This is the kind of mixed vegetables I grew up eating. Simple, cooked through, and meant to be eaten alongside rice and whatever else you’re craving.
These vegetables aren’t meant to stand on their own. They’re meant to be part of the meal. Something you expect to see on the plate because that’s how it’s always been.
Cabbage, carrots, snow peas, and string beans are vegetables I know how to cook because I’ve always seen them cooked this way. Cut evenly, cooked until tender, and not overcomplicated. There’s no sauce, no heavy seasoning, and nothing extra added. It’s familiar, filling without being heavy, and it fits naturally next to stews or chicken, and rice.
Growing up, we just called this “vegetable,” even though it was always a mix. It was the side that showed up with almost every meal, no matter what meat was being served. Stew beef, jerk chicken, oxtail, or anything else, there was always vegetable on the plate, cooked the same familiar way.
Jamaican Vegetable
Prep Time
10 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Serves
6
Ingredients
- ½ head cabbage, shredded or julienned
- Snow peas, ends trimmed
- String beans, ends chopped off
- Julienned carrots
- ½ sweet onion, sliced
- ½ bell pepper, any color, sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp season salt or adobo
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp thyme leaves
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
Steps
- Build the base
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook until fragrant and slightly softened.
- Add the firm vegetables
- Add the string beans and snow peas to the pot. Stir, cover, and let them cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the carrots
- Add the julienned carrots and let them cook for another few minutes. The vegetables should be starting to soften but still have structure.
- Add the cabbage
- Add the cabbage and toss everything together. Cover and let it steam. The cabbage will release its own liquid as it cooks.
- Season
- Add onion powder, season salt or adobo, black pepper, paprika, and thyme. Stir to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Add the pepper
- Place the whole Scotch bonnet pepper on top without cutting it. This step is optional. If you cannot handle spiciness, do not use this pepper.
- Finish cooking
- Continue cooking, covered, until the cabbage is soft and the rest of the vegetables are fork tender.
- Know when it’s done
- It’s done when the cabbage has cooked down and the remaining vegetables are tender, with no excess liquid in the pot.