Best Knives For Cutting Vegetables (2022) 

Whether you’re a home chef or a professional chef, these are the best knives for cutting vegetables. 

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A good high-quality knife can make or break your cooking experience, especially if you have as much prep work with vegetables as I do. 

Being plant-based myself and sharing all plant-based recipes, I think cutting vegetables is one of the biggest tests for a good knife. If it can’t get through a butternut squash, or thinly slice sweet potatoes; it’s not the right knife for you. 

With this article, I’ll be sharing my favorite kitchen knives as well as highly reviewed vegetable knives. I’ll include different types of knives, including a chef’s knife, a santoku knife, and a paring knife.

In true plant-based, vegetable-chopping fashion, we won’t be covering certain knives that mainly deal with meat, like a carving knife. We’ll also save bread knives for another post so this one can be extra focused on vegetable chopping. 

With so many knives to choose from, let’s cut (get it?) through all the noise and find the best of the best. 

Some of these knives may have been classics, being around for a while, and some were just released this year in 2022. Whether old or new, we’re gonna review them all so you can make an informed decision on which are worthy of your knife collection. Let’s find the perfect knife for you!

The Chef’s Knife

This is a staple knife with a long blade that needs to be in every kitchen. It’s one of the largest knives you’ll own and is used to cut most foods from vegetables to tough meats (although we don't care too much about that here).  

A chef’s knife, also known as the Western chef’s knife, is designed as a way to cut using a “rock chop” technique. This simply means you’re cutting by rocking back and forth with your knife. This technique makes for fast and efficient vegetable cutting. 

This knife is best for cutting large, hard vegetables like squash and for mincing smaller herbs like garlic. It is a bit too hefty for delicate foods or when you need to be very precise with your cutting, this is when you’d use a paring knife or the like. 

Top 3 Chef’s Knives

1. Imarku Japanese Chef Knife - Pro Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chef's Knives High Carbon Stainless Steel Sharp Paring Knife with Ergonomic Handle

Newer model

Full knife set

• Ergonomic handle to minimize hand fatigue when cutting.
• Ultra-sharp edge and very tough blade.
• Stainless steel blade (the steel contains 0.6-0.75 carbon. Which makes it two times as hard as other knives in its class as they contain about 0.3% carbon).

2. Victorinox Fibrox Pro Knife, 8-Inch Chef's FFP, 8 Inch

7-inch

• Tapered stainless steel edge that cuts with ease and efficiency.
• High-carbon stainless steel blade has an extended life span and stays sharp for longer.
• Swiss-made

3. Mac Knife Professional 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef Knife

• The added dimples help the knife glide through sticky foods such as potatoes, apples, and summer squash.
• Lightweight, very sturdy, and reliable.
• A little pricier than the other 2 recommended above. 

The Santoku Knife

The chef’s knife mentioned above usually comes to a sharp point at the tip, whereas the santoku knife has a rounded tip. This one is known as the Japanese chef’s knife, it is ideal for dicing onions, mincing shallots, chopping herbs, and crushing garlic.

These knives usually have a scalloped edge to allow the knife to easily glide through even the stickiest of foods (meaning it won’t get stuck when cutting a steamed zucchini). 

It’s a bit smaller and more lightweight than the western chef’s knife, but is great for slicing, dicing, and mincing mainly. 

Top 3 Santoku Knives

1. Mercer Culinary M23590 Renaissance, 7-Inch Santoku Knife

• Precision-forged with high-carbon German cutlery steel for incredible long-lasting sharpness.
• Triple-riveted, ergonomic handle is tough, lightweight, and resistant to excessive physical wear.
• 7-inch blade
• Rounded spine offers a comfortable grip.

2. Babish High-Carbon 1.4116 German Steel Cutlery, 6.5" Santoku Knife

• Most affordable option.
• Tempered, ground, and polished for maximum sharpness.
• Full-tang handle provides a balanced, comfortable grip.

3. ZWILLING Twin Signature 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

• Dishwasher safe.
• Zwilling knives start out razor-sharp and stay sharper longer, even with minimal care.
• Strong and sturdy, guaranteed to last a very long time.

The Paring Knife

This knife is my personal favorite for when I need a short, thin blade to chop herbs, or peel and cut my fruit. It’s also used for controlled, detailed cutting and when you need pretty, precise cuts.

To ‘pare’ is to cut away the outer surface. Another name for a paring knife is a ‘peeling knife'. 

Top 3 Paring Knives

1. Victorinox 3.25 Inch Paring Knife with Straight Edge, Spear Point, Black

• This paring knife's tapered blade is ground in two directions to hold its razor sharpness longer.
• Very affordable. 
• Features an ergonomic, textured handle with a non-slip grip - even when wet.
• Victorinox provides a lifetime guarantee against defects in material and workmanship. 

2. HENCKELS Solution Paring Knife, 4-inch, Black/Stainless Steel

• Traditional triple-rivet handle offers balance and is curved for comfort.
• Dishwasher safe but hand-washing recommended.

3. Misen 3 Inch Paring Knife - Small Kitchen Knife for Cutting Fruit, Vegetables and More - High Carbon Steel Ultra Sharp Paring Knives, Blue

• A smaller blade helps make precision cuts effortless and will elevate the fine-detail work in your kitchen.
• A distinctive sloped bolster shape encourages a proper and safer "pinch grip” for better comfort and control.
• Long-lasting sharpness and durability.

My Favorite Knife Set

With so many knife sets to choose from, it can get really overwhelming. I had a hard time picking my first knife set and am pretty lucky I happened upon Henckels while choosing.

Henckels has truly high-quality, ultra-sharp, long-lasting knives. I got a Henckels knife set 5 years ago and only see very minimal wear (truth be told I could take better care of them too). 

My favorite set includes a 3-inch and 4-inch paring knife, 5-inch utility knife, 5.5-inch boning knife, 6-inch utility knife, 7-inch santoku knife, 8-inch chef's knife, bread knife and carving knife, steak knife set of 8, honing steel, kitchen shears, and a beautiful knife block. 

Trust me, a Henckels knife set is worth the investment. These knives will outlast the cheaper sets, be more comfortable on your hand and wrist, and cut even the toughest of vegetables. If you’re looking for a good vegetable knife, and need a whole set along with it... I highly recommend this one!

Knife Care Tips

The knives mentioned above are made of different materials, requiring differing care. Some are able to be washed in the dishwasher, but I always recommend hand-washing them. 

To ensure that your knives have a long life and always stay in optimal cutting condition, clean them immediately after use. This prevents salt and acid residues from damaging the blade. Clean the vegetable knife with mild detergent and rinse it under running water. Then dry well and store safely.

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