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Here’s how to cook broccoli: all the best ways! This healthy veggie is delicious when cooked perfectly, whether sauteed, steamed or roasted.
Bright green broccoli is one of the tastiest healthy veggies out there! Many home cooks can be tempted to overcook it into a mushy mess. But cooked correctly, it can be transcendental! That roasted broccoli above is just as irresistible as a crispy French fry when charred to perfection in a hot oven. Here we’ve collected the best ways of how to cook broccoli: roasted, sauteed, steamed, Instant Pot (pressure cooker), and more!
How to cook broccoli: the best ways!
Roasting makes broccoli as irresistible as French fries! This is our favorite way to cook it if you have the time. Oven roasted broccoli comes out perfectly tender and charred, with crispy dark brown parts. It has a mild, almost sweet flavor.
Pros: Incredible flavor and comes out crispy.
Cons: You have to think ahead and wait for the oven to preheat.
Variations: Throw in carrots for Roasted Broccoli and Carrots, or make Roasted Frozen Broccoli
Total time: 30 minutes
Sauteed or pan fried broccoli is the fastest, most delicious way to cook it on a weeknight! Broccoli is often overcooked, leaving it soggy and without flavor. This go-to simple pan fried broccoli cooks it up so it's lightly browned but perfectly crisp tender and flavorful! It's our go-to we eat almost every day.
Pros: Quick and easy with big flavor; great for everyday use.
Variation: Simple Sauteed Broccoli
Total time: 10 minutes
Did you know you can boil broccoli, too? Boiled broccoli comes out perfectly bright green and crisp tender after just 2 minutes in hot water. This is one the easiest methods of how to cook broccoli: ever! Why? There’s really no technique involved and it's lightening fast.
Pros: Fast and uses less oil than pan frying.
Cons: It has a little less flavor than roasting or pan frying. but you can compensate with salt and olive oil.
Total time: 5 minutes
What’s more comforting than broccoli smothered in Parmesan and cheddar? Meet this perfect Broccoli and Cheese, aka Cheesy Broccoli. It has just the right nuanced flavor from the Parmesan and cheddar cheese, the best tender texture, and the perfect warming vibe. It's also a little healthier than a standard cheese sauce.
Pros: Great flavor, and quick and easy to make!
Total time: 10 minutes
Steamed broccoli is super quick and simple: just don't be temped to overcook it! Steaming it for 3 to 5 minutes results in broccoli that's bright green and crisp tender. Cook even a few minutes past and it goes from bright and crisp to faded and mushy. With an olive oil drizzle and a sprinkle of feta crumbles, this humble veggie morphs into something stellar.
Pros: Fast to make, uses less oil than pan frying.
Total time: 10 minutes
Have you tried the revelation that is grilled broccoli? This is one of our new very favorite summer side dishes. The grill transforms this tasty veggie to be crisp tender and charred, with a hint of smoke. Cook it simply with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice, and it’s a fantastic side for any grilled dinner.
Pros: Broccoli comes out charred and smoky; a unique way to cook it!
Cons: You have to have a grill handy.
Total time: 15 minutes
You might think this veggie would come out soggy and bland in the microwave. But cook it right, and it comes out bright green and perfectly crisp tender: you’d think it was cooked right on the stovetop!
Pros: It's incredibly quick and easy to make.
Cons: You have to have a microwave handy.
Total time: 7 minutes
Want the fastest way to cook broccoli? Steaming it in the Instant Pot! Yes, this recipe has a zero minute cook time in the pressure cooker. Yes, you'll set the Instant Pot timer for 0 minutes. After about 5 minutes of “preheating” your broccoli is done! It comes out perfectly bright green and tender, much like the steaming method. Add a drizzle of olive oil and feta crumbles, and it's fantastic.
Pros: Fast and easy, and uses less oil than pan frying.
Cons: Slightly less flavor than roasted or sauteed.
