How to Sauté Perfect Vegetables.

Serves 2 · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 5–15 min

Make It

1. Cut your vegetables into similar-size pieces and pat them dry.

2. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 Tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, butter, or ghee. Wait until it shimmers.

3. Add your vegetables in a single layer, hardest first:
   Carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, 10–15 minutes
   Onions, celery, bell peppers, green beans, 6–8 minutes
   Zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, asparagus, snow peas, 3–5 minutes
   Spinach and leafy greens, 1–2 minutes

4. Stir only occasionally. Constant stirring stops them browning.

5. Add minced garlic in the last minute so it does not burn.

6. Season with sea salt and black pepper at the end.

Notes

• Hard vegetables in a hurry: add a splash of water to the pan, cover, and steam 4 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, let the water evaporate, then add your oil and brown. You get tender inside and caramelised outside in half the time.

• Leave them alone. Browning is flavour, and you only get it if the vegetables sit still against the hot pan.

• Do not crowd the pan. Two batches beats one soggy pile.

• Pat them dry first. Wet vegetables steam instead of browning.

• Garlic burns in seconds at this heat. Always last.

• Finish with lemon, fresh herbs, or a spoon of pesto.