Today I’m showing you how simple it is to cook without oil. If you’re used to sautéing with oil it can be intimidating to think about how to do it without. But if you’ve decided to try a healthy whole food vegan diet free of processed oils, it is really quite simple.
Watch my latest Youtube video to see the simple process, or read on below for step by step instructions.
Preparation
I’ll be using onions and mushrooms for this example, but the method applies to sautéing any veggies.
Your preparation will begin the same as for a traditional sauté. In this case we will chop or slice our mushrooms, onions, and I’m also using garlic.
The Cookware
You don’t need any special kind of pan. In the video I’m using a large ceramic non-stick skillet. However, a stainless steel skillet works just as well. In fact, I prefer a stainless steel pan because you don’t have to worry about ruining your non-stick coating, whereas a non-stick pan requires a bit of extra caution in cooking and cleaning to maintain the coating without damaging the pan.
You might wonder if everything will stick to your pan if you use stainless steel without oil, but not to worry! You don’t need any oil at all. Any sticking to the pan simply adds more flavor and we’ll see below how to handle this.
The Cooking Process
First, add whatever veggies you are using to your dry pan on medium-high heat. In this case I added the onions and mushrooms at the same time. But I’m holding the garlic aside until later as garlic tends to burn easily.
A chef will probably tell you to have your pan preheated. In my experience it won’t make much difference other than it will add a little bit of cook time if you start with a cold pan, but the end result will be about the same.
Next, leave everything alone for a few minutes. That’s right. Do nothing! We want the veggies to start softening and we actually want them to start sticking a little bit.
Both onions and mushrooms (and any veggies really) will give off some liquid as they start to cook. Mushrooms in particular give off a lot of liquid. This is great! It will help to cook the veggies.
After a few minutes, once you see the veggies browning and the liquid has evaporated from the pan, it’s time to add a little splash of water or vegetable broth.
This will “deglaze” the pan, meaning it will lift those brown bits off the bottom of the pan. That’s where all the flavor is concentrated, so we’ll scrape that off the bottom of our pan and stir everything around. If you are using a non-stick pan be sure to use an appropriate utensil so you don’t scratch the pan. I like a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon might work, too.
You will continue this process of stirring the veggies, letting them cook until any liquid evaporates, and then adding a splash of water to deglaze. Repeat as many times as you need until the veggies are cooked to your preference.
Adding More Flavor
At this point, you can add in your garlic and any other flavor. For my mixture of one sliced onion and a pint of white button mushrooms I added 3-4 cloves minced garlic, about a quarter to a half teaspoon each of dried parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, plus black pepper to taste. I personally do not add salt to my cooking, but you could feel free to sprinkle a little in at the end if you desire. You can use any flavoring you like. Change up the palate for different cuisines.
Once you add your chosen herbs and spices, stir everything around and cook another minute or two to let the flavors come together. At the very end, I added just a few splashes of red wine vinegar for even more flavor. After that, it’s ready to go!
Applications
Keep the sautéed mushrooms in a storage container in the fridge. Then they are ready to add flavor to dishes throughout the week.
I like to simply sprinkle them on top of potatoes, whole grains, beans, salads, plant-based burgers and sandwiches, and more! Try them on top of my lentil patties. You could also simply eat them as a side dish to any meal.
Other Oil-Free Cooking
If you found these instructions helpful, check out my blogpost on roasting vegetables without oil!
