This colorful sauté brings together broccoli (or peppery broccoli rabe, if you'd rather), baby carrots, and yellow summer squash in one skillet, brightened with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and a handful of fresh herbs. It comes together in under 30 minutes and pairs with almost anything on your dinner table, from a bowl of pasta to a scoop of rice pilaf.

A wide skillet full of sautéed broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, and sun-dried tomatoes

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Broccoli or broccoli rabe. Regular broccoli crowns give you a mellow, familiar flavor, while broccoli rabe (also called rapini) brings a pleasantly bitter, mustardy edge. Either works here - just cut broccoli into bite-sized florets, or chop broccoli rabe into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
Baby carrots. Baby carrots quartered lengthwise cook quickly and add natural sweetness and color. Regular carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal, work just as well if that's what you have on hand.
Yellow summer squash. Look for squash that's firm with smooth, glossy skin. Zucchini is an easy one-for-one swap if yellow squash isn't available.
Garlic. Fresh cloves, minced, build the aromatic base. Don't let it brown too far past golden or it turns bitter.
Sun-dried tomatoes or sliced black olives. Either adds a concentrated, salty-savory punch that balances the sweetness of the carrots and squash. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are easiest to work with - just pat off the excess oil before slicing.
Fresh parsley or cilantro. Stirred in at the end, either herb adds brightness. Use whichever you prefer, or a mix of both.
Extra-virgin olive oil. Just a tablespoon is enough to sauté the aromatics and start the vegetables cooking.

Helpful Tips

Cut everything roughly the same size. Broccoli florets, carrot sticks, and squash pieces that are all similar in size cook at the same rate, so you don't end up with mushy squash sitting next to still-crunchy broccoli. Aim for bite-sized pieces across the board.

Use a wide, heavy skillet. A wide nonstick skillet gives the vegetables enough surface area to cook in a single layer instead of steaming in a crowded pile, which is what keeps this dish tasting like a sauté instead of a boil.

Don't skip the splash of water. Adding a little water and covering the pan briefly steams the broccoli and carrots just enough to take the raw edge off before the lid comes off and everything finishes sautéing. Watch the clock here - a minute or two too long and the broccoli loses its bright green color.

Add the squash last. Yellow squash cooks much faster than broccoli or carrots and turns watery and soft if it's in the pan too long. Adding it partway through, once the sturdier vegetables have had a head start, keeps it tender-crisp instead of mushy.

Season at the very end. Salt draws moisture out of vegetables, so holding off until the pan comes off the heat helps everything stay crisp-tender rather than watery.

Variations

Add protein. Toss in cubed baked tofu or a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas along with the squash to turn this side into more of a main dish.
Make it spicy. A pinch of red pepper flakes added with the garlic gives the whole dish a gentle heat.
Swap the aromatics. A tablespoon of grated fresh ginger alongside the garlic gives the sauté a different, brighter direction.
Add a nutty crunch. Toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts scattered on top just before serving add texture and richness.
Brighten it with citrus. A squeeze of lemon juice over the finished dish wakes up all the other flavors, especially if you've used broccoli rabe.
Make it cheesy. A sprinkle of vegan parmesan just before serving adds a savory, salty finish.

Serving Ideas

This sauté is easygoing enough to serve alongside just about any main dish. Spoon it over a bowl of wild rice pilaf for a simple, satisfying dinner, or toss it right into pasta the way we do in penne and broccoli with tomatoes, walnuts, and raisins for a heartier meal.

It's also a great partner for roasted or mashed potatoes, a veggie burger, or a simple grain bowl with quinoa or farro. Leftovers make a fast lunch on their own, or stirred into a wrap with hummus.

Storing & Freezing

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, or in the microwave, just until warmed through - the vegetables can turn soft if they're overheated.

This dish isn't a great candidate for the freezer. Broccoli, carrots, and squash all hold a lot of water, and freezing and thawing breaks down their texture, leaving the sauté noticeably mushy once reheated. It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for the week ahead.

Close-up of sautéed broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, and sun-dried tomatoes in a skillet

More Vegan Side Dishes

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more vegetable-forward dishes worth trying:

Recipe