A simple dish of Buttered Vegetables can add color, nutrients, and freshness to a dinner. It may be a simple side dish, but adding veggies to a meal doesn't have to be complicated, and let's face it, some nights, it just needs to be easy!
We all know vegetables are good for us, and by adding butter to them, we can create a simple, delicious dish that is perfect served with any meal!
With this recipe, you get a blueprint for an easy side dish that can be adapted for what is in season, what you have the refrigerator, or what your family will eat. Love carrots? Add more. Grocery store out of broccoli? Swap it for green beans. Asparagus on sale? Add it in. Pretty much any veg will work here! The possibilities are endless!
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Veg can you include
The beauty of this recipe is it is so adaptable! You can include whatever is on special in your local store, or what you have available in the deep freeze at home. If your family loves a particular vegetable, then add more of that and leave out the bits they hate.
In it's purest form, buttered vegetables usually consist of Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Carrots. But you can use anything you like.
I often add asparagus and peas, but all of the veggies below are delicious when slightly cooked with butter and a few seasonings.
- Asparagus
- Broad Beans
- Bell Pepper
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Corn
- Edamame
- Green Beans
- Leeks
- Onion/Shallots
- Peas (green peas, snow peas, sugar snap peas)
Do you just add butter?
The short answer is, "You can do."
We all know that butter makes things better! So a big square of butter on top of your vegetables will help their flavor.
But for these simple buttered vegetables, I like to add salt, cracked black pepper and a pinch of brown sugar into butter and broth to really boost the butter flavor.
But extra butter on top is never a bad idea.
If you want to mix it up and make these "Posh" veg, why not try using compound butter.
Cooking the veg
Ideally, you want the veg to be cooked tender-crisp. Which is a silly crazy culinary term that at first seems to make no sense! With tender and crisp being opposites! But tender-crisp means the vegetables are tender to the point of a fork, but still with a crispness when you bite into it.
If you like softer veg, then feel free to cook it for longer until it is at your desired 'doneness.' You may need to add a splash more stock/water if your pan starts to dry out.
Enjoy x
For other easy side dishes, why not try:
- Fajita Veggies
- Slow Roasted Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Greek Orzo with Lemon and Herbs
- Brabant Potatoes
- Simple Pea Mash
- Easy Skillet Garlic Green Beans
- Braised Celery
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Buttered Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter - see note 1
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon brown sugar - see note 2
- ½ cup vegetable broth - see note 3
- 3 carrots, chopped into batons - see note 4
- 2 cups chopped broccoli - see note 4
- 2 cups chopped cauliflower - see note 4
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, optional garnish - see note 5
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add in the salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and vegetable broth.
- Once it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, add in the vegetables and stir well to coat.
- Cook for 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. If you prefer your veg softer, cooked for 10 minutes. (You may need to add extra broth)
Notes
- I use salted butter but use what you have available.
- The brown sugar is optional, but it does add just a hint of sweetness.
- You can use chicken broth or beef broth instead. (If you are cooking your vegetables until they are much softer you may need extra broth)
- These are just suggested vegetables, feel free to swap them out for what you have on hand or what your family prefers - see the bulk of the post for lots of suggestions.
- The herbs are optional! I like to add chopped chives for a touch of onion flavor, but fresh parsley, thyme, cilantro, or basil would be great.
Girl says
if i wanted to use frozen veggies would that effect anything? Sorry new to cooking.
Thank you
Claire McEwen says
Hi,
If you were using frozen veg, remove them from the freezer for 10-15 minutes or so before cooking and place them in a colander or sieve to soften slightly. Then follow the recipe as instructed.
Hope that helps
🙂
Cx
Olga says
You say to to cook the veggies in broth and butter…then you say to put the butter on the top….which is it?
Claire McEwen says
Butter in the broth and butter on top.
Extra butter I always a good idea 🙂
Cx
Georgi says
Hello is this 152 kcal per serving or for the 4 servings. Because it doesn't add up - 1/4 cup of butter is about 58 grams which is around 370 kcal alone..
Claire McEwen says
Yes it is per serving. So the calories add up.
This is the breakdown:
¼ cup butter - Calories: 407kcal
½ tsp salt - Calories: 0kcal
½ tsp black pepper - Calories: 3kcal
¼ tsp brown sugar - Calories: 4kcal
½ cup vegetable broth - Calories: 6kcal
3 carrots - Calories: 75kcal
2 cups chopped broccoli - Calories: 62kcal
2 cups chopped cauliflower - Calories: 50kcal
1 tbsp fresh herbs - Calories: 1kcal
That makes 608kcal for the dish which serves 4. So 152kcals each.
Hope that helps
Cx
Jeanette says
I have one suggestion. Add the carrots first and cook 1 to 2 minutes. If using asparagus, separate the ends from the tender tips of the spear. Add the asparagus ends now with green beans if using. Cook for 2 minutes, Finally, add the tender tips of asparagus, as well as cauliflower and broccoli florets, and brussel sprouts (halved) and cook 2 minutes. If using snap or snow peas, add in the last 30 seconds of cooking.
All veggies should now be the same level of tenderness. For crispier veggies, just cook for shorter intervals.