6 Vegetables That Can Make You Pass the Bowl

Brussels sprouts can bring back the smell of a holiday kitchen before you’ve even picked up your fork. Beets turn everything pink, including the potatoes you were hoping would stay out of it. And okra can get two people who grew up eating it into an argument over whether slippery is a compliment.

“Nobody” is doing some work here. Each vegetable has fans, and someone’s least favorite side might be the first thing another person reaches for. This ranking starts with the easiest sell and ends with the boldest bite, judging each vegetable by what a reluctant eater might notice first. Sometimes that’s the flavor. Sometimes the trouble starts before the plate reaches the table.

Eggplant can go from Creamy to Soggy

Eggplant looks like it has its act together. Then you cut into a slice and find a spongy middle or a piece so heavy with oil you’re ready to move on to the bread. Its mild flavor makes it the easiest sell here, as long as the texture gives you a reason to take another bite.

Raw eggplant absorbs oil readily, but the flesh can turn creamy when it’s cooked through. That softness makes sense in smoky baba ganoush, where you want it on a piece of warm pita. If you’re roasting slices, brush them lightly with oil, give them space on the baking sheet, and wait for the centers to soften. A little color on top can arrive before the middle is ready.

Beets bring the Garden to the Table

People who love beets call them earthy. People who leave them on the plate tend to have a more literal word for it. Even a small piece has a flavor that can dominate a forkful, and its juice will make the rest of the salad look like it got dressed for the same party.

Roasting is a good place to start, especially if you serve the beets with something sharp. Try a small portion with a mustardy dressing, or toss roasted pieces with potatoes so each bite has a little variety. Good Food’s roasted beet and potato salad uses that mustard pairing. Serve a few pieces on the side if you’re still deciding how you feel about them.

Turnips have a Peppery Surprise

A chunk of turnip in a stew can pass for a potato right up until you bite into it. Then comes that peppery edge, a surprise if you were expecting something mild to soak up the broth. Two people can disagree about how sharp turnips are, and both be remembering their dinner accurately.

Small, young turnips tend to be sweeter and more delicate,while larger winter turnips can be more pungent. If you’re curious, start with the small ones. Cut them into bite-size pieces and roast them with oil and salt until tender. You can put a few alongside carrots on the same tray and see which bites you go back for.

Brussels Sprouts can Clear the Kitchen

An overcooked sprout can make its case against itself from the other side of the house. By the time it reaches the table, the sulfurous smell has already brought back memories of limp holiday vegetables. Add a bitter bite, and you can see why some people quietly pass the bowl along.

Roasting gives the cut side a chance to brown and the outer leaves a chance to crisp. Halve the sprouts, toss them with a little oil, and check that the centers are tender before taking them out. The loose leaves that fall onto the tray can turn into the bits people pick at while the rest of dinner comes together.

Okra divides People at the First Bite

Okra’s flavor is mild enough to share a plate with plenty of other ingredients. The slippery texture is harder to overlook. Cut into a pod, and it releases the gel that helps give gumbo its body. In that pot, the texture has a job. Served on its own, it can be the first thing a hesitant eater notices.

If that’s what puts you off, try roasting the pods whole. Trim the stems without cutting into the pods, then roast them until the outsides crisp and the centers are tender. It’s a different experience from biting into a soft piece of sliced okra, and an easy way to figure out whether it’s the preparation you object to.

Bitter Melon Lives Up to Its Name

The ridged skin might be the first thing you notice at the market. At dinner, the bitterness takes over. Even a well-prepared bite has an edge, which earns bitter melon the final spot. For people who grew up looking forward to it, that edge may be exactly what makes the dish worth cooking.

The Woks of Life pairs bitter melon with eggs in a Chinese stir-fry. Halve the melon, scoop out the seeds and white pith, slice it thinly, and briefly blanch it before stir-frying. The eggs add a soft

Give the Vegetable Another Audition

A small serving is plenty for a second chance. Try the eggplant with browned edges or taste the turnip before it disappears into the stew.

You might still leave the beets to someone else. You might also find yourself eating the crisp Brussels sprout leaves straight off the tray.