16 Velvety Melting Vegetable Recipes to Make Tonight (2024)

Just trust us—once you try melting veggies for the first time, you'll want to make them just about every night. We've developed an easy formula so you can melt any vegetable you like. From tender garlicky potatoes to creamy ricotta-topped beets, these recipes prove that roasted vegetables can be an ideal comfort food. Serve recipes like our Melting Cabbage and Sour Cream & Onion Melting Potatoes with your favorite main dish—like maybe our Skillet Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs—for a delicious dinner.

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Melting Potatoes

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The name for these spuds hints at their creamy interior. Roasting these melting potatoes at high heat ensures they get crunchy on the outside. Then, adding a little broth at the end allows the potatoes to absorb the liquid, making the insides extra moist.

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Melting Cabbage

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This velvety cabbage side dish melts in your mouth and picks up the flavors of caraway, cumin and garlic as it simmers in broth in the oven. Serve it alongside roasted pork or chicken.

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Garlic-Parmesan Melting Potatoes

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Crispy, buttery, cheesy, garlicky potatoes--what else could you ask for? Serve these melt-in-your-mouth potatoes alongside steak, pork chops, chicken or fish. If you have leftovers, throw them into a breakfast scramble the next morning.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter

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As the name implies, these sweet potatoes melt right in your mouth. After browning in a hot oven, thick slices of sweet potato simmer in broth and soak up the flavors of maple syrup and lemon. This simple dish is great alongside roasted chicken or pork and makes a great Thanksgiving side dish.

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Melting Onions

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Onions lose their bite and melt in your mouth when they're sliced and roasted with butter and fresh herbs and then tenderized further by braising in broth. Serve alongside roasted chicken or cook them in vegetable broth for an easy, elegant vegetarian side dish.

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Melting Beets with Ricotta

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Creamy, herbaceous, earthy, sweet, crisp and melt-in-your-mouth all at once? This simple recipe is firing on all cylinders. Use any color beets if golden aren't available. Either way, the cider vinegar will still make them pop, and the ricotta garnish adds just the right amount of creaminess.

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Sour Cream & Onion Melting Potatoes

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Try this fun spin on sour cream and onion potatoes. The potatoes roast, then "melt," absorbing a savory onion flavor. They're perfect for holidays but simple enough for a weeknight.

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Melting Butternut Squash with Cumin & Cilantro

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In this quick and easy recipe, butternut squash becomes crisp on the outside from 20 minutes in a high-heat oven, and creamy on the inside from the addition of a flavorful broth during the last few minutes of roasting. The flavors of garlic, paprika, cumin and cilantro are inspired by the North African condiment chermoula, which is popularly used in seafood dishes but also sometimes used to accompany meat and vegetables. Look for a squash with a long neck for best results.

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Melting Beets with Goat Cheese

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Roasting the beets with broth makes them crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside. Crumbled goat cheese tops these melt-in-your-mouth beets for an easy side dish.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes with Herbs & Garlic

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This savory spin on sweet potatoes uses earthy herbs and aromatics to help cut through the sweetness of the spuds, creating a beautifully balanced dish. Leaving the skins on helps the sweet potatoes retain some texture after being roasted, but they work just as well peeled. Look for sweet potatoes that are similar in diameter, which will help them cook at the same rate, and try smoked paprika instead of sweet to give them even more of a savory edge.

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Lemon-Rosemary Melting Potatoes

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These full-flavored potatoes are a great new approach to your typical potato side dish. The potatoes roast, then "melt" with the flavors of lemon, rosemary and garlic. They're good enough for a special occasion, but easy enough for a weeknight.

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Melting Cauliflower with Lemon, Feta & Oregano

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Lemon zest and fresh oregano make this melt-in-your-mouth cauliflower recipe come alive. Low-sodium chicken broth cuts down on the salt, and feta makes it creamy.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows

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If you like sweet potato casserole, you'll love these tender, creamy melted sweet potatoes. Slices of sweet potatoes "melt" into a savory broth with spices and are topped with mini marshmallows for a hint of sweetness at the end. They're perfect for Thanksgiving or anytime in fall or winter when cooler weather settles in.

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Salt & Vinegar Melting Potatoes

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We love this method of roasting potatoes with broth because it creates a crispy exterior and a creamy interior. This recipe takes inspiration from one of our favorite potato chip flavors: salt and vinegar. Serve these potatoes alongside roasted chicken or with crispy fish for a fresh take on fish and chips.

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Melting Potatoes with Creamy Lemon Dressing

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These savory potatoes roast in a hot oven before they're bathed in broth and slathered in a creamy lemon-infused sauce. Serve these silky potatoes alongside roasted chicken or beef.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter

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Once you "melt" sweet potatoes, you won't want to make them any other way. These roasted sweet potatoes soak up broth to turn the interior into a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. A sage-brown butter sauce finishes these potatoes for a truly stunning side dish.

