Should You Saute Veggies Before Adding Them to a Stew -Read This For Flavor

[Dakota Don]

I realize we are coming up on the Fall And Winter  :'( seasons when we like to cook stews, chile, and soup... and I'm guessing many of us have often laid awake at night pondering the centuries old question; 'Do I need to saute' the veggies before adding them to the stew, gees, they're going to boil and cook for hours anyway...' 
Well, this brief, must read article will surprise many of us. It sure surprised me. It won't come as a big shock to many of the seasoned chefs & foodies out there.
To answer the question; In a word; YES! But you do it to greatly increase all of the flavors. When you visit this link you may want to subscribe to his periodic newsletter (not weekly, not monthly, just when he has something to share...cool.  It's SERIOUS EATS
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/08/ask-the-food-lab-do-i-need-to-saute-vegetables-when-starting-a-stew.html?ref=title&utm_source=howtogeek&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

[LostArrow]

I usually sauté onions, garlic & bell peppers.
Glad to know I've not wasted my time

[Pappymn]

I usually sauté onions, garlic & bell peppers.
Glad to know I've not wasted my time

X2

[drholly]

I usually sauté onions, garlic & bell peppers.
Glad to know I've not wasted my time

X2

Yup, I like to sauté aromatics and hard veg prior to adding.

[RAD]

I always ask myself the same question and then sauté the veggies before adding to the cook

[deestafford]

I make a really good  spaghetti sauce and have tried it both ways and I found there is no comparison.  When I saute the vegetables the sauce is much more gooder in that there is less bitterness and bite to the vegetables.  I really have to watch sauteing garlic because it burns so easily. Dee

[drholly]

I make a really good  spaghetti sauce and have tried it both ways and I found there is no comparison.  When I saute the vegetables the sauce is much more gooder in that there is less bitterness and bite to the vegetables.  I really have to watch sauteing garlic because it burns so easily. Dee

Yep garlic is a bit touchy... but I think if you give it a bit of a gentle sauté it is nice.

[deestafford]

David, I find that I can saute it less than a minute.  Any longer and it gets over done.  I've read some recipes that say put in the onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until the vegetables are tender.  Each time I tried that the garlic burns....so I ain't doing that no more.  Dee

[pz]

I almost always do a mirepoix of onions, celery, and carrots sauteed in olive oil as a flavor base for many hearty recipes.  I find that the onions and carrots caramelize just a bit for a slightly sweeter (and richer) finish in the final dish.  Heat to the vegetables brings out the natural sugars IMHO, and takes the "raw" notes out of the celery.  Although I do not know the chemistry, heating of the vegetables also appears to add to the richness as well.  I do add garlic, but it is toward the end of the saute so that it does not burn (as has been mentioned by several of you gents).

[sliding_billy]

Most vegetables (of course onions), I like to saute, but there are a few that I do not before putting in stew or soup or whatever.

[Smokin Don]

I usually like to sauté veggies before adding to soups and stews, you do get better flavor IMHO. One dish I usually don't is Crockpot beef, potatoes and carrots. I always used fresh garlic, and lots of it, for ages but like all say if over sautéed it can be too strong. In my old age I am getting lazier and find I use a lot of dried garlic flakes now. I add them just at the end of the veggies for about a minute or later to the soup or stew. Don