The cutting board. The unsung hero of your kitchen.
While your favorite knife gets all the attention, your cutting board—the partner your knife could never live without—gets hardly any love at all.
And that’s a shame. Because a great cutting board, especially one used for cutting a food group as diverse as veggies, can really make or break your meal prep.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, odds are you have never had a great vegetable cutting board.
So what should you do?
Ditch your current cutting board and invest instead in one of these amazing products.
We have scoured the saturated cutting board market to find six of the best cutting boards for vegetables.
These unsung heroes provide the perfect place for slicing carrots, dicing onions, and chopping broccoli. One of them even comes with built-in drawers for storing your veggies while you prep!
Ready to ditch your mediocre board and meet the true heroes of the kitchen cupboard? Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Ready to cut to the chase? Here are our 6 top cutting board picks:
- Indigo True Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove
- QiMH Collapsible Cutting Board with Colander
- Virginia Boys Kitchens Large Walnut Wood Cutting Board
- Gorilla Grip Original Oversized Cutting Board, 3 Piece
- WORTHYEAH Smart Cutting Board
- Cooler Kitchen Thick Flexible Plastic Cutting Board Mats
The 6 Best Cutting Boards for Cutting Vegetables
For more detailed info of each of our top picks, along with pros and cons for each, check out our full reviews of each cutting board below:
Our Top Pick: Indigo True Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove
This extra-large natural bamboo cutting board from Indigo True is large enough to handle an entire meal’s worth of veggies and is made of earth and knife-friendly bamboo.
Why we love it:
There’s a lot to love about bamboo cutting boards.
They’re made of sustainable, earth-friendly material, and they’re all-natural which means no chemicals leaching into your food. While porous cutting boards are not optimal for meats, they are an excellent choice for veggies.
And this Indigo True board is no exception.
It features a two-tone design that makes it both beautiful and functional. Plus, it’s less prone to stains thanks to that dark grain.
It’s pretreated with food-grade mineral oil to reduce the porous nature of this natural fiber. That means you can use this board for stenchy veggies like garlic and onion and not have to worry about the taste lingering around after you wash it.
Just make sure to reapply mineral oil every few uses to keep this gorgeous board looking its best.
Why it’s better for veggies:
The wide, 360-degree juice catch means no mess on the counter (and provides an easy way to harvest those important tomato juices). And the huge size means you can save on dishes by storing your cut veggies on the board as you finish with the rest of the prep.
Meanwhile, the soft, natural bamboo is gentle on your knives, so you can be sure your tomato knife will be just as sharp at the end of the prep process as it was at the beginning.
Specs and details:
- Size: 13.5” x 17.5” x 0.75”
- Material: Natural bamboo
- Color: Light tan and light brown natural tones
2. QiMH Collapsible Cutting Board with Colander
This ingenious cutting board from QiMH was designed for one purpose: to help make the veggie prep process a whole lot easier.
Why we love it:
Save yourself time and reduce post-meal clean up with this handy cutting board, soaker, and strainer in one.
When collapsed, this product rivals any other well-made plastic veggie cutting board. The rubber feet hold the board in place while the expandable silicone doubles as a juice catch.
When extended, this board transforms from chopping station to washing station.
Easily soak veggies in cleaning spray or cool water inside your transformed cutting board. Or use it as a colander by depressing the drain button and allowing water to run through.
Why it’s better for veggies:
Clearly, this cutting board was made with vegetable prep and cutting in mind.
Whether they’re coming out of your garden or out of the grocery sack, all veggies should be washed and rinsed before you begin preparing them. This unique cutting board makes that task exceptionally easy.
The food-safe, BPA-free plastic is perfect for cutting hard, soft, and stinky veggies. And it cleans easily and won’t dull knives.
Specs and details:
- Size: 16” x 12” x 5.5”
- Material: BPA-free plastic
- Color: Grey and white or green and white
3. Virginia Boys Kitchens Large Walnut Wood Cutting Board
If this was a cutting board beauty contest, there’s no doubt that this handsome board by Virginia Boys Kitchens would take the golden sash. Just look at those grain lines! And he cares about the environment, too!
Why we love it:
Okay, we love this board because it’s a looker, but that doesn’t mean it’s not functional, too.
This beautiful board is made from black walnut, which gives it a rich chocolate hue and a gorgeous grain pattern. The trees are sustainably harvested in the USA, and each purchase helps to plant one new tree.
Not only is black walnut pretty, but it’s soft enough to be knife-safe while durable enough to last.
