Julia Child's Simple Tip That Adds Extra Flavor To Any Canned Vegetable

Julia Child will forever be known as the charming chef who made French techniques accessible to the American home cook. While she certainly prepared homemade dishes regularly, like vichyssoise, the simple French soup that Julia Child loved, or the elegant and bougie île flottante dessert, she also made use of straightforward convenience foods.

Child was not above canned vegetables, but she certainly didn't serve them simply warmed from the tin. Instead, she liked to refresh them and dial up their flavor by sautéing the drained vegetables in butter. In just a few minutes, this method disguises that straight-from-the-can flavor and introduces some light browning, adding depth and complexity. Because canned veggies are essentially boiled, the introduction of fat goes a long way in adding necessary richness.

In the episode of "The French Chef" where Child shared this tip, she seasoned butter-sautéed carrots and mushrooms with salt and pepper and added them right into a finished beef stew. This quick pre-treatment turns the veggies into a tasty, vital component of the recipe rather than just an afterthought — you can use the same method to help wake up bland vegetable soup, bulk up a meat-forward chili or pasta sauce, or give ramen a flavor upgrade.

Julia Child's trick of sautéing canned veggies in butter is simple, but there are still a couple of considerations to keep in mind if you want to get the most out of this method. First, make sure the butter is fully melted and sufficiently hot. "You should wait until the butter foam stops foaming and the butter is almost browning," Child explained (via YouTube). If you're avoiding dairy, other options that work just as well include vegan butter, olive oil, or bacon grease — the point is to brown the canned vegetables in a tasty fat.

According to Child, it's also important to use a nonstick pan. Canned vegetables are soft and rather delicate, and if they stick to the pan, they won't stand a chance. Don't stir them too frequently either — leaving the veggies relatively undisturbed helps prevent them from breaking apart and encourages browning. Sautéed canned vegetables can also be served as a standalone side dish — Child recommended finishing them with a combination of fresh parsley and scallions.