- Swapping out your go-to veggies for something new adds a variety of nutrients and flavors to your life.
- Try pairing new-to-you veggies with your regular go-tos in a dish or as a side.
- Eating a variety of plants has been shown to reduce inflammation and risk of chronic diseases.
We all have our regular, go-to produce choices. For me, there isn’t a week that goes by that broccoli, green beans, cucumbers, carrots and grape tomatoes aren’t in my cart. It’s not laziness; it’s just the path of least resistance when I know that my kids will happily eat them. We’re all busy, and buying produce on autopilot helps keep things simple. We know how these foods taste, how to cook them, and that they’ll play nice with whatever else is on the menu.
But what if shaking up your produce routine didn’t have to feel like a thought experiment? For Chef Heidi Fink, introducing new vegetables to home cooks is what she does best.
The best way to get comfortable with unfamiliar produce, she says, is through hands-on experience. Fink’s approach is all about low-stakes exploration: pairing new vegetables with familiar ones, trying simple recipes with solid results and learning basic prep techniques. “Make soup!” she suggests enthusiastically, noting that dishes like squash soup or leek-and-potato soup are forgiving ways to ease into new flavors.
The payoff? A few simple swaps can open the door to delightful flavors and textures you might have overlooked, while unlocking an incredible variety of nutrients your body needs. This fall, we’re spotlighting six simple veggie swaps that add fresh flavor (and more nutrients) to your plate—no culinary degree required.
Instead of Onion, Try Leeks
Onions do the heavy lifting in most kitchens, but leeks are their more sophisticated cousin. Fink loves their versatility. They have “such a beautiful flavour, all the richness of onion without as much drama, and more sweetness,” she says. “They cook much more quickly and really elevate most dishes.”
Leeks bring a milder, almost buttery depth to soups, risottos and pasta sauces, which makes them perfect for when you want an aromatic base that doesn’t overpower. Their layered texture becomes silky when sautéed, making them a dream in gratins or folded into scrambled eggs. “I put [leeks] in literally everything,” Fink enthuses, “Soups, sauces, side veg, sometimes as a swap for onion [and] sometimes in addition to onion.”
Unlike what common knowledge conveys, Fink notes that you can use more than just the white part, too. She uses “all the light green part, and the inner leaves of the green part. The outer leaves of the green part [she] saves for vegetable stock.”
From a nutritional standpoint, leeks “contain soluble prebiotic fiber, which is the food our good gut bacteria thrive on,” says Rachel Gargano, M.S., RD, CSSD, CBS. “After feasting on this type of fiber, gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids, which feed our intestinal cells, help regulate our immune function and have anti-inflammatory properties.”
Cooking tip
Slice leeks lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under running water to remove any hidden dirt between the layers. Try roasting halved leeks with olive oil and herbs until they’re golden and caramelized, then melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Instead of Celery, Try Fennel
Fennel might look a little intimidating with its bulbous shape and feathery fronds, but it’s worth getting to know. Fink calls it “sophisticated celery,” explaining that “it provides the same kind of texture and mineral flavour as celery, but softer [and] milder, with a light savoury liquorice flavour that goes especially well with Italian and Mediterranean foods,” like soups and pasta sauces. “It can also double as a braise or roasted vegetable on its own, which celery isn’t great for,” notes Fink.
Where celery adds crunch and a grassy freshness, fennel brings a more aromatic complexity. Raw and thinly sliced, it adds a refreshing brightness to salads and slaws. Roasted, it becomes jammy and sweet, pairing beautifully with fish or citrus. That underlying licorice flavor, Gargano explains, is due to the phytochemical anethole. But this nutrient “also has excellent antioxidant qualities and biological activity in the body.”
Cooking tip
Trim the fronds (but save them as a delicate herb garnish!) and the tough outer layer. Serve it raw and thinly sliced in a salad or cooked and caramelized. Sauté it with onions—or better yet, leeks—to deepen caramelization in sauces. Pair it with citrus, dill or seafood to enhance its natural aroma.
