Ina Garten’s 7 Spring Green Vegetable Sides Are so Easy to Make
Ina Garten’s spring vegetable picks are in. Seven of the cookbook author’s seasonal side dishes grace the homepage of her official Barefoot Contessa website. Titled “Spring Green Vegetables!” Garten’s selection includes various easy-to-make sides.
1. Ina Garten’s spring vegetable sides: Roasted Broccolini
Garten’s spring vegetables start off with one of her simplest Barefoot Contessa side dishes. Her recipe for Roasted Broccolini calls for just three ingredients.
The Modern Comfort Food author drizzles broccolini with some “good” olive oil (Garten’s preferred brand is Olio Santo). Then she tosses it together with a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper.
The broccolini roasts in the oven and 15 minutes later it’s ready to eat. As Garten says, how easy is that?
2. Peas and Pancetta
Next up is another one of Garten’s spring vegetable picks that has a small number of ingredients. Only six items are needed to make the Barefoot Contessa’s Peas and Pancetta.
The Food Network star spruces up frozen peas with the addition of pancetta and shallots. Garten cooks them in a saute pan and, within a few minutes, they’re done. A sprinkle of fresh mint and she has an elegant — and easy — spring vegetable perfect for an easy Easter dinner menu.
3. Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad
Garten’s spring vegetables continue with her Barefoot Contessa take on a Middle Eastern salad. One of her top salad recipes, it has 12 ingredients. That may be a lot for someone who is known for cooking simple meals but Garten’s Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad takes only 15 minutes to make.
She puts scallions, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes, chickpeas, and mint in a bowl. Then she makes an easy vinaigrette dressing and drizzles it over the salad. Finally, she sprinkles feta cheese over the top.
Best of all, it’s practically one of Garten’s no-cook recipes. The only cooking involved is toasting slices of pita for serving.
4. Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Have spinach in the fridge that needs to be eaten? Make this spring green vegetable from Garten. Her Garlic Sauteed Spinach recipe calls for more than a pound of the leafy green.
Yet another simple Barefoot Contessa side, Garten heats up minced garlic in a pot. Then she tosses in the spinach and drizzles it with “good” olive oil. When the spinach is wilted she takes it off the heat and puts it in a serving dish. A squeeze of lemon juice, some butter, and salt, and Garten’s Garlic Sauteed Spinach is done.
5. Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
One of Garten’s perfect spring sides, her recipe for Parmesan Roasted Asparagus is an easy dish to pull together. Why? Because, like the majority of her recipes, it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.
Similar to the Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Broccolini, her instructions for making Parmesan Roasted Asparagus begin with “good” olive oil. Garten puts asparagus on a baking sheet and then drizzles it with olive oil. Then she sprinkles salt and pepper over the top.
After roasting until tender, Garten pulls the asparagus out of the oven and sprinkles parmesan cheese on top. She puts the asparagus back in the oven so the cheese can melt. Finally, when the cheese is completely melted, she removes the asparagus from the oven and serves it alongside lemon wedges.
6. Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Don’t like broccoli? Parmesan Roasted Broccoli will supposedly make broccoli haters fans of the green vegetables. Garten’s spring vegetable pick is not unlike her Roasted Broccolini or Parmesan Roasted Asparagus recipes.
Not surprisingly, the cooking instructions are largely the same. Garten puts the broccoli on a baking sheet and tosses it with “good” olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. After roasting, she tosses the broccoli with more olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts, parmesan, and basil.
7. French String Beans
Finally, the last of Garten’s spring vegetable picks. Her French String Beans are yet another simple side dish from the cooking show host.
Garten’s French String Beans, which she also puts on Thanksgiving menus, require just seven ingredients. The 74-year-old relies on a few of her commonly-used Barefoot Contessa ingredients such as “good” olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Garten blanches the string beans. Then she tosses them together with roasted peppers and onions before serving.