Total time: 8 minutes
Here’s a secret: blanched broccoli is unexpectedly irresistible. Those tender florets, salted to perfection, are much easier to eat than raw. It's a simple method with no cooking fat necessary.
Pros: Quick method, no oil or butter required.
Cons: It requires both a pan and an ice water bath.
Total time: 8 minutes
Of course there are a few other ways to cook broccoli (like the microwave), but these are the best methods that will get the best flavor every time! We promise.
How to cut broccoli
Aside from how to cook it, how about how to cut broccoli? Some home cooks make the mistake of chopping it into very small florets, making them look stubby and uninspiring. Here’s how to cut the most beautiful florets.
- Keep the stems as long as possible! When you chop off the florets, slice them right the base of where the floret attaches to the main stem. Then separate them by slicing them apart right at the bottom. Doing this makes for an elegant and beautiful shape.
- Make the florets medium sized, as similar in size as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect! But keeping the florets uniform helps them to cook through at the same rate.
For more, go to How to Cut Broccoli.
More great broccoli recipes
Want more ways to eat broccoli? Here are some of our favorites:
- In soup! Try our Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup.
- In stir fry! Try Broccoli Stir Fry.
- With shrimp! Try Shrimp and Broccoli.
- In casserole! Try Broccoli Cheese Wild Rice Casserole.
How to Cook Broccoli
Here’s how to cook broccoli: all the best ways! This healthy veggie is delicious when cooked perfectly, whether sauteed, steamed or roasted.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Vegetables
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, stem on (about 3 large heads or 6 heaping cups florets)*
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Chop the broccoli into medium-sized florets, leaving a good amount of the stem for a nice shape (see the photo).
- Roasted: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and slightly browned (no need to stir!). When the broccoli is done, remove the pan from the oven. Grate 1 clove garlic onto the pan, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Use a spoon to gently toss it all together (separating any grated garlic that clumps together).
- Sauteed: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (the broccoli will lightly brown in parts). Stir in ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (optional) and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until crisp tender but still bright green. Taste and add a few pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper. Remove the broccoli to a bowl and serve immediately. Sprinkle with lemon zest (optional).
- Boiled: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil them for 2 ½ to 3 minutes until bright green and crisp tender, taste testing often (basically, don’t leave the pot!). Once they’re cooked, drain into a colander. Place in the serving dish and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and add additional seasoning to taste.
- Steamed: Place 1 ½ cups water into a saucepan or pot. If using a steamer basket without a handle, add it to the pot now: the water surface should be right under the basket. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli (in the steamer basket, if it has a handle). Steam with the lid on 3 to 4 minutes until just tender, testing with a fork to assess whether it’s done. If you’d like it more tender, cook 1 minute more. Carefully remove to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Grilled: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees). Wash the broccoli and pat it dry with a towel. Chop it into large florets with long stems so they are easy to turn on the grill. In a bowl, mix the broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Place the broccoli directly on the grill grates and grill for about 6 to 8 minutes until charred and tender, turning once. Remove from the grill and spritz with lemon juice from wedges from ½ of the lemon. Taste and add a few more pinches of kosher salt, if needed.
Broccoli nutrition
Broccoli is one of the best vegetables you can eat! It’s a cruciferous vegetable, part of a vegetable family that includes cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. That means it inherits all the nutrients that run in the family! Here’s why to eat broccoli:
- It’s a great source of fiber. 1 cup of raw broccoli has 2.3 grams of fiber, or about 5 to 10% of your daily need. (Source)
- It’s high in protein for a green vegetable. 1 cup has 3 grams protein. (Source) That’s a similar level to asparagus and potatoes.
- It’s very high in Vitamin C. ½ cup has 70% your daily value of Vitamin C. (Source)
Don’t confuse broccoli with broccoli rabe! Broccoli rabe is a bitter green that’s more closely related to a turnip than broccoli.
I learnt more about cooking broccoli
That was easy and very direct recipe, gotta try it out