How to Steam Vegetables in the Microwave

Co-authored by Jerran Boyer

Steaming vegetables is easy, and doing it in a microwave is even easier. Steaming softens the texture of vegetables, making them tender enough to stir-fry quickly or eat by themselves. If you’d like to steam your veggies in the microwave, you’ll need to place them in a large bowl, along with a thin layer of water. Cook the veggies on high until they’re tender.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Vegetables

1
Thaw frozen vegetables. If you’re planning to steam veggies that are currently in the freezer, pull the box or bag of vegetables out and set it on your counter to thaw. This may take a few hours, depending on the density of the frozen veggies. If you’re in a hurry, you could fill a bowl with warm water and let the box or bag of frozen veggies soak for about 30 minutes.
- If you’ve bought fresh vegetables, then they won’t need to be frozen and are ready to be washed.
2
Wash your veggies. The vegetables should be largely clean, and probably only need a light rinse.Hold the individual vegetables under your kitchen faucet and rinse them with lukewarm water. If you’ve bought very fresh veggies (e.g. at a farmer’s market), dirt may be caked on the stalks or stems. Use a kitchen scrubbing bad if necessary to remove the dirt.
- If you’ve thawed frozen, packaged vegetables, they won’t need to be washed. Frozen vegetables are cleaned and cut before they’re packaged.
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3
Cut the vegetables into serving sizes. Using a sharp kitchen knife and a cutting board, chop or cut your veggies into serving-size chunks, not more than 2 inches (5 cm) long. Cut sections will steam more quickly than whole vegetables. Plus, this way, if you’re going to serve the veggies in a stir fry or other dish, they’ll already be cut into bite-size pieces.^{[1]
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- If you’re steaming multiple types of vegetables—e.g. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and asparagus—try to cut them all so they’re roughly the same size.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Placing Veggies in a Bowl for Steaming

1
Put the cut vegetables into a large, wide bowl or dish. Arrange the veggies so that they’re spread into a single layer at the bottom of the bowl. The bowl should be microwave-safe (no thin plastic). You could also use a glass baking pan for this step.^{[2]
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- If you have more vegetables than can be spread in a single layer, plan to steam them in separate batches.
2
Add a thin layer of water. Pour in enough tap water so that the bottom of the bowl is covered. Since the veggies will be cooked with the steam produced by the water once it’s heated, you only need a small amount of water. As a rough reference, pour in enough water so that the vegetable pieces are about 1/8 submerged.^{[3]
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- Thin, leafy veggies like spinach will barely need any water added. Start with 1 tsp (5 mL). Thicker veggies like carrots will need a more substantial layer of water.
3
Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the bowl. Tear off a layer of plastic wrap, and spread it over the top of your bowl or glass dish. So that the built-up steam doesn’t pop the plastic wrap, make sure to leave a corner of the dish uncovered.
- If you’d prefer not to microwave plastic wrap, you could substitute a large porcelain, stoneware, or ceramic plate.^{[4]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Steaming the Vegetables

1
Microwave on high for two minutes. Place the covered dish of veggies in your microwave, and alter your microwave’s settings so it’s set to “high.” Set the microwave for two minutes, and let it run.^{[5]
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- The amount of time needed to fully steam vegetables will vary based on the number of veggies you’re steaming and the thickness or density of the individual vegetable pieces.
2
Test the veggies and steam more as needed. If the veggies are still firm or uncooked, use a fork to turn the veggie pieces over in the bowl. Then place them back in the microwave. This time, set the microwave for four minutes. If the vegetables are still firm after the four minutes, turn them again and steam for another four minutes.^{[6]
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- Repeat this process until all of the veggies are fully steamed.
3
Serve your vegetables once they’re tender. You can determine if you’ve steamed your vegetables sufficiently by poking them with a fork. The steamed veggies should be easily pierced by the tines. Their texture should be tender, and the veggies should be moist.^{[7]
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- Or, if you’re planning to incorporate the steamed veggies into a dish, you can begin preparation on that item now.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I season vegetables?

Maggie Peterson

Community Answer

You can season vegetables with salt and pepper or herbs like oregano, basil, and parsley.
Question

I am using a small plastic container to steam all my vegetables, but it is too narrow to have all the veg lying on the bottom. Will all the different vegetables steam at the same time?

Community Answer

The pieces that aren't laying flat could cook a bit quicker than the others. If you're frequently steaming lots of vegetables at one time, invest in an inexpensive large dish from the dollar store.