If you want to take your cooking up a notch and start cutting vegetables in different styles, then this is just meant for you. We’re going to break 5 different vegetable cutting styles for you here. These styles might have intimidating names, but they are quite easy to learn and achieve. Just take some time and practice as much as you can to become a pro at cutting vegetables. 

1. Julienne 

Source - Tasty Arbuz 

Whatever fruit or vegetable you’re working with, you’ll want to peel and trim it. If you’re working with a carrot, cut it in half so you have two equal lengths to work with. Then, trim off one end so that you have a secure base to work on. Then cut off little blocks, and then slice those into even little sticks, otherwise known as julienne. The dimensions for julienne are roughly 3mm x 3mm x 5cm. As the name suggests, Julienne fine is an even finer version of the same cut (0.5mm × 1.5mm × 3-5 cm). There’s also the rough Julienne, which has The shape and technique of cutting is the same as Julienne, but thicker. The length of a slice is up to 4 cm, thickness - from 7 to 10 mm. Applied for cooking fast dishes and stewing. 

2. Large, medium and small dice 

Source - Ardo

If you run into a recipe that calls for diced ingredients, this really just means to cut them into cubes. There are a few different sizes of cubes. A large dice, known as a Carré, refers to a ¾-inch cube. A medium dice, or Parmentier, is a ½-inch cube (pictured). A small dice, or Macédoine, is a ¼-inch cube. Things get even smaller from there with the finest dice, the Brunoise.

To dice, first, you want to slice off the round sides of the vegetable to create flat edges. Then, cut that into slabs that are the width you are aiming for. Cut those slabs into batons of the same width, then into cubes.

3. Mince 

Source - Stock Culinary Goods

The point of this one is cutting as small as possible. To mince garlic, for example, lay your knife blade flat on the clove then press down firmly with the heel of your palm and give it a good whack. Slice the smashed garlic clove, then turn those slices perpendicular to the blade and keep chopping until the pieces are very small.

There is a final step that will make your mince superfine: use both hands. Grip the knife handle in one hand and use your free hand to press the tip of the blade against the cutting board. Rock the curved blade back and forth until the pieces are as tiny as you can get them. Every so often, use the sides of the knife to scrape the pieces into a pile. If scraps stick to the blade, carefully wipe them back into the pile and keep cutting.

 

4. Batonnet

Source - The Spruce Eats

Batonnets are uniform ½-inch by ½-inch by 2½-inch sticks. This is the knife cut to practice first if you want to graduate to more advanced cuts like the dice, julienne, and brunoise since it’s the starting point for all of them.

To do this cut, first, remove the top and tail of the vegetable. Then, slice each side to square them off. Finally, cut the vegetable into 2½-inch sticks.

If you’re starting with a larger vegetable, like a potato or jicama, square off the round edges, then slice it into ½-inch thick slabs, and then cut each slab into sticks.

5. Bias

Source - A Little And A Lot

This cut isn’t much different from a rondelle cut, which is just circles. But it does add a sophisticated look, which is perfect for when you want your dishes to look interesting. Not to mention that it’s very easy to do with any cylindrical vegetable. Simply hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to the vegetable and slice. That’s all it takes to achieve this beautiful cut. 

In conclusion: Learning even one of these styles can make your cooking more exciting and your food appetizing. So don’t hesitate and start cutting...