15+ Purple Vegetables for Health (& How to Cook Them)

Eating the rainbow is more fun with purple veggies.

Purple vegetables are a great source of antioxidants – specifically anthocyanins, the antioxidant found in plant compounds that contributes to their violet hue.

Purple veggies add color to your diet and help vary your nutrient intake due to their purple pigments.

Also called aubergine, purple eggplant is slightly bitter with a spongy texture.

• Use it as a side dish or in Mediterranean dishes. It’s best to “sweat” your eggplant by salting it before cooking. It should be cooked before consuming.
• Eggplant is in season from July to October, though you can find it year-round.
• It’s rich in fiber, potassium, anthocyanins, and Vitamin C.

Purple potatoes are a nuttier, earthier neighbor to white potatoes.

• Use in place of white potatoes as a side dish. Roasting with olive oil, salt, and pepper is a great way to prepare this veggie. You can also make Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes.
• Purple sweet potatoes are in season year-round but especially the fall.
• They are a great source of complex carbohydrates, potassium, Vitamin C, and anthocyanins.

Purple cabbage is a mild-tasting member of the cruciferous vegetable family.

• Purple cabbage is excellent sautéed in dishes like stir fries or eaten raw in slaws or salads. Try this micro-chopped salad recipe or my Air Fryer Cabbage recipe.
• Purple cabbage is in season from October to December (it’s also known as red cabbage).
• This dark purple veggie is a great source of Vitamin C, anthocyanins, and Vitamin K. I like to drink cabbage juice to get a lot of the nutrient benefits!

Purple cauliflower adds a pop of color and slight sweetness to any dish.

• Vibrant purple cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie is delicious roasted with olive oil and sea salt as a side dish. Try my recipe for Instant Pot Cauliflower.
• Purple cauliflower is in season in the fall, though in some areas it’s available year-round.
• One serving offers 100% of your daily Vitamin C needs, alongside anthocyanins, fiber, and Vitamin K. All of these vitamins are great for your immune system.

Purple asparagus is a slightly sweeter version of your average asparagus, with a dose of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Purple asparagus turns green when cooked, so eat it raw if you want purple on your plate. It’s great shaved in salads.
• Try making this very simple Instant Pot Asparagus recipe as a side dish.
• Purple asparagus provides you with fiber and anthocyanins.

Purple carrots are generally easy to find. They are lower in sugar than orange carrots, with an earthier flavor.

• Roast up some purple carrots alongside orange and white carrots as part of a seasonal side dish. They can be eaten raw to maintain even more nutrients (try my Raw Carrot Salad recipe).
• My Instant Pot Carrots recipe is one of the easiest recipes you’ll find!
• Purple varieties of carrots are in season in the spring and fall.
• These carrots offer antioxidants like beta carotene and anthocyanins.

The special type of purple corn has all the sweetness as its yellow counterpart with a ton of antioxidants. While some people consider corn to be a grain, it also has some vegetable-like properties.

• Purple corn is traditionally consumed as chicha morada, a Peruvian drink made of an entire ear of corn. It’s rarely consumed other than as an additive to desserts.
• Purple corn can only be found in Peru, but purple corn powder is available year-round in specialty grocery stores for use in smoothies or desserts. It would also be great in my Milk-Free Corn Casserole recipe.
• Purple corn is a great source of the antioxidant anthocyanin and natural sugars.

Like other types of peppers, purple peppers get their deep purple color from being harvested at a specific time.

• Purple peppers are great used like other peppers, in everything from stir fries, salads, and Latin dishes.
• Grow your own purple peppers in your vegetable garden from July through December, and be sure to harvest them within 65-70 days of planting. Learn how to freeze peppers to preserve them.
• Purple peppers, like other purple vegetables, offer anthocyanins from their purple skin. They’re also a great source of Vitamin C.

Purple kohlrabi is a root vegetable with a slight sweetness.

• The purple kohlrabi bulb is best eaten raw in a salad or lightly steamed. The greens can also be consumed in any way you prefer.
• This veggie is in season from fall to spring.
• Purple kohlrabi is an excellent way to get some anthocyanins, Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

Purple artichokes are similar to green artichokes, with a slightly nuttier flavor.

• Purple artichokes can be prepared in many ways! Roasting or braising in white wine brings out their natural sweetness.
• I also love how easy it is to make Instant Pot Artichokes.
• March through May is the perfect time to find artichokes.
• Purple artichokes offer anthocyanins, folate, and Vitamins C and K.

Purple basil has a slightly spiciness to it, contrary to its green counterpart.

• Purple basil is best raw in salads or atop dishes like pizza or pasta. Try it to make my Pesto recipe without cheese.
• This basil grows best in warm weather.
• Purple basil is packed with Vitamin K and anthocyanins.

Purple kale has ruffled leaves and a slight cabbage flavor.

It’s a member of the cruciferous veggie family and is an excellent choice to get more “greens” in Cruciferous vegetables are a nutritional powerhouse and also help reduce the risk of cancer..

• Purple kale can be consumed raw or cooked a variety of ways. Try it in a salad, or sautéed as a side dish. You can even lightly bake with spices and nutritional yeast until crispy for a light snack. Try my Air Fryer Kale Chip recipe.
• Purple kale can be found year-round, but especially in winter.
• This veggie is a rich source of Vitamins A and K, alongside anthocyanins.

Also called ube, purple yam is a dense, sweet root vegetable.

• Purple yam is very versatile. Its sweetness lends well to roasting, baking (top with almond butter for a treat!), or even added to desserts (ube ice cream is popular in the Phillippines).
• Purple yam can be found year-round.
• This root veggie is full of anthocyanins, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. Look for it in specialty grocery stores or at farmers markets.

16. Purple Broccoli

In addition to the 15 purple vegetables listed above, here are 10 bonus fruits that have a natural purple colour.

• Purple grapes
• Plums
• Passion fruit
• Figs
• Blackberries (most have a purple tinge)
• Pomegranates
• Black currants
• Purple dragon fruit
• Acai (try my acai smoothie)
• Elderberry