Carol Burnett’s Vintage Summer Side Has Just 6 Ingredients

One rule of the internet goes something like this: If you can imagine it, there is a subreddit for it. And sometimes, those message boards provide a rare gem. We recently found one of those gems on a subreddit for “Old Recipes,” where one user has posted a series of photos from a recipe book they recently added to their collection.

The book itself looks a little haphazard, but inside are a collection of “celebrity favorite” recipes, including ones from Dolly Parton, Tom Selleck, Kenny Rogers and Carol Burnett. 

Comedy legend Burnett’s vegetable medley, a veggie sauté with zucchini, corn, tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms and a touch of butter, plus salt and pepper to taste, is simple. But it might just be the perfect side of warm veggies for your supper tonight. Here’s how to recreate it at home.

First, gather your ingredients. This is a good opportunity to clean out the fridge—if you’ve got some extra veggies in the crisper or a packet of herbs that’s getting droopy, add them into the mix along with Burnett’s recommended veg.

After washing the vegetables, Burnett’s recipe says to core and cube the tomato and cube the zucchini. You can use whole corn cut off the cob or drained canned corn. Trim the mushrooms and onions, and cut the onions into 1-inch pieces. 

In a heated skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then add the veggies—minus the onions and tomatoes—and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. If you like, you can toss in another favorite seasoning at this stage, too.

After one minute, add onions. Cover the skillet for one minute, then add tomatoes. Cover and cook for another five minutes, stirring occasionally. 

The recipe says it makes enough for four servings and the whole thing should take you 10 to 15 minutes from fridge to plate. Burnett suggests you serve the dish piping hot. 

While Burnett’s original recipe is delicious as is, if you want a more layered flavor profile, you have plenty of options. One flavorful twist could include harissa along with the salt and pepper, while a spicier medley might have cumin, red pepper, chipotle, chili powder or any number of pantry spices. 

Use fresh herbs from your garden such as basil to give the medley an Italian flavor association. Since your garden might have other vegetables besides those listed, feel free to substitute or add from what’s growing at the moment. Other summer vegetables that would fit right in include peppers, squash or eggplant. 

You can also vary the cooking method. We love a roasted sheet-pan vegetable medley, but grilling the veggies could add a nice smoky flavor—and be the perfect way to enjoy a warm summer day. We recommend opting for foil packets to contain the chopped vegetables. And if you don’t want to use butter, olive oil is a good choice for cooking the vegetables, and it’s a helpful swap if you’re trying out the Mediterranean diet. 

The vegetable medley pairs well with fish or chicken as a main, but you can also use it as a base and add protein and grains like black beans and farro to make a filling meal in a bowl. For breakfast or an easy weeknight dinner, try cooking the veggies with eggs and serving it with a side of wheat toast.

Whether you enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this simple veggie medley is an easy way to add something delicious to your day.