Vegetable and Bean Recipes

Woman with vegetables at Chichicastenanango market
Image by Guillén Pérez

Although there are thousands of potentially edible species of plants in the world, human beings use only a small number for food. Most food plants have long been domesticated and bred into forms that serve various purposes and palates.

The domestication of wild plants began around 10,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. The initial domestication occurred in the Middle East, but agriculture also arose independently in other places at other times. Southeast Asia, Central and South America also cradled ancient civilizations that produced their own agricultural products. Because of this, most of the vegetables we find on our plates today originated in these four areas of the world.

Vegetables do not generally form the caloric foundation of human diets, nor are they a large source of protein. The basic role of vegetables in the diet is to provide a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are essential to the well being of the body. These nutrients not only maintain heath but also help prevent the onset of disease.

A second and more enjoyable role of vegetables is to provide variety and flavor. Grains and grain products alone can be bland. And meat can be heavy and difficult to digest. But add tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, herbs and spices, and a dish is transformed. The endless variety of colors, scents and flavors offered by vegetables ensure that cooking, eating and the culinary experience are never boring.

International Vegetable and Bean Recipes

Musaka’a 
(Palestinian eggplant baked with tomatoes and chickpeas)

Malai Kofta 
(Indian veggie dumplings in curry sauce)

Sukuma Wiki 
(East African greens simmered with tomatoes)

Domates Yemistes 
(Greek rice-stuffed tomatoes)

Töltött Paprika 
(Hungarian stuffed peppers)

Bhindi Bhaji 
(Indian okra curry)

Spanakopita 
(Greek spinach and feta pie)

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)

Chiles Rellenos 
(Mexican stuffed, fried chile peppers)

Mashed Potatoes 
(Irish and American potato puree)

Yuca Frita 
(Latin American cassava fries)

Asparagi alla Parmigiana 
(Italian asparagus gratin)

Dong Gu Dofu 
(Chinese braised tofu with mushrooms)

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Matar Paneer 
(Indian curried peas and cheese)

Quimbombó Guisado 
(Puerto Rican stewed okra)

Saag 
(Indian, Pakistani spiced spinach)

Sayur Lodeh 
(Indonesian vegetables in coconut curry)

Vigorón 
(Nicaraguan yuca, pork rind and cabbage salad)

Töltött Káposzta 
(Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls over sauerkraut)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Moin Moin 
(Nigerian savory steamed bean pudding)

Causa Rellena 
(Peruvian layered potato dish)

Yataklete Kilkil 
(Ethiopian gingered vegetable stew)

Ful Medames 
(Egyptian slow-cooked fava beans)

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)

Frijoles de la Olla 
(Mexican beans in broth)

Tortilla Española de Patata 
(Spanish open-faced potato omelet)

Nasu 
(Japanese steamed, sliced eggplant)

Poutine 
(Canadian fried potatoes with gravy and cheese curds)

Pikliz 
(Haitian spicy pickled vegetables)

Fagioli all’Uccelletto 
(Italian white beans with tomato and sage)

Aloo Gobi 
(Indian potato and cauliflower curry)

Tepsi Baytinijan 
(Iraqi meatball and vegetable casserole)

Plátanos Fritos 
(Latin fried ripe plantains)

Blaukraut 
(German braised red cabbage)

Moong Dal 
(Indian simmered mung beans)

Sigumchi Namul 
(Korean sesame spinach)

Moros y Cristianos 
(Cuban black beans and rice)

Latkes 
(Israeli Jewish potato pancakes)

Ewa Dodo 
(Nigerian black-eyed pea stew with plantains)

Aginares à la Polita 
(Greek artichoke hearts and potatoes with dill)

Mesir Wat 
(Ethiopian red lentil stew)

Mücver 
(Turkish zucchini fritters)

Gratin Dauphinois 
(French potatoes baked with cream)

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