How long to cook vegetables for vinaigrette: cook in a saucepan, in a slow cooker, steam

Vinaigrette came to us from French cuisine, but our compatriots often prepare it in their own way, including eggs, herring, and mushrooms. However, the basis of this popular salad almost always remains boiled potatoes, beets and carrots. It is important for a novice housewife to know how long to cook vegetables for a vinaigrette so that they come out soft, but not overcooked.

Cooking features

Vegetables for vinaigrette are usually boiled in their skins, but if you need to solve the problem quickly, they can be peeled, cut and steamed.
Before cooking, vegetables should be washed well, being careful not to damage their skin.
Pour cold water over carrots, potatoes and beets. Then the liquid is brought to a boil and from this moment the cooking time of the vegetables is noted.
There is no need to salt the water in which vegetables are boiled for salad. No spices are added to it either. After boiling vegetables in their uniforms, the liquid is poured out; this broth is not suitable for preparing other dishes.
Beets are usually cooked separately to prevent them from turning other vegetables pink. In addition, it requires longer preparation. However, if all the boiled vegetables go into one salad, it is permissible to cook them together, removing them when they are ready.

Ready vegetables should be removed from the water immediately so that they do not become soggy or soft. They should be dry and cool before use.

What else can you put in a vinaigrette?

Many people cannot imagine a vinaigrette without sauerkraut. It can be used instead of cucumbers or together with them. In the latter case, take approximately equal parts of both. If you only add cabbage to the salad, you will need about 300 g.

Instead of peas, you can take canned or boiled beans.

Pickled mushrooms will also add variety; you will need 200–250 g of them. Although you can add less or more, while adjusting the remaining salty foods - cucumbers and/or cabbage.

Herbs, such as dill, parsley or green onions, will add a fresh note.

Oil and salt can be pre-mixed with ½-1 tablespoon of vinegar (apple or 3%) and a pinch of ground black pepper. Vinegar will give the vinaigrette even more sourness.

How long to cook carrots, beets and potatoes for vinaigrette

The vegetables included in the vinaigrette require different durations of heat treatment. The cooking time for root vegetables also depends on their size.

Potatoes cook the fastest. Small tubers will be ready in 12-15 minutes, depending on the type of potato. Medium-sized tubers are boiled for 15-20 minutes. Very large specimens of some potato varieties may take several minutes longer to cook.
Carrots will cook in 15-20 minutes if they are small or medium in size. Large vegetables will need to be cooked 5 minutes longer.
The cooking time for beets can range from 40 minutes to 1.5-2 hours. The maximum heat treatment time may be required for beets of the so-called fodder varieties; the weight of such root crops can reach 400-500 g. Beets the size of a fist will be ready in 40-50 minutes, slightly larger ones in 50-60 minutes.
In a slow cooker, vegetables are usually cooked together, removing them as they are ready: 20 minutes after the appliance starts working, take out the potatoes, 5 minutes after that - carrots, 30-35 minutes after carrots - beets.
You can steam vegetables cut into small cubes in a slow cooker. To do this, they are placed on the grill in sectors, a liter of water is poured into the main bowl, then the unit is started for 25-30 minutes in steaming mode.
You can boil vegetables in the microwave. It is better to cook them separately, placing them in a bag and piercing it on top. Then the device must be started at maximum power for 10 minutes for potatoes, 15 minutes for carrots, 20 minutes for beets.

How long to cook vegetables for vinaigrette?

Let's immediately remember what vegetables need to be added to the vinaigrette. Surely everyone will immediately say - potatoes, carrots and beets. In addition, some people add canned green peas, sauerkraut, and onions.

Root vegetables must be boiled. How long should you cook vegetables for vinaigrette in a saucepan? Potatoes and carrots are cooked for approximately the same time - 20-25 minutes. You can put these components in one pan and, after boiling, set aside a third of an hour. Readiness is checked very simply - with a fork or toothpick. These root vegetables should become soft. Although in some cases it may take a little longer. It all depends on the size of the vegetable fruit.

Now let's pay special attention to beets. The duration of heat treatment of the red-cheeked vegetable will also depend on the size. Therefore, beets can be cooked until tender from 40 minutes to two hours. Although there are alternative options, for example, chop the beets, peel them and bake them or steam them. This way you can significantly reduce the cooking time.

You learned how long to cook vegetables for a salad in the usual way. But today, many housewives prefer modern kitchen gadgets, for example, a multicooker or a double boiler. If you steam the vegetable ingredients for the vinaigrette, they will turn out much healthier and juicier.

You just need to follow a few rules. First, don’t forget to thoroughly clean and rinse everything. If for vinaigrette we always boil potatoes in their skins, then in a double boiler or slow cooker it is necessary to cook the tubers without peeling. On average, potatoes take about half an hour to cook. The same amount is the heat treatment of carrot root vegetables.

As for the beets, they will have to be steamed for about 40 minutes. Please note that the beets need to be chopped into cubes or cut into four parts. Secondly, choose the appropriate program mode if you cook in a slow cooker. Third, pour the required amount of liquid into the container.

Advice! To reduce cooking time, use hot water for steaming. This way, the kitchen appliance will not need to spend additional time heating the liquid.

