How long to boil broccoli? Guide

How to boil broccoli?

Near 15 minutes to complete

Required Items:

Water

Salt

Broccoli

Boiled broccoli

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Preparation and ingredients

In this recipe, I will tell you in detail how to cook broccoli cabbage properly. The process is elementary, but there are certain nuances in it.

It is also essential in cooking that the final dish is as attractive and appetizing as possible. So, I'll share my secret, which will keep the bright-green color of the cabbage.

Fresh vegetables must be washed and disassembled into inflorescence. If necessary, remove any insects and spoiled or blackened parts.

Ingredients:

• Broccoli – 800 g;
• Salt – 12 g;
• Water – 2; 2.5 L.

1

Boil water

We put a pan with 2-2.5 liters of water on the stove. Add salt and bring the liquid to a boil.

2

Add broccoli to boiling water

Place broccoli in hot water. We wait for the liquid to boil again, cook for about 2 more minutes until the vegetable is soft, then we catch it with a slotted spoon.

3

Add broccoli to ice water

The secret: to preserve the bright-green color of the inflorescence, immediately after cooking we send them to ice water for 1–2 minutes. Then drain the liquid.

4

Ready meal

How to cook broccoli – ready meal If desired, a little salt and vegetable oil can be added to the finished broccoli, and then served with other vegetables and the main course.

5

Notes

Tips:

• If you are using fresh broccoli, first soak the stems in water for 1–2 minutes, then the florets.
• I love this vegetable to the degree of “firm and slightly chewy”, so I turn off the stove as soon as the water boils again and catch the inflorescence from the liquid. So, the broccoli remains a little crispy, and at the same time without any bitterness.
• Cooking time can be further reduced by covering the pot with a lid.

6

Asparagus broccoli, included in the list of the most useful foods in the world, is available in supermarkets all year round in both fresh and frozen form. This vegetable gained popularity a few years ago and has since been a staple on the menu for all connoisseurs of proper nutrition. In this article, we will provide guidance on how to choose and cook broccoli in various ways, as well as address the key question of how long to boil broccoli.

When it comes to boiling this nutritious vegetable, many wonder how long to boil broccoli to retain its health benefits and vibrant color.

How long to boil broccoli: Time

Cooking fresh broccoli is quick and easy. At the same time, it is better to limit the cooking time to keep the vegetable crispy.

How long to boil broccoli:

• To maintain a light crunch: 5 minutes steamed;
• In boiling salt water, for a soft texture: 7 – 10 minutes;
• Microwave: 6 – 8 minutes;
• Cook frozen cabbage: 12 minutes maximum.

How to choose broccoli

The most delicious and fresh broccoli is sold in the market or in large supermarkets. We advise you to go shopping in the morning, when the sellers replenish the windows and there will be a choice of cabbage forks.

How to choose fresh broccoli

The correct color for broccoli cut at full ripeness is dark green.

Select forks and inspect carefully:

• Yellow spots are a sign of overripe cabbage, such a vegetable does not have a rich taste.
• The cut of the stalk should be light green, without dark spots.
• Carefully, try to push the inflorescence close together – a sign of ripeness and freshness.
• Choose small heads of broccoli weighing 300–500 grams. The smaller the size, the softer the cabbage.

How to choose frozen broccoli

Frozen broccoli is sold by weight in all large supermarkets.

Before you buy, inspect the vegetables in the freezer:

• Properly frozen broccoli is dark green and free of ice and snow.
• The pieces are dense, of the same color with small stalks.
• When selecting packaged frozen broccoli, select products from trusted manufacturers. Remember that a quality product cannot be cheaper than a fresh vegetable.

Calorie content of broccoli

Cabbage is on the list of must-have diet foods for weight loss. If you cook broccoli properly, 80% of vitamins and nutrients will remain in the juicy pulp.

Composition per 100 grams:

• 30 kcal;
• 3 grams of protein;
• 0.5 grams of fat;
• 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Broccoli is a healthy side dish for meat, chicken, fish, or offal. Cabbage contains only 30 kcal per 100 grams in boiled form, or 60 kcal per full serving. The low calorie content makes the product recommended for use at any time of the day – even if you want to eat in the middle of the night, there will be no harm to the figure from a couple of pieces!

Benefits of broccoli

The benefits of broccoli were first written about in the French treatise Historic Generals Plant arum in 1587. The real popularity of the product began in the 1920s, when cabbage was grown in the USA from Italian seeds and the new vegetable conquered the American agricultural market.

What is the use of broccoli?

