How to Sauté Vegetables

Produce is a staple in a restaurant. Either as an ingredient for soups and entrees, a side dish or the star of an appetizer, veggies will often be present in your dishes. Cooking them to ensure quality texture and taste is vital to keep customers wanting more. This guide will help you learn how to sauté vegetables for a variety of different applications.

How to Sauté Mushrooms

For fungi, you want to consider the following tips.

• Tip 1. Stir the mushrooms once you add them to a pan or tilt skillet so they all are coated in cooking oil. 
• Tip 2. Sauté them on high heat since mushrooms can often have a lot of water in them and this will get them seared right off the bat. 
• Tip 3. Wait to add any aromatics and seasonings while you’re cooking them to prevent any water from coming out. 

How to Sauté Peppers & Onions

For hot sandwiches, fajitas and more, you need to have well prepared peppers and onions. 

• Tip 1. Whether it’s white or red onions, you need to use medium heat to sauté those and the peppers. This is because they have a lot of sugars and you want them to have enough time in the pan to cook. 

How to Sauté Leafy Greens

Spinach, chards and other leafy vegetables need to be treated differently when cooking.

• Tip 1. Add the stems to the pan or tilt skillet first since they take less time to cook than the leaf portion. With leafy greens, you can utilize the stems in your dish. 
• Tip 2. Add a little bit of water to your pan or skillet after greens have been added to help them wilt down. 
• Tip 3. Only cook for a short period of time to maintain the quality and “bounce” of your leafy greens. You just want to warm them through. 
• Tip 4. Fresh, leafy herbs can be added towards the end of sauteing to help season.