Why it’s better for veggies:
This product is available in a variety of shapes and sizes, many with deep outer grooves to catch juice and keep your counter clean.
All boards are “pre-seasoned” with pure fractionated coconut oil which helps protect the porous surface from soaking up juice and water. This, plus the fact that these boards are thick and sturdy, means they won’t warp or crack.
Specs and details:
- Size: Multiple sizes, largest is 18” x 24”
- Material: Black walnut
- Color: Natural chocolate or chessboard pattern
4. Gorilla Grip Original Oversized Cutting Board, 3 Piece
This set of three thick, durable, and handy Gorilla Grip cutting boards is perfect for prepping a variety of foods.
Why we love it:
Even large plastic boards can be difficult to keep in place. They just don’t have the weight behind them that natural wood boards do.
But these hefty plastic boards are far more substantial than most. And they utilize a smart, no-slip grip that keeps the boards in place while still allowing you to use both sides.
The rubber handles provide an easy way to transport these cutting boards while acting as a counter grip while the board is in use. Because these grips are located on the ends only, you can still flip your cutting surface to avoid taste contamination between different veggies. Being able to utilize both sides also means your board will last longer.
Plus, these grips come in a long list of fun colors so you can match your awesome new cutting board set to your kitchen.
Why it’s better for veggies:
Plastic boards are a must for meat since they don’t have anywhere for bacteria to hide. But they’re also a good choice for veggies.
These plastic Gorilla Grip boards are easier to clean because they can be tossed in the dishwasher. That means you don’t have to worry about your apple tasting like last night’s garlic pasta when you go to chop it up for lunch.
Having three different sizes to choose from is also great for chopping veggies. Save some space in the dishwasher by choosing the small board to quickly mince some garlic or the medium size for slightly larger jobs.
Specs and details:
- Size: 16” x 11.2”, 13.8” x 9.6” and 11.8” x 8”
- Material: BPA-free plastic and rubber
- Color: 26 color combos to choose from
5. WORTHYEAH Smart Cutting Board
Are you serious about your veggie chopping and prep? Then you will absolutely love this do-it-all cutting board from WORTHYEAH.
Why we love it:
If you follow a plant-based or raw diet, then odds are you spend an excessive amount of time prepping veggies.
This ingenious cutting board was made to make your life easier.
It features a large bamboo surface with a juice catch for cutting—but that’s where the similarities between a traditional board and this product end.
Below the cutting surface are cubbies for four bins meant to hold your veggies once they’re chopped. Simply slide an empty bin below the large opening at the end of the board and push your prepped veggies in.
But this cutting board doesn’t stop at cutting and storing. It comes with 4 different slicing attachments that fit into the opening. This allows you to quickly and effortlessly grate carrots, slice zucchini, and do just about anything else to get your ingredients ready in a snap.
Why it’s better for veggies:
This board is a plant-lovers delight.
The bins double as storage for unused veggies after the meal and they’re dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
The bamboo provides a clean, chemical-free work surface that’s also environmentally-friendly.
And what could be easier than having a full set of graters and slicers meant only for veggie prep right at your fingertips?
Specs and details:
- Size: 15.79″ x 8.35″ x 3.86″
- Material: Bamboo and plastic
- Color: Natural bamboo and white
6. Cooler Kitchen Thick Flexible Plastic Cutting Board Mats
A lot of bells and whistles are great until you have to store them. That’s where this cutting mat set from Cooler Kitchen leaves the competition in the dust.
Why we love it:
If your kitchen is short on storage space, then you need a cutting board that’s both durable and thin enough to store with ease. This colorful set of cutting mats is the perfect answer.
Unlike other thin mats, these can stand up to repeated use without breaking down.
They’re durable enough to handle ultra-sharp knives but flexible enough to help you easily dump chopped produce into your pan without making a mess. Plus, they won’t warp in the dishwasher.
But most importantly, these mats include a waffle-grip bottom to prevent them from sliding around on the counter–even if it’s a touch wet. This makes them safer and easier to use than most cutting mats.
Why it’s better for veggies:
This set includes four color-coded mats to keep cross-contamination at a minimum. Each mat features a different emblem—tomato, chicken, fish, cow—so you can remember what to use them for.
This is important if your household routinely preps meat-containing meals.
By referencing the color system and cute emblems included on the corner of each mat, you can be sure your veggie prep surface does not come into contact with any raw meats.
