When people think about plant-based cooking, it often sounds more complicated than it really is. Maybe it brings to mind long ingredient lists or techniques that feel out of reach. But the truth? Cooking plant-based meals can be surprisingly simple—and even fun—once you know a few key methods. With just a little guidance, you can create satisfying, flavorful dishes using everyday ingredients and tools you likely already have in your kitchen.
8 Simple Plant-Based Cooking Methods
Grilling
What it is: Grilling involves cooking food directly over an open flame or heat source. You can use an outdoor grill, a grill pan on your stove, or a tabletop indoor grill.
How to do it: Preheat your grill, season your ingredients, and place them directly onto the grill grates, flipping as needed until cooked.
Plant-based foods to grill: Portobello mushrooms, eggplant slices, bell peppers, zucchini and squash, pineapple slices, corn on the cob, tofu slices, plant-based mock meats (like burgers, brats, Italian sausages, and hot dogs)
Nutritional Insight: Grilling adds a smoky depth of flavor and requires minimal added fat. While grilling can reduce some heat-sensitive nutrients, it enhances flavor without relying on oils or sauces—making it easier to stick to healthy plant-based meals.
Sautéing
What it is: Sautéing is a quick cooking method that involves frying food in a small amount of oil or liquid over medium to high heat.
How to do it: Heat oil or liquid in a skillet, add your ingredients, and stir frequently until they are cooked through. Frequently, cooking until the ingredients attain a subtly caramelized texture enhances their rich, robust flavors to their fullest extent.
Plant-based foods to sauté: Onions and garlic, spinach or kale, tofu or tempeh, broccoli or cauliflower florets, mushrooms, green beans or asparagus, some plant-based mock meats (like veggie meatless crumbles)
Nutritional Insight: Sautéing helps develop rich, savory flavors. To keep it low in fat, use water or vegetable broth in place of oil. Light sautéing preserves most nutrients, especially when vegetables are cooked just until tender-crisp.
Baking and Roasting
What it is: Baking and roasting are similar oven methods, but typically roasting entails cooking food in an oven at a higher heat, allowing for caramelization and intensified flavors.
How to do it: Preheat your oven, toss your ingredients with a small bit of oil (most common is olive oil for health benefits vs. other oils), season according to taste, spread ingredients on a baking sheet, and roast until tender and golden brown.
Plant-based foods to roast: Root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets), Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli, butternut squash, cherry tomatoes, cubes of tofu, chickpeas
Our favorite baking/roasting recipe: MEDITERRANEAN SWEET POTATOES
Nutritional Insight: Roasting helps concentrate natural sugars and flavors. Though some vitamin C is lost with heat, this method retains fiber and minerals. Using parchment paper instead of oil lowers fat content while maintaining crispiness.
Air Frying
What it is: Air frying is a cooking method that uses hot air circulated by a fan to cook food, resulting in a crispy exterior. Tabletop air fryers are widely available and typically come at a reasonable price point. While some ovens offer an air fryer setting, they often leave behind a bit of a mess. Air fryers are our #1 recommended USEFUL KITCHEN GADGET for a plant-based kitchen. We use ours nearly every day.
How to do it: Place your ingredients in the air fryer basket, set the temperature and time, and let the air fryer work its magic.
Plant-based foods to air fry: French fries (from potatoes or sweet potatoes), Brussels sprouts or broccoli, tofu or tempeh cubes, seasoned chickpeas, many plant-based mock meats (like vegan chicken patties & nuggets)
Nutritional Insight: Air frying delivers crispiness with little to no oil, drastically reducing fat and calorie intake. It’s ideal for making crunchy snacks and sides without sacrificing nutrients or flavor.
Slow Cooking
What it is: Slow cooking entails gently simmering food at low temperatures over an extended period, resulting in delectably tender and flavorful dishes. One of its key advantages lies in its convenience—you can simply toss all ingredients into the pot in the morning, allowing them to simmer throughout the day until you return home to a wonderfully aromatic, piping hot meal.
How to do it: Add your ingredients to the slow cooker, set the temperature and time, and let it cook slowly until done.
