Healthy Sautéed Vegetables: Quick, Flavorful & Nutritious Side Recipe
A quick and nutritious side dish featuring a colorful medley of sautéed vegetables including bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, and mushrooms, flavored with garlic, onion, and optional lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Perfectly crisp-tender and packed with fresh flavor, this healthy sautéed vegetable recipe is easy to make and customizable with your favorite toppings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or sliced thin
- ½ cup snap peas
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
Aromatics & Oils
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil/butter)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings & Optional Flavors
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar or soy sauce (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Toasted nuts
- Seeds
- Fresh herbs
- Grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Prep Vegetables: Wash, peel if needed, and cut all vegetables into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Heat Pan: Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil (or your choice of avocado oil or butter) to warm it up.
- Cook Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and sliced onions to the hot oil and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and slightly translucent.
- Add Harder Vegetables: Add the sliced carrots and broccoli florets to the skillet first; cook for 3–4 minutes while stirring frequently to start softening them.
- Add Softer Vegetables: Next, add the bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and snap peas to the skillet; sauté for an additional 4–5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Season: Sprinkle in salt and black pepper to taste. Add optional flavorings such as lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce to enhance the dish’s brightness and depth.
- Finish & Serve: Toss everything well to combine the flavors. Garnish with optional toppings like toasted nuts, seeds, fresh herbs, or grated Parmesan. Serve immediately for the best texture and freshness.
Notes
- To keep the vegetables crisp-tender, do not overcook; they should retain some bite.
- Feel free to swap or add your preferred vegetables based on seasonality or preference.
- To make this dish vegan, omit the Parmesan cheese or substitute with a plant-based alternative.
- For a soy-free option, skip the soy sauce and use balsamic vinegar or lemon juice alone for flavor.
- Use a high smoke point oil like avocado oil for higher heat cooking while keeping it healthy.
Keywords: sautéed vegetables, healthy side dish, quick vegetable recipe, nutritious vegetables, easy vegetable sauté, gluten free, low fat vegetables