Instead of Kale, Try Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
If kale has become your default leafy green, it’s time to meet gai lan. “Gai Lan is one of my all-time favorite vegetables, and it needs a higher profile!” enthuses Fink. “It tastes just like broccoli, and it even has a little broccoli floret at the top of each stalk! Its leaves and tender stalks are edible and delicious. It cooks quickly, has a wonderful sweet brassica flavour, is very versatile, and it’s much cheaper than broccolini.”
It’s a star in stir-fries and noodle dishes, but don’t limit it to Asian preparations. The stems retain a satisfying crunch while the leaves wilt tenderly, giving you a lovely textural contrast in every bite. “Chinese broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable,” says Gargano, who playfully refers to cruciferous veggies as “scrubbing bubbles for your liver because the phytochemicals in them help to upregulate the detoxification enzymes in your liver.”
Cooking tip
Slice stems thinly for even cooking. Blanch briefly in salted water, then toss with oyster sauce and/or sesame oil. Don’t overcook them—the greens should remain vibrant and slightly crisp. Fink’s favorite? “Stir-fried with broccoli and fermented soybean paste. She specifically uses Chinese yellow bean-based sauces or pastes, but says that miso or gochujang are also great options.
Instead of Sweet Potato, Try Kabocha Squash
Sweet potatoes are a fall staple for good reason, but kabocha squash might steal your heart. “Kabocha squash is an all-star,” declares Fink. “It has dense, sweet and very flavourful flesh, [that’s] not at all watery.” She shares that it has a very similar, though drier, texture compared to sweet potatoes and a more complex flavor. It tastes like a cross between a sweet potato and chestnut, with a velvety texture that holds up beautifully to roasting.
Kabocha squash caramelizes better than many squashes and adds a natural creaminess to stews and risottos. But perhaps even better? “They are very long keeping—often they last well into the spring if they have been kept in a dry, well-ventilated spot,” notes Fink. And as a bonus: “Per cup, kabocha squash contains about 100 calories less than sweet potatoes,” says Gargano., “So if you’re looking for a high volume, high nutrient, lower calorie swap, this is a great nutrient-packed alternative.”
Cooking tip
You don’t need to peel kabocha! The skin softens completely when cooked. Try roasting wedges with miso or maple, or blending it into broth or sauces for an instantly velvety soup or pasta topper.
Instead of Frozen Peas, Try Edamame
Frozen peas are convenient, but so is edamame, and it brings more to the table. “Edamame is actually young, green soybeans. And it’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids needed to build protein in the body,” Gargano explains. “While peas are actually fairly high in protein content, they are not a complete protein like edamame.
Fink thinks edamame has a much nicer texture than peas, and it’s “not nearly as sweet.” It’s “just a cool, interesting vegetable, [and it] happens to be as easy to use as frozen peas,” she says. Edamame’s mild nuttiness and tender bite make it perfect for stir-fries, grain salads, soups and pastas. The bright green color pops in fried rice or quinoa bowls, and when blended with lemon, garlic and olive oil, it creates a creamy, protein-rich dip.
Cooking tip
Buy shelled edamame for convenience. Boil briefly or steam, but don’t overcook it. Then eat it as is, or toss it into anything you like right before serving to preserve that satisfying texture and vibrant color.
Instead of Brussels Sprouts, Try Purple Top Turnips
Brussels sprouts have had their moment in the spotlight, but “turnips are an underdog” and deserve more love, says Fink. Also a member of the brassica family, they have a “similar flavour profile to Brussels sprouts, and they match with similar seasonings,” shares Fink. “They can be roasted, pan-seared, or boiled, much like Brussels, but they are available year-round, and are cheap and easy to prep.”
“The great thing about turnips,” notes Gargano, “is that both their leaves and roots are edible.” “While the root has an excellent amount of vitamin C, the leaves are even more nutrient-packed, with vitamin C and K, provitamin A, folate and calcium.”, Gargano suggests sautéing the greens with “garlic, toasted sesame oil, salt and pepper for a lovely side dish.” A couple of things to keep in mind: young turnips are sweeter and less bitter, while “local turnips will have the best flavor,” says Fink.
