15 Soft Vegetables for a Soft Food Diet 

“15 Soft Vegetables for a Soft Food Diet” was written by Taylor Haddock & edited/reviewed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN. Taylor is a dietetic intern with Wellness Workdays Dietetic Internship.

Finding soft versions of vegetables can be difficult, but their nutrients are necessary for every diet. Soft vegetables also add flavor and bulk to your meals. There are many ways to incorporate soft vegetables to make your meals enjoyable and delicious. 

Are you currently following a soft food diet? Or are you looking for softer versions of your favorite vegetables? In this article you will learn all about the best vegetables to eat while on a soft foods diet. 

Who Needs Soft Vegetables?

There are many reasons as to why someone needs soft vegetables in their diet. 

Those with dentures can have a hard time chewing, especially when first getting their dentures. Chewing hard vegetables can cause significant pain and can result in avoiding vegetables. 

Soft vegetables may be needed after surgery.

Depending on the type of surgery needed, it may be dangerous or painful to eat foods in their raw or hard form.

Breaking down vegetables to a softer form can allow the intake of essential nutrients post surgery, while still being safe and comfortable.  

The elderly may need more soft vegetables to help prevent malnutrition and unwanted weight loss. Soft vegetables may also be needed because of:

• tooth loss 
• tooth pain
• difficulty chewing
• difficulty swallowing

Soft Vegetables: We Need Vegetables, Even with a Soft Food Diet 

Vegetables may not always be the first concern when it comes to a soft food diet. Especially if your mouth is in pain or if you just got out of surgery –  the last thing you want to think about is eating healthy.

When our mouths are in pain, we are more likely to not eat healthy foods, or eat much food at all. Which is what makes it especially important to consume vegetables and other nutrient-dense foods. 

If the one meal we choose out of the day incorporates some variation of softened vegetables, then it allows the meal to be packed with essential vitamins and minerals. 

Sometimes those on a soft food diet can become malnourished, may experience weight loss, or become deficient in certain micronutrients. Learning the best ways to make vegetables soft and more enjoyable is key to preventing damage to your overall health. 

Soft Vegetables vs Hard Vegetables

There are vegetables that are naturally soft, then there are others that need to be cooked to soften. 

Some soft vegetables include: 

• Beans
• Avocado
• Peas
• Canned green beans
• Canned tomatoes
• Spinach

Jump to see our full list of soft vegetables below!

Some hard vegetables include:

• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Raw carrots
• Raw bell peppers
• Raw cauliflower
• Raw broccoli
• Onion
• Asparagus
• Snap and snow peas
• Potatoes
• Squash

Some hard vegetables that can be made soft through cooking, baking, pureeing, etc. include:

• Broccoli tops/crowns
• Sweet potatoes
• White potatoes
• Carrots
• Celery
• Peas
• Onion
• Beans
• Asparagus
• Squash

How to Turn Vegetables into Soft Vegetables

Vegetables are often easier to consume when they are broken down to a softer version. There are many unique ways to cook vegetables to help make them more enjoyable when you have mouth pain, difficulty chewing, or just need a soft food diet. 

• Steaming: steaming vegetables in hot water for several minutes can help to break down and soften the food. 

Vegetables to steam include: Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, spinach, and asparagus.

• Sauteing: sauteing vegetables allows a quick breakdown of the vegetable. Add a variety of vegetables during the sauteing process to create a more nutrient-dense dish. 

Ideas to try include: stir fry sauté recipes, carrots, broccoli, onions, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, squash, and zucchini.

• Pureeing: pureeing vegetables may not seem appetizing, but pureeing is a great option for a wide variety of dishes. This method is also helpful for those who cannot chew and need to be on a liquid diet. 

Ways to use pureed vegetables: as a pasta sauce, creating hearty soups, to bind casserole dishes, transformed into dips, freeze for later, and incorporate into smoothies.

• Roasting: roasting vegetables helps to add in more flavor, while still breaking down the vegetable to a softer state.

Roasting vegetables is also a quick way to incorporate vegetables into your meals without too much effort. 

Some examples of vegetables to roast include: broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and butternut squash.   

With all of these cooking methods, cheese, spices, sauces, or healthy sources of fats can be added to give the vegetables more flavor and make them even more delicious. 

15 Preparations for Soft Vegetables

Let’s take a look at 15 vegetables and how to make them easy to eat, soft, and delicious. 

1. Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a rich and creamy way to enjoy a softer version of potatoes. Pair them with gravy, butter, or enjoy them by themselves. 

Additionally, adding ingredients like butter, gravy, or a sauce to your potatoes can create a more moist dish – which may be easier to eat than a dry dish. Remove the skin to make it a complete soft food. 

Mashed potatoes can be made several different ways: steaming the potato in the microwave, baking the potato in the oven, or boiling the potato until it is soft and can be easily pierced with a fork. Apply these same methods to both sweet potatoes and white potatoes. 

2. Cooked Carrots 

Cooking carrots can be done in a variety of ways. We enjoy steamed carrots. Instead of steaming the carrots in water you can steam them in a mixture of water and orange juice. It gives a sweet tangy flavor to the carrots. 

Another way to cook the carrots is by roasting them. Try tossing them in a variety of seasonings or including them in a “sheet pan meal” to make a full meal. 

Cooking carrots is important due to them naturally being a hard vegetable. Allowing them to fully cook (you should be able to poke them with a fork very easily) will allow them to break down and become a soft food safe for eating. 

3. Steamed or Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower 

Steaming broccoli or cauliflower is one of the best ways to ensure that the vegetables have become soft and are easier to eat. You can steam broccoli and cauliflower in water or broth. Steaming in broth will give the vegetables more flavor.

