If you want to eat more vegetables, choosing seasonal ingredients will help. Fruits and vegetables are usually the most flavorful when grown locally and in season. But how can you eat seasonal food in the middle of winter? That’s where winter vegetables come in.
Winter vegetables can help you get out of that “green beans again?” They offer a variety of vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant benefits. Whether raw, steamed, roasted or stewed, here are eight winter vegetables to add to your meal planning when the thermostat drops.
1. Beetroot
The earthy taste of beets isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a member of Team Beat, you know that this winter vegetable is delicious raw or roasted, and is loaded with fiber, potassium, iron, and folate. Add sliced or grated beets to salads or roast them in the oven to make them even sweeter and more tender.
2. Brussels sprouts
As the weather gets cooler, you’ll start to see Brussels sprout stalks in the produce aisle. These bite-sized winter vegetables are part of the cruciferous family, like kale, cabbage, and broccoli, and are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber.
Raw shoots can be scraped to make a delicious winter coleslaw, or roasted in the oven for a sweet, mellow flavor. Try topping roasted bean sprouts with chopped bacon and fresh Parmesan, or top with balsamic vinegar, mustard, and Gruyère cheese.
3. Cabbage
When it comes to cabbage, think beyond coleslaw. Winter is the perfect time to include chopped cabbage in stir-fry recipes, stuff whole leaves with minced meat, or roast whole heads. Cabbage contains vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate, and red cabbage in particular is an important source of a type of flavonoid called anthocyanin.
4. Chard
Milder than kale and heartier than spinach, chard is a great leafy green to add to your winter vegetable rotation. In addition to livening up your winter table, brightly colored rainbow swiss chard also contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as betalains, a type of plant pigment thought to have antioxidant properties.
Eat chard raw in salads, add it to soups and stews, or sauté it in olive oil and add it to grain bowls.
5. Kale
For a while, kale had a reputation as a hippy-dippy vegetable. But even if the idea of kale brownies doesn’t appeal to you, you can still enjoy this leafy winter vegetable and all of its nutritional benefits. 4 ounces of kale contains more than the daily recommended intake of vitamins A, C, and K.
Stir it into your morning eggs by sauteing it with onions and garlic, mix it into your afternoon smoothie, or massage some raw kale into your winter salads.
6. Green onion
Packed with vitamin A, vitamin K, and iron, these winter vegetables look like giant leeks, but are milder and more tender. Cut the green onions in half, wash the layers of dirt off the green onions, and sauté them in olive oil.
Stir in a grain bowl, puree into soups, or serve as a garnish to winter dishes with chicken or potatoes.
7. Parsnip
This winter root vegetable is a cousin of carrots, but with an earthier, nuttier flavor. Parsnips contain vitamin C and folic acid, as well as 6 grams of fiber per cup. Bake in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper and enjoy as is, or puree to make stews or winter vegetable soups.
8. Winter squash
As the name suggests, winter squash such as butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and delicata are some of the best vegetables to grow in the winter. Its rich, satisfying flavor makes it perfect for cozy winter recipes, and most varieties of pumpkin contain vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber.
Roast pumpkin halves in the oven, steam peeled pumpkin on the stove, or roast and puree cubed pumpkin to make hearty soups.
4 winter vegetable recipes to make today
Are you hungry? To keep your diet nutritious and full all winter long, try some of these delicious winter vegetable recipes.