Plant-based foods to slow cook: Soups & chilis with lentils or dried beans, spaghetti sauce
Our favorite slow cooker recipe: SLOW COOKER 15-BEAN SOUP
Nutritional Insight: Slow cooking retains most nutrients by using low heat over time. It’s especially great for legumes, enhancing digestibility and nutrient absorption while deepening flavor without added fat.
Pressure Cooking
What it is: Pressure cooking uses steam pressure to cook food quickly, retaining nutrients and flavors. The most common brand of pressure cooker is the Instant Pot, but many manufacturers carry their own line of pressure cookers.
How to do it: Add ingredients and liquid to the pressure cooker, seal the lid, and cook at high pressure for the specified time. Cook time is greatly reduced for pressure cooking but additional time for pressurizing and depressurizing should be accounted for. The real benefit of this method is that you don’t have to stir anything as it cooks—allowing you to set it and actively do something else while the food is cooking.
If you are interested in a pressure cooker, check out Food Network’s 6 BEST ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKERS to find the right one for you.
Plant-based foods to pressure cook: Dried beans (black beans, chickpeas, lentils), rice and grains (like brown rice), risotto with mushrooms or vegetables
Our favorite pressure cooker recipe: HEARTY LENTIL SOUP
Nutritional Insight: Pressure cooking retains more vitamins and minerals than boiling or frying and drastically cuts cooking time for tough foods like beans. It also breaks down lectins and phytic acid, improving nutrient availability.
Boiling
What it is: Boiling involves cooking food in hot water or a flavorful liquid at a constant temperature. This is a basic cooking method but noted because it is important.
How to do it: Bring a pot of water or liquid to a boil, add your ingredients, and cook until they reach the desired doneness.
Plant-based foods to boil: Pasta and noodles, potatoes, whole grains like quinoa or barley, dried beans and legumes, corn on the cob, leafy greens
Nutritional Insight: Boiling can cause water-soluble nutrients (like B vitamins and vitamin C) to leach into the water. When possible, use the cooking liquid in soups or sauces to retain nutrients.
Steaming
What it is: Steaming involves cooking food by exposing it to steam from boiling water. This method of cooking retains the natural flavors and nutrients of vegetables and other plant-based ingredients.
How to do it: Place your ingredients in a steamer basket or tray above simmering water and cover until cooked.
Plant-based foods to steam: Broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrots and green beans, artichokes, vegetable dumplings, tofu or tempeh
Nutritional Insight: Steaming is one of the best plant-based cooking methods for nutrient retention. It preserves antioxidant compounds and water-soluble vitamins while maintaining the natural flavor and texture of vegetables.
đź“Š Summary Table of Plant-Based Cooking Methods
| Cooking Method | Best For | Key Nutritional Insight | Time Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilling | Mushrooms, zucchini, tofu | Adds flavor with minimal fat | 8–15 min |
| Sautéing | Onions, greens, tempeh | Use broth for oil-free flavor | 5–10 min |
| Roasting | Root veggies, chickpeas | Enhances sweetness, crispy | 25–40 min |
| Air Frying | Potatoes, tofu, mock meats | Crispy with low/no oil | 10–20 min |
| Slow Cooking | Beans, lentils, soups | Nutrient-rich, low effort | 4–8 hrs |
| Pressure Cooking | Grains, beans, risotto | Retains nutrients, fast | 10–40 min |
| Boiling | Pasta, potatoes, grains | Nutrient loss in water | 10–20 min |
| Steaming | Broccoli, carrots, dumplings | Best for preserving vitamins | 5–10 min |
Closing Thoughts
There’s no shortage of creativity when it comes to plant-based cooking—it’s really all about exploring what you enjoy and what makes you feel good. Once you get the hang of these simple methods—like grilling, roasting, sautéing, or even using an air fryer—you’ll see how easy it is to make delicious meals with just plants. Whether you’re totally new to cooking or have been experimenting for years, these techniques open the door to meals full of flavor, texture, and nourishment.
Try picking one method this week and have fun with it—you might just discover a new favorite way to cook!
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