It is recommended to cook beets separately from other vegetables, otherwise both carrots and potatoes will turn burgundy. Of course, this can happen already at the stage of chopping vegetables. But there is salvation - refined vegetable oil. Add it, and each component of your vinaigrette will retain its natural color.

Boiling vegetables to make a vinaigrette is a time-tested method of cooking. Do not forget that some of the nutrients, useful micro- and macroelements disappear. If you want the vinaigrette to be not only satisfying, but also healthy, it is better to steam the vegetables or bake them in the oven.

Every day the recipe for making vinaigrette changes. Some people started adding herring fillets, others liked the vinaigrette with sauerkraut. By the way, cabbage is one of the essential ingredients. Remember that it is advisable to store the vinaigrette with the addition of lightly salted cucumbers and sauerkraut for no more than one day in the refrigerator.

Vegetables for vinaigrette in a saucepan

Compound:

beets – 0.2-0.3 kg;
carrots – 0.2-0.3 kg;
potatoes – 0.4-0.6 kg;
water - how much will go.

Cooking method:

Wash the vegetables. Place carrots and beets in one pan, beets in another. Fill the food with water and put it on fire.
15 minutes after boiling water in a pan with carrots and potatoes, pierce the vegetables with a skewer to check their readiness. If they are soft, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. If the vegetables are still hard, cook them for another 5-10 minutes, periodically checking their readiness.
40 minutes after the water boils in the pan with the beets, start checking the readiness of the root vegetables. As soon as they become soft, remove them from boiling water.

All you have to do is wait until the vegetables have cooled down, after which they can be peeled and chopped.

How to properly cook beets so that they retain vitamins and microelements

Small root vegetables are selected for cooking.

It is not recommended to trim the tops and roots, so we do not disturb the structure of the fruit itself.

Next, you need to thoroughly wash the root vegetable.

Can be washed using the back of the sponge. But it’s better to first soak it in water so that all the dirt gets wet, and then just wash it under running water. This way the skin of the root vegetable will not be damaged, and it will taste better.

Place in a saucepan and fill with cold water, close with a lid.

Water should be poured so that it barely covers the vegetable. So, one part of the beets will be boiled in water, and the second – as if steamed. Turn the root vegetable over during cooking.

Place on high heat until it boils, then reduce.

Note to the owner.
To avoid an unpleasant smell when cooking beets, add a piece of black bread. During the cooking process, the bread will absorb an unpleasant odor.

To ensure that the beets retain their beautiful bright color, after boiling, add half a teaspoon of 9% table vinegar or a teaspoon of sugar.

You should not add salt - the beets will be hard and the cooking time will increase.

From the moment of boiling, it cooks for 30 – 60 minutes (depending on size).

After the specified time has expired, place the beets under cold water for 2 - 3 minutes.

Next, transfer to a bowl and pour cold water with the addition of a few ice cubes. We hold it for 15 - 20 minutes.

The temperature difference brings the beets to readiness, and they are also easier to peel.

With this method of cooking, the beets turn out sweet and do not lose their color. It is better to slightly undercook beets than to overcook them.

Note to the owner.
To avoid getting your hands dirty with beetroot juice when cutting salad, you must first grease them with vegetable oil.

Vegetables for vinaigrette in a slow cooker

Compound:

carrots – 0.2 kg;
beets – 0.2 kg;
potatoes – 0.4 kg;
water - how much will go.

Cooking method:

Wash the vegetables. Place beets on the bottom of the multicooker, then carrots, then potatoes. Pour in water until it completely covers the food.
Start the appliance in the main mode or in the first course cooking mode for an hour. From time to time, open the lid, check the readiness of the vegetables and remove them one by one.

Cool, peel the vegetables and start preparing the vinaigrette.

How to properly and how much to cook potatoes for salads

It is believed that it is more correct and healthier to cook potatoes for salads - in their skins. Or, as they also call it, in the “uniform”.

Why do they boil potatoes in their jackets for salads?

“Mundir” prevents the potatoes from becoming saturated with water during cooking and losing their flavor. Also, potatoes cooked in this way in a salad keep their shape, and there are much more vitamins left in the vegetable.

Classic recipe for boiling potatoes in their jackets

To prepare, take medium-sized potatoes and wash them thoroughly under running water.

Place the prepared potatoes in a saucepan and fill with cold water 2 centimeters above the root vegetable.

To prevent the peel from cracking during cooking, add salt at the rate of 0.5 tablespoons per liter of water. Also, to prevent potatoes from cracking when boiling in their skins, you can add a teaspoon of 9% vinegar.

Cook with the lid closed, bringing the water to a boil at maximum heat, then reduce it (so that the water does not boil too much).

Cook the potatoes for 18 – 20 minutes.

You can check readiness with a fork or toothpick. If the potatoes pierce well, they are ready.

Drain the water and cool by pouring cold water. This will make it easier to clean.

Note to the owner.
Boiled vegetables, while they are warm, are easier to peel.

Recipe for making jacket potatoes for salads: vinaigrette, Olivier salad or “herring under a fur coat”

We will need:

potatoes – 1 kilogram;
water – 1.5 liters;
salt – 0.5 kilograms.

How to make vinaigrette salad with sauerkraut

This option will turn out delicious if you use good quality sauerkraut to prepare it. So, it is better not to take sour and very soft ones. This snack is very popular: high in vitamins and low in calories.

Ingredients: