler for year-round convenience

By Calvin CoxSeptember 3, 2021

Sautéed Corn with Miso, Butter and Scallions

For this umami-filled, savory-sweet side dish, plump, tender kernels cut from ears of fresh sweet corn are the first choice, but out of season an equal amount of frozen corn kernels that have been thawed and patted dry will work; they’ll just take a f

Charred Zucchini and Tahini Dip

This creamy dip, a variation on baba ghanoush, uses zucchini as its base instead of eggplant. The mild, subtle flavor of the summer squash benefits greatly from deep charring (we use the broiler), a dose of garlic and a hit of lemon juice. Once tender

By Calvin CoxSeptember 17, 2021

Vietnamese Grilled Eggplant (Cà Tím Nướng)

“So fresh and delicious it made me want summer and fresh herbs to last all year,” a reader writes.

By Courtney HillJune 8, 2020

Pozole with Collard Greens

Traditional Mexican pozole is a hearty stew of pork and hominy (also called pozole) flavored with fresh or dried chilies. In this simpler, lighter version, collard greens stand in for the meat; cooking the puree of ancho chilies, tomatoes and onion el

By Courtney HillApril 13, 2020

Mashed Vegetable Curry with Toasted Buns (Pav Bhaji)

Pav bhaji, a much-loved fast food in India, is like a vegetarian sloppy Joe. Fragrantly spiced cooked vegetables are mashed to a chunky pulp and served with buttered pav, or soft rolls, for making open-faced sandwiches and mopping up the curry. The di

By Calvin CoxNovember 10, 2021

Roasted Romanesco with Smoked Paprika Yogurt

Romanesco, sometimes referred to as Roman cauliflower, is pale green and the florets that comprise the head display a unique, intricate design. Its flavor is similar to broccoli and cauliflower, its brassica brethren, and we think less is more when it