Get The Best Texture Out Of Canned Vegetables With This Crispy Tip

Anyone who's cooked with canned vegetables knows they can fall a little flat compared to fresh versions. But there are plenty of times when, for reasons of cost or convenience, they're likely to end up in your meals. Still, there's no need to resign yourself to limp, soggy, unappealing veggies — all you need is an oven and a bit of time.

The technique is as simple as cranking your oven up high, spreading your rinsed and seasoned veggies on a sheet pan, and roasting until crispy. The exact temperature and time will vary depending on your chosen vegetable and desired texture, though a good starting point can be 20 minutes at 475 degrees Fahrenheit. You could also use an air fryer to achieve a similar effect — while many models can't reach temperatures as high as traditional ovens, the convection of hot air around the veggies can brown and crisp them even faster in some cases.

There are a few reasons why this simple trick is so beneficial to humble canned vegetables. First, it removes a significant portion of their water, which can often saturate them from extended storage in packing liquid. Removing water through roasting can help concentrate and intensify the flavor.

In addition, the vegetables' contact with the hot pan causes them to brown and gain flavor through two critical processes known as caramelization and the Maillard reaction. Caramelization occurs when natural or added sugars on the surface of the veggies transform in flavor in the presence of high heat, while the Maillard reaction involves a more complex reaction involving amino acids and sugars that provides food with that classic browned look and taste. Finally, the high heat slightly crisps or chars pieces of your vegetables, adding a crunchy element to otherwise mushy canned items. These subtle crispy bits can have a surprisingly large impact on the overall texture of the dish.

While many of us love fresh veggies, hacks like this are just another reason why you should always keep canned vegetables in your pantry.