Get to know your produce—how to pick it out, how to clean it, and how to prepare it—with our vegetables guides that answer all your burning questions.

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A pile of asparagus spears that have been slightly charred. A pile of asparagus spears that have been slightly charred.
How to Buy, Store, Prep, and Cook Asparagus | The Food Lab
Hands holding a pairing knife and a halved garlic clove. The tip of the pairing knife is prying the germ from the clove. Hands holding a pairing knife and a halved garlic clove. The tip of the pairing knife is prying the germ from the clove.
What Is a Garlic Germ, and Should You Remove It?
A bundle of culantro with some chopped culantro on a small wood cutting board. From Shutterstock. A bundle of culantro with some chopped culantro on a small wood cutting board. From Shutterstock.
What Is Culantro, and How to Use It
An overhead of two boxes full of tomatos. The left box contains all the same type of red tomato and the right box contains tomatoes of various colors and sizes An overhead of two boxes full of tomatos. The left box contains all the same type of red tomato and the right box contains tomatoes of various colors and sizes
How to Store Tomatoes (and Whether to Refrigerate Them)
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How to Make Creamy Vegetable Soups Without a Recipe | The Food Lab
Three towel-lined trays filled with freshly washed kale and lettuce. Three towel-lined trays filled with freshly washed kale and lettuce.
How to Clean and Store Fresh Produce
Dry-charred asparagus, served on an earthenware plate with a ramekin of miso bearnaise. Dry-charred asparagus, served on an earthenware plate with a ramekin of miso bearnaise.
Dry-Charring Is the Best and Fastest Way to Cook a Side of Asparagus
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How to Buy, Prep, and Cut Green Beans
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Get to Know Sunchokes, a.k.a. Jerusalem Artichokes
a bowl of roasted sweet potato chunks a bowl of roasted sweet potato chunks
A Field Guide to Sweet Potato Varieties (and the Dirt on Yams)
9 Japanese Vegetables You Should Know
Kimchi in a bowl with broth. Kimchi in a bowl with broth.
Kimchi 101: It Ain't Just Cabbage
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How to Prepare and Store Ginger
Overhead view of garlic scape pesto in a small bowl next to a wide rimmed, shallow bowl of cooked white beans and pesto Overhead view of garlic scape pesto in a small bowl next to a wide rimmed, shallow bowl of cooked white beans and pesto
Garlic Scape Pesto (And 6 More Ideas for Garlic's Green Shoot)
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How to Cryo-Blanch Vegetables | The Food Lab
Closeup of freshly harvested green and purple olives in sunlight Closeup of freshly harvested green and purple olives in sunlight
14 Types of Olives Worth Seeking Out
Cilantro in declining states of freshness Cilantro in declining states of freshness
The Best Way to Store Fresh Herbs
Ingredients for mirepoix; diced carrots, celery, and onions on a cutting board. Ingredients for mirepoix; diced carrots, celery, and onions on a cutting board.
All About Mirepoix, Sofrito, Battuto, and Other Humble Beginnings
Overhead of time different varieties of potatoes in various colors and sizes. Overhead of time different varieties of potatoes in various colors and sizes.
Potatoes 101: All You Need to Know About Common Spuds
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Everything You Should Know About Yams
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Save Your Vegetable Scraps, Make Stock
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Serious Heat: A Guide to Chile Substitutions
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Use the Microwave to Dry Your Herbs for Long-Lasting Intense Flavor
A pile of different types of whole, unpeeled onions on a cutting board. A pile of different types of whole, unpeeled onions on a cutting board.
A Beginner's Guide to Onions
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How to Back-Slice Chives
Overhead view of broccoli crowns and stems on a cutting board. Several stems have been peeled. Overhead view of broccoli crowns and stems on a cutting board. Several stems have been peeled.
What to Do With Broccoli Stems
A variety of colorful Japanese pickles. A variety of colorful Japanese pickles.
Do You Know Your Tsukemono? A Guide to Japanese Pickles
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What Is Baby Corn?
Guajillo chilies Guajillo chilies
What to Do With Dried Chiles: Recipes, Cooking Techniques, and Shopping Tips
A four image collage of various Asian greens A four image collage of various Asian greens
The Serious Eats Field Guide to Asian Greens
Whole ripe tomatoes on a plate with their top sides down. Whole ripe tomatoes on a plate with their top sides down.
Want Juicier Tomatoes? Store Them Upside Down
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How to Clean Shiitake, Portobello, and Oyster Mushrooms | Knife Skills
An assortment of different varieties of Chinese greens on five white plates. An assortment of different varieties of Chinese greens on five white plates.
Chinese Greens 101: Three Basic Cooking Techniques for Chinese Greens
White button mushrooms piled on a wooden cutting board. White button mushrooms piled on a wooden cutting board.
How to Clean and Prepare Mushrooms | Knife Skills
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How to Clean, Trim, and Prepare Artichokes
How To Cook And Use Chrysanthemum Greens
Three fennel bulbs on a marble surface Three fennel bulbs on a marble surface
How to Cut Fennel
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A Guide to Winter Squash: How to Choose, Store, and Cook Your Gourds
Closeup of several head of black garlic. Closeup of several head of black garlic.
Hey Chef, What Can I Do With Black Garlic?
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How to Assemble an Awesome Vegetable Platter
Peeling an apple with a Y-peeler Peeling an apple with a Y-peeler
Why a Y-Peeler Is the Best Vegetable Peeler
The Serious Eats Tomato Shopping Guide
Overhead photo of peeled garlic. Overhead photo of peeled garlic.
Why Does My Garlic Turn Green? | Ask The Food Lab
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How to Slice Scallions
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Snow Pea Tips
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The Comprehensive Mushroom Shopping Guide
Overhead view of cut up celery Overhead view of cut up celery
How to Cut Celery
Two hands dicing an onion on a wooden cutting board. Two hands dicing an onion on a wooden cutting board.
How to Slice and Dice an Onion
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What Is a DOP Tomato?
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The Yardlong Bean
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How to Prepare Portobello Mushrooms | Knife Skills
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Spice Hunting: Aji Panca
Fresh Water Chestnuts Are Amazing
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How to Steam Vegetables in the Microwave | The Food Lab
How Salt Can Improve Your Tomatoes
Five shucked ears of different colors of corn. Five shucked ears of different colors of corn.
The Serious Eats Guide to Corn
Overhead view of jar of passata, a bag of pasta, and mise en place ingredients. Overhead view of jar of passata, a bag of pasta, and mise en place ingredients.
All About Tomato Passata, Italy's Puréed Pantry Essential
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Taro Root