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!
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. 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 Pros: Quick and easy with big flavor; great for everyday use. Variation: Simple Sauteed Broccoli Total time: 10 minutes 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 Pros: Great flavor, and quick and easy to make! Total time: 10 minutes Pros: Fast to make, uses less oil than pan frying. Total time: 10 minutes 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 Pros: It’s incredibly quick and easy to make. Cons: You have to have a microwave handy. Total time: 7 minutes Pros: Fast and easy, and uses less oil than pan frying.Cons: Slightly less flavor than roasted or sauteed. Total time: 8 minutes Pros: Quick method, no oil or butter required.Cons: It requires both a pan and an ice water bath. Total time: 8 minutes
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.
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: 5 from 1 review
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.
