How to Cook Broccoli

Co-authored by Jennifer Lease, RD, CDN

Broccoli is not only high in vitamin C, folic acid, and fiber, but it's also easy to cook and a nutritious addition to any meal. Whether you're steaming, sautéing, roasting, or blanching the broccoli, it's a tasty veggie that tastes great on its own or with a variety of other meats or vegetables. If you want to know how to cook broccoli, just follow these steps.

Prep time (Steaming): 15 minutes
Cook time: 3-5 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Steam Fresh Broccoli

1
Clean the broccoli. If you bought your broccoli at a commercial grocery store, a thorough rinse is fine. If you grew your own broccoli or bought it at a farm stand, soak the broccoli in salted water for 10 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly.
- Garden-fresh broccoli is prone to cabbage loopers, a common garden pest. In their larval stage, cabbage loopers are green, approximately 1-inch-long worms. Though they're harmless, they can be a real appetite killer. The worms die in the salt water. The cabbage loopers will float to the top of the surface of the water where you can skim them off and dispose of them.
2
Trim away the trunk of the main stem. This is the thickest part of the broccoli. The stem of the broccoli is completely edible, but the last inch or so will be a bit tougher and not as tasty. You can eat the stem, or discard part of it.

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3
Cut the florets. Cut the trunks of each floret, or little bunch of broccoli, until you break the florets into several smaller pieces that are easy to work with. If you're not a fan of the stalks, cut just below the crown. If you want to get more mileage from your broccoli, cut farther down the stalk closer to the main stem of the broccoli bunch.
4
Place a steamer basket in a saucepan. Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of water, insert a steamer basket, place a cover on the pan, and place the pan on a burner over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil.
5
Place the broccoli in the steamer basket. Remove the lid from the pan, place the broccoli florets in the steamer basket, and replace the lid on the pan.
6
Steam the broccoli. Allow the broccoli to steam for 3 - 5 minutes, depending on how much broccoli you are cooking.
7
Remove it from heat. Remove the pan from the burner, and remove the lid immediately. Otherwise, the broccoli will continue cooking and will quickly get soggy.
8
Serve. You can serve the broccoli plain, with sauce or seasoning, or you can incorporate it into another recipe.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Cook Frozen Broccoli

1
Open the broccoli package. Just cut or tear the top of the broccoli package to take out the broccoli. It may be easier to cut the package.
2
Cook the broccoli over a stove top. Place the desired portion in a pot with 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) of water. Warm it over medium heat just until the water begins to boil. Immediately remove the pot from the burner..
- If you're cooking it in a microwave, cook it for 1 - 3 minutes, depending on the strength of your microwave and the amount of broccoli being cooked. Broccoli should be cooked al dente. If it is still partially frozen, cook it for more time in 30-second increments until it's done, and then remove it from the microwave. Place it in a covered microwave-safe dish with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water.
3
Strain and serve. After you strain the broccoli, you can serve it plain or with seasoning, or incorporate it into another recipe.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Sauté Broccoli

1
Make sure the broccoli is as dry as possible. You should have washed it earlier -- if it's prepackaged from a grocery store, then you don't need to wash it again.^{[1]
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2
Separate the florets from the stems of the broccoli. Cut the florets, the bushy parts of the broccoli, away from the stems. The stems are completely edible -- just trim or rip off any leaves and make sure you've washed off all the dirt.
3
Fill a skillet with 2 tsp. of vegetable oil and cook it over medium-high heat. Cook it for at least 30 seconds so it starts to heat up.
4
Add the florets of broccoli to the oil. Throw in a pinch of salt along with it.
5
Toss the broccoli. This will coat it in the oil.
6
Add the stems a minute later. The stems will cook a bit more quickly, so they should be added a bit later.
7
Stir the broccoli until it's green and tender. This will mean that it's ready.
8
Serve. Serve the broccoli with other sautéed veggies or on its own.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Roast Broccoli

1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218 °C).
2
Make sure the broccoli is as dry as possible. If it's wet, it'll end up a bit soggy.
3
Separate the florets from the stems of the broccoli. Cut the florets, the bushy parts of the broccoli, away from the stems. The stems are completely edible -- just trim or rip off any leaves and make sure you've washed off all the dirt. You can cut off the last inch or so of the stems, which will be a bit tougher and less tasty.^{[2]
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4
Toss the broccoli with 3 teaspoons of olive oil and half a teaspoon of salt.
5
Place the broccoli on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place it on the sheet in one layer.
6
Roast it for 20-25 minutes. Roast it until it's crunchy and a caramelized.
7
Serve. Serve these roasted veggies on their own or with a squeeze of lemon.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Blanch Broccoli

1
Separate the florets from the stems of the broccoli. Cut the florets, the bushy parts of the broccoli, away from the stems. The stems are completely edible -- just trim or rip off any leaves and make sure you've washed off all the dirt. You can cut off the last inch or so of the stems, which will be a bit tougher and less tasty.^{[3]
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2
Place a bowl of ice water next to the stove.
3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure it's boiling rapidly.
4
Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water.
5
Add the broccoli florets to the water. Cook them until they're crisp-tender, about 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes.
6
Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon.
7
Place it into the ice water immediately.
8
Wait for the water to return to a boil. Cook the stems until they're crisp-tender. This should take another 1 - 1.5 minutes. Cook them for another 30 seconds if you'd like softer veggies. Place them in the ice water when you're done.
9
Serve. Enjoy this blanched broccoli in a vegetable platter, cold salad, frittata, or another casserole.

Community Q&A
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Question

Can broccoli be stir fried?

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Broccoli is an ideal stir-fry vegetable. It can either be added as part of a vegetable or meat stir-fry dish, or it can be the staple vegetable of the stir-fry. To prepare broccoli for stir-fry, clean by washing, then break it into small florets. Use as the recipe directs but usually it will cook within 3 to 5 minutes.
Question

How do you blanch broccoli?

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Broccoli can be blanched as follows: Wash, then cut into florets. Fill a pan with water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to boiling, then add the broccoli florets. Allow to boil for 1 to 2 minutes but not more, as you're only wanting it to be semi-cooked. Use as directed or serve immediately with a dollop of butter or a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper for seasoning.
Question

Is broccoli suitable for making into a purée?

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Yes, broccoli can be puréed. To do so, choose a cooking method first, such as boiling, steaming or microwaving it. Then remove from the heat and purée it. You can include the stems and these must be cooked a little longer to ensure they can be puréed.