Cooked vegetables are a great source of nitrogen for your compost pile. Cooked vegetables tend to break down faster than raw vegetables. They do come with some caveats, though.
Most cooked vegetables can be composted. Their quicker decomposition adds their nitrogen to the compost faster, but it also increases the chances that you will attract pests like mice, rats, and other critters.
Cooked Vegetables to Avoid Composting
You don’t want to compost cooked vegetables that have been cooked in oil or sauces. These don’t break down the same and could cause damage to your compost or attract pests.
You also want to avoid composting vegetables that have been cooked with meats. In general, you don’t want to compost meat in a home composting system.
How to Compost Cooked Vegetables
Composting cooked vegetables is generally pretty easy, but you do want to do some preparatory work.
- Wash off the vegetables to make sure to clear out any oils, residue, meats, or anything else that may be on them that we don’t want in our compost.
- Cut them into smaller pieces. This helps them decompose more quickly.
- Bury them in the middle of your compost pile to minimize pests.
- Turn your compost regularly to keep your compost aerated. This aids in decomposition and reduces the chances of the food rotting (and it smelling).
Cooked vegetables are rich in nitrogen. Make sure to add more carbon material like leaves and paper to balance things out when you add them. Too much nitrogen and your compost will start to smell.
They’re also high in moisture. Too much moisture and your compost won’t work correctly. Brown carbon material will usually help with that too.
Can I Compost Cooked Vegetables?
Yes, most cooked vegetables can go into the compost pile if they haven’t been cooked in oils or with meat. There is a little bit of preparatory work you should do.