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Vegetable Purée

Photo: Burcu Avsar and Zach DeSart

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED February 14, 2024

Purées are all-purpose: They make a perfect bed for burgers, cutlets, “meat” balls, and slices of cooked tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Or use them underneath other vegetables like asparagus, broccoli spears, sliced or cubed eggplant, or roasted chunks of potato. This recipe is a straightforward template for puréeing almost any vegetable.

 

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Vegetable purée can also be used as a “sauce” for pasta (you may want to thin it first), rice or risotto, cooked whole grains, baked potatoes, or thick slices of toast. Well-seasoned warm or room-temperature purées are also lovely dips for anything from crudités to dumplings to grilled tofu skewers; thin them, if necessary, with a little stock or other liquid. They make good spreads for sandwiches and fillings for burritos or tacos too.

To make an impromptu gratin, put the purée in a greased shallow baking or gratin dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, dot with butter or drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a 375°F oven until hot and bubbly.

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