16 Velvety Melting Vegetable Recipes to Make Tonight (2024)

FAQs

What spices make vegetables taste better? ›

Spices like chile powder, curry, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and black pepper can do wonders for vegetables. And never forget the most important seasoning: salt (just remember to add a little bit at a time and keep tasting).

How do you make picky eaters taste good vegetables? ›

Here was her advice to me:
  1. OPTION 1: Hide your vegetables in your food.
  2. OPTION 2: Find vegetable recipes that they enjoy.
  3. Puree and hide them!
  4. Rice them!
  5. Find some fun recipes for those kiddos!
  6. Get picky eaters involved!
  7. Set a good example. Get out of your comfort zone!

How do you make vegetables more exciting? ›

Try herbs and spices like paprika, cumin, oregano, chilli powder, curry powder, basil and more. These Spiced Cauliflower Tacos use smoked paprika, mild chilli powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper together to make ultra-flavourful cauliflower bites. A bit of oil or butter adds so much flavour to vegetables.

What vegetables taste the best? ›

Radishes, carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, fresh green beans, celery, and cauliflower are much more delicious raw than a parsnip, potato, or beet. Those later vegetables can be a delight when roasted which makes them softer and sweeter to eat.

What is the flavorful liquid that adds more flavor to a vegetable meal? ›

A stock is a very flavorful liquid that is made by gently cooking bones and other ingredients such as vegetables in a liquid.

What ingredient is used to enhance the flavor of most vegetables? ›

Acidic fruits such as lemon, lime, orange and pineapple brighten flavors and add some zing. Certain dairy products add acidity and can be used to create vegetable dips or sauces. Even other vegetables that are acidic can balance more bitter ingredients, or add flavor to very mild ingredients.

What softens fiber in vegetables? ›

Cooking softens these fibers. The amount of fiber varies with different vegetables, with the age of the vegetable, and even with the same vegetable. A longer cooking time means softer vegetables. Alkali, destroys vitamins and softens vegetables to the point of mush.

How do you sneak vegetables into picky eaters? ›

Here are few ideas for adding vegetables into dishes:

Add in some finely chopped broccoli to an omelet. Add in pumpkin or butternut squash into mac n cheese. Grate zucchini and add it into pancakes. Blend carrots, bell peppers, spinach, or any other veggies on hand into your child's favorite pasta sauce.

How do you jazz up vegetables? ›

Top 10 Ways To Make Vegetables Tasty
  1. Pair with Cheese. ...
  2. A Tangy Surprise! ...
  3. Sauté with Herbs. ...
  4. Spice Them Up! ...
  5. Healthy Dipping! ...
  6. Mix with Fruit. ...
  7. A Flavorful Homemade Soup. ...
  8. Drink Them!

How do restaurants make vegetables taste good? ›

However, one reason that vegetables always taste better at a restaurant is that chefs there don't hold back on using oil to boost flavor. They often use oodles of butter, oil, or bacon fat to coat veggies fried on the stove and give them an umami appeal.

How do you cook vegetables for someone who hates vegetables? ›

Present the veggies in a new way.
  1. Roasted cauliflower or broccoli offers crispy texture and a sweeter flavor than steamed.
  2. Baked sweet potato “fries” vs a plain sweet potato.
  3. Pureed sweet potato layered with regular mashed potatoes in a warm and cozy baked side dish.
  4. Beet “chips” instead of boiled or pickled beets.
Apr 19, 2021

What is the prettiest vegetable in the world? ›

But one piece of produce steals the show every single fall without ever breaking a sweat: Romanesco – the most beautiful vegetable in the world. Even if the name Romanesco doesn't ring any bells for you, you've likely noticed the striking vegetable before. It's pretty hard to miss, actually.

What is the most loved vegetable in the world? ›

To ensure that nutritious foods - like tomatoes - are available, affordable, desirable, and convenient, and especially for low-income populations. Tomatoes are the world's most popular vegetable.

What is the most liked vegetable in the world? ›

Tomatoes. Tomatoes are the most popular vegetables in the world. The world produces 177.04 metric tonnes of tomatoes every year. Among the many countries in the world, the three largest producers of tomatoes are China, India, and the United States.

What should I season my veggies with? ›

Seasoning Suggestions
  • Everything bagel seasoning – I always have this in my pantry and it's good on just about everything, especially veggies!
  • Garlic – If you are going to add garlic, be careful because you don't want it to burn. ...
  • Herbs – rosemary, sage, thyme, dill, basil, parsley, etc.

What should you avoid in regards to seasoning a vegetable dish? ›

Avoid adding salt, sugar, cream and sauces. Flavour your vegetables with lemon juice, garlic, ginger, pepper, and herbs or spices instead of salt.

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