• Cabbage is rich in coarse, indigestible fiber. Regular consumption cleanses the intestines of accumulated toxins and speeds up metabolism.
• The content of vitamin C in broccoli is 3 times higher than in oranges. It is recommended to eat side dishes and vegetable dishes during the risk of acute respiratory infections to increase immunity.
• Cabbage contains the necessary level of potassium, which is important for the health of the heart and blood vessels.
• The protein in broccoli is comparable in amino acid content to egg, which makes the product indispensable in the diet of vegans.
• Vegetable are a natural source of sulforaphane. The substance protects cells from cancer and slows down the spread of the tumor when diagnosed.

How to cook broccoli in a saucepan?

The estimated cooking time for broccoli is 6 to 8 minutes, during which the color of the cabbage will become brighter, and the inflorescence themselves will become softer. One of the most common methods for preparing this vegetable is learning how to cook broccoli in a saucepan.

To cook broccoli in a saucepan, first, bring water to a boil. The cooking time for frozen broccoli can vary slightly from three to five minutes, so be sure to check with a fork. However, keep in mind that cooked frozen broccoli can turn out to be more moist or juicy. In such cases, it is better to bake or stew the product than to boil it.

How to cook broccoli?

1. We divide the broccoli into inflorescence with “legs” and wash the vegetables.
2. Now we cut off the “legs” and discard the thickest or damaged places.
3. We do this procedure with all the cabbage that we will cook.
4. Place chopped broccoli in cold water for five or ten minutes to soak.
5. Place a pot of water on the fire and bring to a boil. Dip the broccoli in boiling water and cook for literally 6 minutes.

There are various ways to cook broccoli, with boiling being one of the most popular. How to cook broccoli in a saucepan? It is elementary and quick. Chopped cabbage inflorescence are added to the boiling water and boiled for actually two to three minutes.

It is important not to overcook the broccoli, as it may result in a bad consistency. Occasionally, you may want to soak broccoli florets in water for 5–10 minutes before boiling, especially if the cabbage is not very “young” or fresh. By following these guidelines on how to cook broccoli in a saucepan, you can enjoy a delicious and healthy side dish or incorporate it into various recipes.

How to cook frozen broccoli?

To prevent broccoli from losing its beautiful color and turning into mush, it is necessary to follow some rules for its cooking:

• Before boiling a vegetable, it does not need to be thawed so as not to injure the inflorescence;
• If you plan to cook cabbage in a saucepan, you need to wait for the water to boil completely and immediately throw the product into it;
• During the boil, the inflorescences can damage each other and fall apart. The large size of the pan will help to avoid this.

How to cook broccoli in a double boiler

It is believed that it is steamed that you can get cabbage that is ideal in taste and density. Since the cooking process takes a minimum of time, everything else will be able to save a maximum of vitamins.

To do it right, you need:

1. Rinse the head thoroughly under running water.
2. Disassemble into inflorescence, after removing the stem.
3. Pour the required amount of water into the steamer.
4. Spread the inflorescence into the steamer bowl. (If necessary, you can add another bowl).
5. Close the steamer and turn it on for 6 minutes.

How to cook broccoli in a slow cooker

This device can cook almost anything.

There are two ways to cook broccoli in it:

• For a couple;
• In water, as in a regular saucepan.

How to steam broccoli in a slow cooker

Instruction:

1. Rinse the cabbage under running water.
2. Disassemble into inflorescence, first cutting off the head.
3. Pour a liter of water into the multi – cooker bowl.
4. Set up a steamer and place the florets on it.
5. Steam on for 6 minutes.

How to cook broccoli in a slow cooker in water

Instruction:

1. Wash the cabbage in cold running water.
2. We disassemble into inflorescence.
3. Pour water into the multi – cooker bowl and add salt. On any cooking mode, bring the water to a boil.
4. We lower the prepared inflorescence into boiling water.
5. Close the multi – cooker and cook for 7 minutes.

How to cook broccoli in the microwave

The microwave, although it does not allow you to cook complex dishes in it, it helps a lot when time is running out or there is no other equipment at hand. You can cook broccoli in the microwave, but it’s worth noting right away that the cabbage will not turn out as juicy as when cooked in a saucepan or steamed.

Cooking process:

1. Wash the cabbage under running water.
2. Divide into inflorescence by cutting off the stem.
3. Place in a microwave-safe dish. (If one is not available, you can simply fold it into a bag and tie it tightly).
4. Add a tablespoon of water.
5. Microwave for 6 minutes.

Tips for cooking broccoli

Cooking secrets:

• When choosing cabbage when buying, you need to take the most dense and dark heads, the yellowish color says that they cut it a long time ago;
• To minimize the cooking time, the vegetable is disassembled into small inflorescence before cooking;
• So that broccoli does not lose its color during cooking, dip it only in well-salted boiling water;
• For a brighter color, the finished broccoli should be dipped after cooking for several minutes in ice water or ice water (this does not affect the taste in any way. But the color of the finished product will become much brighter);
• Frozen cabbage does not need to be thawed first;
• Steaming is considered the best cooking method.