Just the other night, as my mom and I were snacking on radishes dipped in salt while tossing on our aprons, we started chatting about what veggies we wanted to make on the side. Then, out of nowhere, I thought to ask my mom how she could rank her favorite vegetables.
Honestly, it’s a much more difficult question than you might think!
We both laughed at the fact that these are the types of conversations we fall into nowadays…but then, it got serious.
Between the two of us, we’re about as vegetable-obsessed as two people could get. If you had been a fly on the wall in that moment, you’d probably think we were debating between our all-time favorite desserts or movies or something. It was that passionate. After what seemed like ten full minutes of arguments made for and against asparagus, we discovered that both of our top three lists were actually the same – thus, the inspiration for this post.
(if you’ve ever wondered how we come up with ideas for post topics…it’s usually as random as this hahaha)
But, if you’ve followed us for long enough, it’s probably no secret that Ina Garten is our muse for the simply delicious, and her vegetable recipes are truly set apart from the rest in that department. They’re all about the main event – the veggies themselves!
So, with it being summer, and all of the best vegetables coming in their prime season, I’d encourage you to step outside of your veggie-comfort-zone and try some of the recipes we’re about to share!
OUR FAVORITE VEGGIES:
#1 Brussels Sprouts
#2 Zucchini
#3 Squash
Honorable Mention: Spinach
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
- 3 tbsp good olive oil
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Turn them out on a baking sheet and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside. Shake the pan from time to time, to brown the Brussels sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt (we like these salty like french fries) and serve.
Zucchini with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 8 medium zucchini
- good olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced 1/2 inch thick
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Remove the ends of the zucchini and, if they are large, cut in half lengthwise. Slice the zucchini diagonally in 1/2-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, until they start to brown.
- Add half the zucchini, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove to a serving platter and repeat with the rest of the zucchini. Serve immediately.
- Note: If you cook too much zucchini in one pan, you end up steaming rather than sauteing it. We prefer to cook it in 2 batches.
Caramelized Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium butternut squash (4-5 pounds total)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.
Garlic Sautéed Spinach
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs baby spinach leaves
- 2 tbsp good olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped garlic (6 cloves)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- lemon
- sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it’s very clean. Spin it dry in a salad spinner, leaving just a little water clinging to the leaves.
- In a very large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it’s browned. Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil, cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes.
- Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with the butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt. Serve hot.
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