How do you steam broccoli?
What's the best way to steam broccoli and how long do you cook it for? Mine always comes out too soggy and soft.
It's easy with a steamer basket. Fill a pot with water up to about an inch. Put the broccoli in the steamer basket, then set the basket over the pot and bring it to a simmer. Cover the basket and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Done!
Before you steam your broccoli, cut the florets so that they are all the same size. If you have ones that are really tiny and ones that are really big, you're going to have some that are overdone and some that are underdone. So, just make sure that you're cutting all the florets to the same size so that they cook evenly.
Dang, I don't have a steamer :( This sounds great, but is there another way I can make this without buying one?
You really don’t need a steamer to steam just about anything. You just need a pot with a tight fitting lid. Get the pot or pan hot on the stove and add your broccoli, seasonings, and half a cup of water (or stock). Immediately cover the pot with the lid and gently swish everything around in the pan while holding the lid on tightly with your other hand. Add more water/stock as necessary until your broccoli reaches the desired doneness, then remove from the heat and drain the remaining liquid.
This sounds delicious, but I'm normally pretty busy and don't have a lot of time to cook. Can you do it in the microwave?
yes, you can steam brocolli in the microwave if you're really short on time though it doesn't taste as good in my opinion. it's pretty much the same process: just put the broccoli in a microwave safe dish, add a tbsp of water (more or less depending on how much you're cooking), cover the container, and microwave for like 3-5 minutes. pretty simple.
A quick way to steam broccoli is to put broccoli in a bowl and put a little bit of water in. Cover the broccoli with plastic wrap, then microwave it for a few minutes. Keep your eye on it just in case.
Do you have an instant pot or multicooker? Sometimes those will come with a steamer basket, and that makes steaming things super easy.
It's okay if you don't have one though! When I didn't used to have one, I'd just use a skillet and a bit of water. Here's a tip—add a little butter and salt to your water to add some extra flavor to your broccoli!
It's okay if you don't have one though! When I didn't used to have one, I'd just use a skillet and a bit of water. Here's a tip—add a little butter and salt to your water to add some extra flavor to your broccoli!
If you don't have a steamer you can use a metal colander or strainer! Boil a few inches of water in a pot, then put the metal colander over it (make sure it's above water level). When the steam starts to come up, put the broccoli in the colander and cover the pot with a lid, then cook for 5-7 minutes.
Even if you don't have a steamer or a metal colander, you can still steam your broccoli. Grab a skillet and put in just enough water to cover the bottom of it. Then add your broccoli in in an even layer and cover it with a lid. Then steam it over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes and you're good to go!
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Reader Tips from How to Keep Cooked Broccoli Bright Green
Add a bit of salt to the broccoli when you steam it. It'll make it taste good, of course, but it will also prevent the green chlorophyll in the broccoli from fading while it cooks so it'll stay fresh-looking.
You could also add cornstarch to enhance the green color of the broccoli. We always do this and it makes the broccoli look very fresh and tasty.
Reader Tips from How to Cook Fresh Broccoli
If you want your broccoli to stay fresher longer, roast it instead of steaming it. Steamed broccoli gets mushier faster, but roasted broccoli is still good after a few days.
We usually just add salt, pepper, and garlic to our broccoli and maybe sometimes red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Lemon juice is also great and adds a bit of freshness.
Reader Tips from The 2 Best Ways to Steam Frozen Vegetables
In addition to adding spices and herbs to veggies while they cook, we like to add fish sauce, lemon juice, and/or soy sauce to the water to infuse the veggies with more flavor.
You can't go wrong using butter to flavor your veggies but be careful not to add too much. Otherwise your veggies could just get wet and greasy and not very appetizing.