Cooking tip
Turnips offer peppery sharpness when raw that mellows into subtle sweetness when roasted. Roast them until golden, mash them with butter for a lighter take on potatoes, or add them to soups and gratins with milk or cream and herbs. You can also pair them with butter, thyme and a touch of honey to highlight their natural sweetness.
Benefits of Eating a Variety of Vegetables
Increases the variety of nutrients in your diet
This one might seem the most obvious, but different vegetables provide different nutritional benefits. “Every phytonutrient and antioxidant does something a little different in our body,” explains Gargano.
“For example, orange antioxidants such as carotenoids are generally linked with eye health and immune function, while research shows that blue phytochemicals such as certain polyphenols and flavonols may be linked with cognition and brain health.”
Even white vegetables matter. “White is often a color we disregard when it comes to vegetables, but in fact, there are some powerful phytonutrients in this color as well! Garlic, cauliflower, parsnips, onions, and white cabbage are packed with antioxidants such as allicin, indoles, and quercetin, which are often linked with an improved lipid profile and anti-inflammatory properties.” That means, “when we swap out one veggie for another, we’re providing our body with different health benefits.”
Lowers the risk of early death
“While nutrition research is consistently changing and evolving, the one thing research agrees on is that the greater variety of vegetables and fruit we eat, the better our health outcomes,” says Gargano, adding that “both increased consumption as well as increased variety may help lower the risk of chronic diseases and early death.”,
Even if you’re already getting your requisite five-a-day (up to six servings for men), mixing it up seems to have added benefits. Researchers found an 11% lower risk of death from any cause among those with the most variety. While the evidence is based on observation and more research still needs to be done, the takeaway is clear and easy to apply: Diversity on your plate isn’t just good for flavor—it might also help you stay healthier, longer.
May lower the risk of chronic disease
“The more phytonutrients we consume, the [better] our body [can] fight against the risk of chronic diseases,” notes Gargano. These colorful compounds are essentially a plant’s natural defense system, and when we eat them, we borrow that power. They act as “firefighters” inside the body, neutralizing free radicals and helping to calm down chronic inflammation—two of the main culprits behind aging, heart disease and other major illnesses., By eating the rainbow, you help your body build a diverse team of protective chemicals, giving it the strongest defense possible.
Keeps meals interesting and exciting
One benefit that’s often overlooked is that “it’s also more interesting and exciting to eat certain foods when you know that their season is limited,” says Fink. Variety helps keep interest up, for both the cook and the eater, she adds.
It can save you money
Buying seasonal, locally-grown vegetables can be more cost-effective than buying out-of-season imports. “If the cook varies their vegetables by the season,” says Fink, “they will save money. By focusing their efforts (and money) on vegetables that are in season, they are sticking to what is both freshest [therefore more likely to last longer] and least expensive. Fink recommends, “more root veg, hardy greens and winter squash in the cold months, and more garden crops like green beans, tomatoes and zucchini in the warm months.”
Our Expert Take
Shaking up your vegetable routine doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your shopping routine. Start by identifying what’s currently in your rotation and choose just one new vegetable to try each week. By making just one small swap to start—say trading your onion for a bunch of leeks or your celery for some gorgeous fennel—you’re exploring a new flavor, inviting diverse nutrients into your life, challenging your culinary skills and giving your body more to work with.
“Buying in season means way better flavor,” reminds Fink. But if you’re still hesitant to try something new, both experts offer practical strategies. Fink suggests pairing new vegetables with familiar ones, like stir-frying gai lan with broccoli and garlic. You should also “consider having two different vegetables at dinner,” adds Gargano. “One can be your go-to comfort veg and the other can be a new-to-you veg or one you’re trying to get more used to. Don’t be afraid to add seasonings and flavors to help make it easier (and more delicious) to add into your routine!” So next time you’re reaching for your usual broccoli or carrots, toss in something new, too. Worst case? Dinner tastes a little different. Best case? You’ll find a new favorite.
