How to Make Vegetables Taste Good(8 Easy Tricks)

Wondering how to make vegetables taste good? The secret isn’t fancy recipes. It’s a few simple tricks: salt, a little fat, a squeeze of something sour, and cooking methods that bring out their natural sweetness instead of boiling the life out of them. Here are my favorite easy ways to make veggies taste good, even amazing! Plus tips for frozen veg, steamed veg and picky eaters.

My friend Tara’s book, ‘The Butcher and the Vegetarian’, chronicles her journey from vegetarian to occasional meat eater for health reasons. It’s not about making vegetables taste good. But it’s a great read.

Growing up, Tara’s mother was all about health. They often ate steamed veg with brown rice and NO oil or salt.

Not exactly tasty.

There is often a misconception that healthy food can’t be pleasurable.

So today I wanted to share my favorite tricks for making vegetables taste good. Even amazing…

Because aren’t we all more likely to eat more veg if we actually enjoy them?

Why Don’t Vegetables Always Taste Good?

As a food scientist, I find this fascinating. Many vegetables, especially greens like kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, contain natural compounds that taste bitter. Plants make them to protect themselves from being eaten! Some of us are also genetically more sensitive to bitterness than others, which is why one person’s favorite veg is another person’s nightmare.

The good news is that bitterness is easy to balance with the right flavors and cooking methods.

8 Simple Ways to Make Vegetables Taste Good

1. Use salt

Many vegetables contain bitter flavors. While a love of bitterness can be acquired, there’s something you can do to mask it.

Yes, our old friend salt.

Seasoning properly makes a HUGE difference. Salt actually suppresses our perception of bitterness, and it also enhances other flavors.

Don’t be worried about the negative health connotations associated with salt. That’s for when you’re eating industrial-sized quantities in processed foods, not the small amount of sea salt it takes to mask the bitterness in your kale.

2. Use fat

Fat carries flavor and makes everything taste better. Hello potato chips.

Fat also helps your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in vegetables, like vitamins A, E and K.

So it’s actually better for you (and your taste buds) to use olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or even butter when cooking veg.

3. Add acid

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, or a splash of vinegar, brightens vegetables and balances bitterness. It’s my secret weapon for greens and roast veg. Add it right at the end, just before serving.

4. Don’t boil your veg

One of the easiest ways to make vegetables taste yuck is to boil the hell out of them.

Boiling is also problematic because your water-soluble vitamins end up down the sink.

These days, the only veg I boil are broad beans, broccoli, and spuds for roasting or when I’m making mash.

So how do I cook my veg?

5. Roast, pan fry, stir fry or grill

I love roast veg, but they can take a while, so I often pop them in a frying pan for a speedier alternative.

Unlike boiling, these dry heat methods of cooking help add yummy caramelized flavors to your veg and remove excess moisture. It’s called the Maillard reaction, the same thing that makes toast and seared steak taste so good.

Which is why they’re so delicious! Roast cauliflower, charred broccoli and grilled zucchini are completely different beasts to their boiled cousins. Here’s my guide on how to cook kale too.

6. Use good quality veg

When I was little I hated peas. Boiled frozen peas were all I knew.

Then one day I had a life-changing spring vegetable soup at the Lynwood Cafe, which had its own vegetable garden.

I couldn’t believe that I not only liked the freshly picked sweet peas.

I loved them.

Now I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with frozen peas. They’re a brilliant vegetable to have on hand.

I tell the story as a reminder that all veg are not equal when it comes to flavor. The carrot you get from the supermarket generally never holds a candle to one you grow yourself. Buy in season, shop at farmers markets if you can, or grow a few herbs and greens.

7. Add herbs and spices

Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, mint and dill add instant freshness. And spices add warmth and depth without any extra calories.

8. Use tasty accompaniments

I’m a big fan of using tasty accompaniments to make my veg more palatable. Here are some of my favorites:

• butter
• chili oil
• soy sauce
• Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta
• miso paste
• olives or tapenade
• peppery extra virgin olive oil
• pesto
• caramelized onion
• toasted nuts and seeds
• hummus

What Spices Make Vegetables Taste Better?

• Smoked paprika – amazing on roast cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potato.
• Cumin – lovely with carrots, pumpkin and chickpeas.
• Garlic – fresh or garlic powder, on just about everything.
• Chili flakes – for a little heat with greens and broccoli.
• Curry powder or garam masala – try my Tandoori Cauliflower.
• Za’atar or dukkah – sprinkle over roast veg. Here are 10 tasty ways to use dukkah.

How to Make Frozen Vegetables Taste Good

Don’t boil or microwave them in water. Instead, cook frozen veg in a hot pan with a little oil until any water evaporates and they start to brown. Or roast them from frozen on a hot tray. Then season well with salt, add a knob of butter or a squeeze of lemon, and finish with cheese or herbs. Try my Addictive Broccoli Tuna made with frozen broccoli rice.

How to Make Steamed Vegetables Taste Good

Steamed veg can be delicious! The trick is to steam them just until tender (not mushy), then dress them while they’re still hot. Toss with olive oil or butter, sea salt and lemon juice. Or drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, or a spoonful of pesto.

How to Make Vegetables Taste Good for Kids and Picky Eaters

• Roast them – the caramelized sweetness wins over many picky eaters.
• Add cheese – a little grated Parmesan or melted cheese makes almost any veg more appealing.
• Serve with a dip – raw veggie sticks with hummus or ranch-style dips.
• Start with sweeter veg – carrots, corn, peas, sweet potato and cherry tomatoes.
• Hide them – blend veg into pasta sauces, soups and meatballs.
• Keep offering – it can take many tries before kids accept a new food, so don’t give up.

How to Make Vegetables Taste Good Without Adding Calories

Lean on acid, herbs and spices. Lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, fresh herbs, chili and spices add loads of flavor with almost no calories. Roasting or grilling with just a light spray of oil also helps. That said, a little fat is good for you and helps you absorb nutrients, so I wouldn’t skip it entirely.

How to Make Greens Taste Good

Sauté leafy greens like kale, spinach or chard in olive oil with garlic, then finish with salt and a squeeze of lemon. If you’re eating them raw in a salad, massage them with a little oil and salt first to soften them. For a vegetarian option without bacon or meat, add smoked paprika, toasted nuts or crumbled cheese for extra savory flavor.

More 5-Ingredient Recipes That Make Vegetables Taste Amazing

• Sausage, Broccoli & Chili Bowls
• Darya’s Egg Fried Cabbage
• Tandoori Cauliflower
• Balsamic Cabbage and Sausages
• Smoky Cauliflower Taco Bowls
• Mexican Roast Eggplant with Green Chorizo
• Beautiful Broccoli with Creamy Tuna Sauce
• Lebanese Roast Ratatouille with Hummus
• How to Make Vegetables Taste Good (more ideas)

In your corner,

Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio

Tags: cauliflower, chorizo, cooking skills, seasoning, vegetables taste good