Vegetables
151 Helpful Cooking Tips
Why (and How) to Roast Squash and Melon Seeds
Pumpkin seeds aren't the only seeds you can turn into a tasty snack.
Published: August 2020
Bring On the (Preserved Vegetable) Funk
Ya cai is the ingredient behind the unique fermented tang in many classic Sichuan dishes.
Published: August 2020
How to Prevent Mushrooms from Absorbing Too Much Oil
Mushrooms are veritable sponges, absorbing as much oil as you put in the pan. But while developing a new method for sautéing mushrooms, we noticed that, once co…
Published: January 2019
How to Cut Ingredients on the Bias
Cutting long, slim vegetables diagonally adds visual interest to many dishes.
Published: January 2019
How to Cook with Daikon
This long white root may look like a pale carrot, but it is actually a member of the same family as radishes, broccoli, and turnips.
Published: January 2019
Should You Wash Mushrooms?
Does washing mushrooms really affect their flavor and cooking time? We address this long-held debate.
Published: December 2018
How to Prep, Buy, and Store Delicata Squash
Get the most out of this small, mild winter squash.
Published: November 2018
How to Shop for Cucumbers
Gone are the days when supermarkets sold only one type of cucumber.
Published: July 2018
How to Use Purple Potatoes
We tasted three different kinds of purple potatoes to determine what they taste like and how much starch they contain.
Published: May 2018
Can You Eat Cilantro Stems?
Cilantro is more than just leaves. Here's some information about the rest of this entirely edible plant.
Published: May 2018
What to Do with Leftover Lemongrass
Don't toss those extra leaves! Here's how to use them to make homegrown shoots.
Published: January 2018
How to Use Escarole
This worthy, crisp green is a versatile ingredient in everything from fresh salads to Italian soups. Here are some tips on how to prepare and cook it.
Published: November 2017
How to Cook Baby Kale
Since it came onto the scene, baby kale has been billed as a salad green. But, we wondered, why not cook it?
Published: September 2017
How to Choose a Sweet Potato
Sweet potato varieties with orange or red skin and deep orange flesh, including Red Garnet (our favorite) and Jewel, cook up sweet and moist.
Published: September 2017
Three Tips for Roasting Chile Peppers
After developing our method for roasting and peeling bell peppers, we were eager to try it on other pepper varieties.
Published: July 2017
The Best Way to Store Rhubarb
It turns out that the best method we’ve found for storing celery also works for rhubarb.
Published: May 2017
Regular vs. Shanghai Baby Bok Choy
There are two types of baby bok choy. Here's what you need to know when you go shopping.
Published: March 2017
How to Prepare Endive
The crisp, bitter-tasting leaves of endive can provide a bold accent in salads or serve as a counterpoint to dips or fillings.
Published: March 2017
A Green Bell Pepper Alternative
Long, slender Cubanelle peppers are commonly used in Spanish, Caribbean, and Italian cooking.
Published: January 2017
Piquillos: More Than a Pricey Roasted Red Pepper
Are piquillos, a pepper common in Spanish cuisine, worth the extra money over jarred roasted red peppers?
Published: November 2016
A Different Way to Chop Onions
The most widely known method for chopping an onion involves making a series of vertical and then horizontal cuts, the latter requiring cutting toward the hand h…
Published: November 2016
All About Celery Root
Celery root (also known as celeriac) boasts a crisp, firm, parsnip-like texture under its tough peel and a mild, celery-like flavor that sweetens with cooking.
Published: November 2016
Oil-Cured Olives: A Kalamata Substitute?
Can oil-cured olives stand in for kalamatas as a substitute?
Published: May 2016
The Best Way to Rehydrate Sun-Dried Tomatoes
When buying sun-dried tomatoes, we typically purchase the oil-packed kind, since the dry-packed variety have tougher skins and a chewier texture. But dry-packed…
Published: January 2016
Getting the Most out of Leeks
Here's a few test kitchen tips for getting the most out of your leeks.
Published: September 2015
A Better Way to Seed Jalapeños
Recently, we found a better way to seed jalapeños and other straight-sided chiles.
Published: July 2015
Skip the Salt When Cooking Corn
When cooking fresh corn in boiling water, skip the salt.
Published: July 2015
How to Cook with Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi, which can be either purple or green, is a member of the brassica family. Here's the best way to cook with it.
Published: July 2015
What are Garlic Scapes?
What are garlic scapes, and what is the best way to use them in cooking?
Published: May 2015
The Easy Way to Slice Cabbage
Take the guesswork out of preparing this leafy head.
Published: March 2015
Exploring Root Vegetables: Rutabagas and Turnips
Rutabagas are often mistaken for purple-top turnips. The two are related, but they need to be handled differently in recipes.
Published: March 2015
Don't Buy Garlic that Smells like Garlic
The sniff test is a common approach for testing produce prior to purchase, but when it comes to buying garlic, a strong aroma is a bad sign.
Published: January 2015
Storing Cucumbers and Squash in Plastic Wrap
We wanted to know if wrapping American cucumbers in plastic—as seedless English cucumbers are packaged—would preserve freshness.
Published: January 2015