How to Prepare and Cook Broccoli

In a large pot add water and salt, and then bring water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook until bright green in color and crisp tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer broccoli to a bowl filled with 4 cups water and 4 cups ice to stop the cooking process, about 5 minutes.

What is the healthiest way to cook broccoli?
How do you cut and cook broccoli?
How do you prepare steamed broccoli?
How long does fresh broccoli take to cook?
Do you need to wash broccoli before boiling?
How is broccoli best cooked?
What can you add to broccoli to make it taste better?
Is Boiling broccoli bad?
Is it better to boil or steam broccoli?
How do you know when broccoli is done cooking?
Can you eat broccoli raw?

What is the healthiest way to cook broccoli?

Steamed broccoli may be one of the healthiest ways to cook broccoli because it's quick and nutrients and vitamins won't be lost in the cooking water, as can be the case with boiled broccoli.

How do you cut and cook broccoli?

Cut a circle around the core and remove it, along with the florets from the stem. Continue cutting and pulling away the rest of the florets. Cut the larger florets into smaller pieces. All the florets should be uniformly sized to ensure that they cook evenly.

How do you prepare steamed broccoli?

How to Steam Broccoli?

Start by cutting the broccoli in florets.
Place all in a steamer basket.
Add about 1″ of water to a pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once the water is boiling, place the steamer basket with broccoli inside, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. ...
Once done, remove the basket from the pot.
Serve right away.

How long does fresh broccoli take to cook?

To boil, place in a pan of boiling water and cook the florets for 6-8 minutes. To steam, place in a steamer over boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes. Broccoli to be stir-fried should be separated into bite-sized florets, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the florets, cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender.

Do you need to wash broccoli before boiling?

Before you cook or eat fresh broccoli, be sure to clean it to remove dirt, pesticides, and even bugs. You can wash your broccoli quickly and easily with water or a vinegar solution, and you can remove cabbage worms from the florets with a salt water solution.

How is broccoli best cooked?

Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!

What can you add to broccoli to make it taste better?

Toss broccoli with thyme, garlic salt, olive oil and lemon juice. Put broccoli on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Lemon slices are optional, but they do make it look so pretty and add another dimension of lemon flavor!

Is Boiling broccoli bad?

Beware of Boiling Broccoli

They found that microwaving the broccoli in the water for five minutes at full power produced the greatest nutrient loss, and the microwaved broccoli lost 74% to 97% of three key antioxidants. Boiling also led to a significant loss of these antioxidants.

Is it better to boil or steam broccoli?

Steam, don't boil

As a general rule, it's best to keep cooking time, temperature and the amount of liquid to a minimum. That's why steaming is one of the best ways to cook most vegetables. It turns out that's especially true for broccoli, long touted as one of our top anti-cancer foods.

How do you know when broccoli is done cooking?

The broccoli is done when you can pierce it with a fork. As soon as it is pierce-able, remove from heat, place in serving dish. Note that green vegetables like broccoli will turn from vibrant green to drab olive green at about the 7 minute mark of cooking. So, watch the time, and don't let the broccoli overcook!

Can you eat broccoli raw?

Broccoli is a nutrient-packed vegetable that can be eaten safely either raw or cooked. Cooking may enhance the antioxidant activity of broccoli, but it may also reduce its content of certain heat-sensitive nutrients, such as vitamin C and sulforaphane.