How to saute with less oil

Jessie24330
Jessie24330 Posts: 224 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to make a few things with week with sauteed veggies (peppers, onions and mushrooms). I want them cooked until pretty soft. Any advise for doing this with as little oil as possible? My veggies seem to drink the oil when I do. TIA.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I add a little water
  • Jessie24330
    Jessie24330 Posts: 224 Member
    I was wondering about that. I didn't know if it would make them gross or not have any difference. Thanks :smile:
  • Rickster1967
    Rickster1967 Posts: 485 Member
    I add a couple table spoons of water at a time a stir the veggies as if frying in oil and add more as they dry up, repeat until soft
  • reevess113
    reevess113 Posts: 29 Member
    We sauté in a little olive oil with salt and pepper at high heat. This blackens the vegetables a little bit, usually broccoli brussels sprouts, green beans or asparagus. At the end we add about a tablespoon of water and steam the vegetables. They’re delicious this way
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    Try using a lower heat so they don't burn too fast.
  • megs_1985
    megs_1985 Posts: 199 Member
    Non stick pan, teaspoon of olive oil is good for you anyway, then a little water if it starts to stick. You can buy spritzers to refill yourself and that will reduce the chance of pouring too much.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Mslmesq wrote: »
    Chicken broth

    I’m vegetarian, so I use vegetable stock, but same concept. That being said, I do prefer to roast them in the oven.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
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    Steamer basket. Set it in a saucepan with a little water underneath.

    Or...use less oil. In a non-stick saute pan, you don't need more than a half teaspoon or so.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    I was wondering about that. I didn't know if it would make them gross or not have any difference. Thanks :smile:

    Since you want them soft, adding water is fine. If you wanted a crisp-tender result that is normal from sauteing, adding water would be more of a problem.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Start by stir frying with a little oil in a non stick pan, then once the outside of the veggies is browned and crisp the way you want, add a little vegetable stock and cook until they are soft.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Nonstick skillet and a small amount of oil. But I vote for roasting in the oven, which caramelizes some of the sugar in the veggies. Steaming them or sautéing with water or broth will not give the same flavor as sautéing with oil or roasting. You can spray them with a little olive oil after roasting them for flavor, if you like.
  • OldHobo
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    I want to make a few things with week with sauteed veggies (peppers, onions and mushrooms). I want them cooked until pretty soft. Any advise for doing this with as little oil as possible? My veggies seem to drink the oil when I do. TIA.

    Onions and mushrooms act totally different. The onions will give up quite a bit of water quickly. Especially if you add a little salt. Mushrooms will soak up all the water and oil in the pan. Peppers will take longer to soften. If you're sauteing them all together I would cook the onions and peppers in a little oil over med heat, the point is you don't want them to brown at this point. Get them hot enough for the onions to start to give up their moisture then put the lid on for a few minutes. Now they aren't sauteing because the onion water in the pan is keeping the temp down. They will steam which should soften the peppers. 5 minutes, give or take, and the onion should be translucent and the peppers soft enough. Then add more oil and the mushrooms, turn up the heat to med. or med. high and saute uncovered until they're done. Recommended not to wash the shrooms in water. If you do, they will give up a lot of extra water during cooking, cooling off your pan slowing everything down.

    If you do all the above in a stainless steel or enamel pan there will be brown stuff stuck to it. High price cooks call the stuff fond and it has lots of flavor. After emptying the pan with the heat still on add a little wine, beer, or stock and stir to dissolve the brown bits; keep stirring on heat a minute or so to evaporate (reduce) some of the liquid you added, then pour it over something.

    So that's what I'd do.

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