Specs and details:
- Size: 12” x 15”
- Material: BPA-free plastic
- Color: Red, yellow, blue, and green
The Best Cutting Board Buyer’s Guide
Cutting boards seem like a fairly simple product until you start looking at all the choices available. To help you navigate the market and find the right board for your needs, we’ve created a handy best cutting board buyer’s guide.
Materials
There are four main materials cutting boards come in. Each has its own pros and cons when it comes to chopping vegetables.
Plastic
Plastic is one of the most common materials used for cutting boards. It’s also the cheapest. But that doesn’t mean it is for everyone.
Polypropylene
These boards are a type of plastic board that tends to be thicker than traditional plastic. They are affordable and won’t dull knives but still require petroleum to manufacture.
Rubber
Rubber boards are another affordable option that won’t dull knife blades. They’re also odor resistant and can be sanded down and refinished to get rid of blade marks.
Wood
Wood is the second most common material used for cutting boards. Wooden boards tend to be a bit pricier but can easily double as a serving platter given its natural beauty. Many wood types are used to make cutting boards with maple wood, walnut, and acacia wood being some of the most popular.
Bamboo
Bamboo boards are similar to wooden cutting boards in many ways but tend to be lighter and have natural anti-bacterial properties.
Glass
Glass is one material you won’t see on our list above. That’s because it’s hard on knives and the last thing you want when you are prepping hard veggies and slippery tomatoes is a dull knife.
Grain
Wood cutting boards come in three grain types, all with their own benefits.
Face Grain
Face-grain boards are made with the top of the milled board as the cutting surface. These are more prone to knife damage but also tend to look the most striking.
Edge Grain
Edge-grain boards are made with the side of the milled board as the cutting surface. These are more durable than face grain and require less upkeep than end grain, making them the top choice of chefs.
End Grain
End-grain boards are made with the cut end of the milled board as the cutting surface, which makes them very resistant to blade damage. These typically feature multiple boards laminated together, giving them a neat patterned look, but they also tend to cost the most.
Sizes
Size is an important consideration when looking to buy a new cutting board.
Prepping vegetarian dishes often requires cutting up a lot of veggies. Having an extra-large board will allow you to keep each pile of vegetables on the board as you go. This means fewer dishes but more room needed to store the board.
Smaller boards are great for simple tasks like mincing garlic and are easier to clean and store.
Some board sets, like the Gorilla Grip boards, include multiple size boards to meet all your needs.
Juice Catch
Juice catches are a must-have feature on meat cutting boards because they keep the raw juices from contaminating your counter. But these are also great features for veggie boards.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and other juicing veggies can make a mess on a flat board. On a board with a catch, these juices are contained until you dump them in the sink or into your recipe.
Extra Features
Many plastic boards feature non-slip handles or bottoms to keep the board in place while you work. Large, heavy wood boards don’t typically move around, but smaller ones might.
Some boards also come with handles for easy transport or labels to keep veggie boards separate from meat cutting boards.
Of course, there are some cutting boards with a whole host of extra features like cubbies for storage bins and attachable graters like the WORTHYEAH Smart Cutting Board.
Consider what you will be using your board for the most and then look for a board that meets all of those needs.
How to Care for Your Cutting Board
The specific care instructions for your cutting board depend on what material it’s made from.
Most boards, including plastic, wood, and bamboo, can be easily hand washed with soap and warm water. Many plastic solid and flexible cutting boards, and those that are heat resistant, can be washed in the dishwasher.
Wood boards require occasional oiling to keep them water proof and odor resistant.
A Note on Knives
The type of knives you have can determine what kind of cutting board is best for you.
Different blade materials and types of knives have different requirements when it comes to the cutting surface they’re used on.
Forged blades are far more resistant to damage than folded steel. But the sharp blade of these can easily damage even the best plastic cutting boards. Both preform best on soft surfaces like wood or bamboo.
Bread knives, which have sharp, protruding teeth, are especially prone to damage when used on glass, stone, or ceramic cutting boards. Similarly, the serrated edge of a tomato knife is best suited for softer surfaces.
Bottom Line: The Best Cutting Board for Vegetables
Of all the cutting boards we looked at, the extra-large board from Indigo True was the best.
The beautiful bamboo finish, huge working surface, and 360-degree juice catch make this a superb cutting board with just enough features to make veggie prep a breeze. Plus, we love the sustainable material and natural, chemical-free surface.
Of course, if you’re looking for something extra-durable, extra-beautiful, or full of extra features, we’ve included plenty of options for those on our list above as well.