Roasting the broccoli or cauliflower is another great option. Although it may not get the vegetables as soft or easy to eat as needed.

4. Pureed Sweet Potatoes & Tomatoes

Pureed sweet potatoes or tomatoes can be used to make a hearty soup or can be added to other dishes. Create a delicious tomato soup by roasting the tomatoes with onions and garlic before adding them to the soup. 

After roasting the vegetables, put them in a blender with broth, heavy cream, and you have yourself a tasty, easy-to-eat soup. 

Pureed sweet potatoes can also be used in a variety of ways. Try them made into a soup or as a tasty treat like sweet potato pancakes, breads, muffins, gnocchi’s, pies, and casseroles. 

5. Green Beans

The easiest way to eat soft green beans is to open a can of them. You can decide between cut green beans or french style green beans. Canned vegetables are a great and convenient way to add in daily vegetables. 

If you’re watching your salt, then consider rinsing the canned green beans in a colander with some water. The excess excess sodium will wash down the drain.

Fresh green beans are an option as well, but you’ll need to cook them before they are considered a soft vegetable. 

6. Sauteed Vegetable Medley

Sauteing a mixture of vegetables adds variety and flavor to any meal. Choose 3 to 4 vegetables and sauté them in olive oil and spices or in a sauce. 

You can also buy a frozen bag of mixed vegetables and saute them. This can be a more convenient and easy way to have soft vegetables, with less work and still great flavor. 

7. Roasted Squash 

Roasted squash is a hearty favorite that can be added to many different dishes or enjoyed by itself. Roasting squash for 20 minutes can soften it and add in new textures and flavors. Serve squash with other vegetables, in a pasta dish, or add it to a salad.

8. Air-fried Sweet Potatoes 

Air frying thinly sliced sweet potatoes can create a “French fry” sweet potato.

Try adding different seasonings before air frying to create more variety in this soft vegetable.  

Some seasoning ideas include:

• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Salt & pepper
• Cayenne pepper

9. Avocado 

Avocados are technically a fruit, but we thought including them in this post would be helpful anyway! 

They can be: 

• served alone
• added on top of toast with seasoning
• added to with eggs
• added to salads
• blended into smoothies
• used to create delicious guacamole

Avocados are a naturally soft food when ripe. They are also a source of healthy fats. Eating them alone or adding them to a dish can add tasty nutrients and keep you feeling fuller for longer. 

10. Beans 

Not only are beans an excellent source of protein and fiber, but they are an easy soft vegetable to enjoy by themselves or mixed into your meals.

Beans can be added to soups, pastas, salads, tacos, rice, and they can even be mashed and added to baked goods such as cakes and muffins! You can buy dry beans or canned versions. Both ways are excellent options and great ways to add beans to your soft food diet. 

11. Peas 

Peas are another simple yet effective soft vegetable that can easily be added to any meal. You can find them in the frozen section, canned foods section, or in the produce section. Be sure to cook them first (if bought frozen or raw) to ensure that they are soft enough. 

Add peas to dishes such as: pasta, soups, rice, or salads. Peas are inexpensive and versatile allowing them to be easily added to everyday meals. 

12. Zucchini 

Zucchini is another soft vegetable that you can include in your diet. One way to prepare zucchini to be a soft vegetable is sauteing. 

Cut the zucchini in half, scoop out the seeds, then cut the zucchini into smaller pieces. Add to a pan with oil and saute for a few minutes.

13. Sauteed Spinach 

Sauteed spinach is another simple, inexpensive, and easy way to incorporate a soft vegetable into everyday meals. Sauté spinach in a pan for 2-3 minutes in a small amount of oil, and then enjoy it by itself or incorporate it into your meal. 

Try adding spinach to: 

• smoothies
• rice dishes 
• pasta dishes
• omelets
• breads
• soups 
• stir fry
• salads
• homemade pesto  

14. Corn

Canned corn is another great choice for soft vegetables. Being stored in water/its own juice can help the corn remain soft. There are a wide variety of canned corn options to choose from: sweet cream of corn, fire roasted, whole kernel, and southwest corn. 

Corn on the cob is another option if it is boiled and cut off of the cob for easier chewing. 

The same idea of green beans applies here as well. Canned vegetables go through a high heat cooking process before being packaged and placed in the liquid (in the can) that allows it to become softer in texture.  

15. Sauteed Bell Peppers

Sauteed bell peppers are another convenient way to incorporate a soft vegetable into many different dishes. 

Softened bell peppers can be:

• added to taco or burrito bowls
• included in your breakfast scramble
• added to pastas
• enjoyed on a freshly grilled kabob 

Related Resources to Soft Vegetables

Check out the links below for more resources on soft foods and the soft food diet.

• Soft Food Ideas
• Soft Foods After Oral Surgery
• Soft Fruits for Elderly
• 5 Easy Ideas for Soft Foods Diet [FREE Meal Plan]
• 15 Best Foods You Can Eat Without Chewing
• 75 Soft Foods to Eat When Chewing Hurts
• 13 Great Tasting Soft Foods for the Elderly
• The Geriatric Dietitian’s Soft Foods article archive

Soft Vegetables Conclusion

Whether you need soft foods due to tooth pain, oral surgery, dentures, etc. including soft vegetables is important for all diets.

Soft vegetables contribute necessary nutrients to our meals, especially at times where not much food may be eaten.

By practicing with different recipes and vegetables, you can likely find a soft vegetable that works best for you.

Soft vegetables are just as tasty as other textured foods and also fit into your favorite dishes.