How To Cook Canned Vegetables So They Come Out Crispy (Not Mushy)

Though they're a budget-friendly, shelf-stable, and versatile meal prep option, everyone knows canned vegetables don't taste the same as fresh, no matter what you do to them. Since they're heated during processing and stored in liquid, they usually have a softer texture, and often also carry a metallic flavor that's not exactly pleasant. The good news, however, is that it's fairly easy to fix both of these issues with the help of the almighty air fryer.

Not only can your air fryer cook a whole fish to perfection and reheat leftovers like magic, it can also make many canned veggies crispy, golden, and delicious. Of course, some canned foods work better in the air fryer than others, so it's best to stick with denser, more robust options, such as green beans, whole mushrooms, pearl onions, and carrots. Canned potatoes are especially good in the air fryer, developing a crunchy golden crust like a sophisticated tater tot.

The secret is to drain, rinse, and pat your veggies dry since moisture is the enemy of crispiness. This can be done while your air fryer preheats to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it's hot enough so the veggies start crisping right away. Season your veggies however you like, toss in a little cooking oil, and put them in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Diced, mixed veggies may only need about five minutes to crisp while larger pieces may need 15 to 20 minutes, so use your judgement.

If you don't have an air fryer, or are roasting veggies for a crowd, a conventional oven can achieve similar results, though it may take longer than your air fryer. However, you can use that time to prepare a lemony dressing or some quinoa to serve with them. Additionally, your oven needs to be preheated to a higher temperature than your air fryer — around 425 rather than 400 degrees Fahrenheit — because there's more space inside ovens than most air fryers, and the heat isn't as concentrated.

Like using the air fryer, it's still a good idea to fully drain, rinse, and pat your veggies dry before transferring them to a cookie sheet in a single layer. In both the air fryer and the oven, overcrowding the basket or baking sheet can cause your veggies to steam, especially since they've been preserved in liquid for so long. Giving them lots of space lets them heat evenly and develop 360 degrees of crisp, delicious crust with golden, roasted edges.

A light coating of oil, or other cooking fat, is also essential to both cooking methods since it helps infuse your veggies with flavor and fat facilitates the heat transfer necessary to form that crunchy exterior. Olive oil, canola oil, and melted butter all work well, just be careful not to use too much; oversaturating the veggies could make them soggy since they're already moist from the can.