How to Boil Broccoli {the RIGHT way}

Knowing how to boil broccoli the right way is so important to cooking this nutritious veg to keep it, well - nutritious! I'll show you how to boil broccoli so that you KEEP the most possible nutrition plus show you a few other ways to cook broccoli like steaming, roasting, stir-frying, and even cooking it in the microwave from frozen!

I think we've all been at that family get together and there's a vegetable on the table that is just sad.

I'm talking that almost brownish, limp and soggy-sad broccoli.

Ok, EW.

Nothing against those who choose to cook broccoli like this - hey, a lifetime of habits can be hard to break.

I totally get it.

But if you're looking for a way to boil broccoli that doesn't result in a mushy mess, read on.

Jump to:

• 🥦How to Boil Broccoli
• 🥦How to Steam Broccoli
• 🥦How to Roast Broccoli
• 🥦How to roast frozen broccoli
• 🥘How to Stir-Fry Broccoli
• 🥦How to Cook Broccoli in the Microwave
• Want more?
• 💬 Comments

Even better still, I hope I can introduce you to a few different ways to cook broccoli that are also easy and keep the broccoli bright and nutritious🥦

And since we're talking all things brocc, here's a few recipes you might want to bookmark for later that feature this fabulous green veg:

🥦How to Boil Broccoli

Alright, so how DO you boil broccoli? Let's get clear on a couple things: for boiling, I'm referring to plunging the broccoli florets into a pot of boiling water for a certain period of time.

Pretty straightforward.

But, it's not necessarily the best way to cook broccoli.

Here's the main problems with boiling broccoli:

• It's SO easy to overcook the broccoli. Unless you need mushy broccoli for some reason, boiling broccoli by putting it straight into the boiling water is the fastest way to overcook it. In a matter of minutes, you'll have mushy, limp broccoli which is just no bueno🙅‍♀️
• You lose so much of the nutrition. When you submerge the broccoli into the boiling water, so much of the nutrition leaches out into the water. It's tough to keep the nutrition of the broccoli intact in most cooking methods but plunging into the boiling water is probably the number way to lose as much nutrition as fast as possible

So what to do?

If you want to boil broccoli and lose the LEAST amount of nutrition, you've gotta keep the time in the boiling water to a minimum.

⏲️How long to boil broccoli:

If you're putting the fresh broccoli florets straight into the boiling water, cook for 3 minutes maximum.

After 3 minutes, drain the boiled broccoli. If you're serving it warm with a supper for example, just serve right away.

If you're making the broccoli for a meal prep - like this one: Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Meal Prep or a salad like this Lemony Brown Rice, Broccoli and Feta Salad - you can plunge the broccoli into a bowl of cold water or run it under cold water for a minute or 2.

This optional step of getting the boiled broccoli pieces into a bowl of cold water will stop them from continuing to cook even more. After a few minutes in the cold water, drain the broccoli very well and then use as you need.

How long to boil frozen broccoli:

To boil frozen broccoli, you'll do the same as fresh:

• Fill a pot up with water about ¾ of the way full and bring to a boil
• Add broccoli to the boiling water
• Because the broccoli is frozen, it'll cool off the water and it'll stop boiling so you can put a lid on the pot to keep the heat in
• Boil for about 3 minutes only

After 3 minutes, the stems of the broccoli should be still firm when you pierce it with a fork.

After boiling, drain the broccoli and serve.

🥦How to Steam Broccoli

Steaming broccoli is, I think, a better way to cook broccoli than just straight boiling.

That's because the broccoli itself doesn't sit right in the water - it's in a basket or steamer of some sort that's sitting on top of the boiling water.

The hot and wet steam is what does the "cooking" of the broccoli in this case.

Here's what you'll do to steam the broccoli:

• Get a pot with a lid and a steamer. Fill the pot ¾ of the way with water and set the temperature to high on the stove. Make sure that whatever steamer you'll be using fits on top of the pot (ie, where the lid usually would go.)
• Get your broccoli cut up and place it in the steamer
• Then, once the water is boiling, remove the lid (carefully!), place the steamer where the lid was and then put the lid back on top

Turn the heat down to medium-high.

Now steaming broccoli, although a better way than straight boiling, can STILL result in the same issues as above: over-cooked broccoli and major nutrition loss.

So to avoid both of those things, the main thing you gotta watch is TIME.

How long to steam broccoli:

Once you have your broccoli in the steamer and overtop of the boiling water, set a timer for 7 minutes.

After 7 minutes, carefully take off the lid and pierce the broccoli with a fork. Is the stem of the broccoli firm but still lets the fork in?

Or is more like raw and too firm?

Also, what is the colour - it should start to become a brighter, vibrant green colour.

If it's still too firm, place the lid back on and set the timer for another 2 minutes to check again.

Once the broccoli is done - firm but not hard and NOT mushy, turn off the heat and remove the broccoli from the heat so it stops cooking.

Serve warm or set aside to cool if using in other dishes (ie, salads.)

How long to steam frozen broccoli:

Steaming frozen broccoli takes a little bit less time.

Because frozen broccoli is usually "cooked" and then it's flash frozen, it doesn't need as long when steaming.

Steam frozen broccoli florets for 5 minutes and then check them with a fork.

Take them off the heat when the stem is firm and before it gets too soft.

🥦How to Roast Broccoli

Roasting broccoli is one of my favourite ways to cook this vegetable.

Roasting is easy to do and the results are delicious.

Broccoli also lends itself well to roasting with other vegetables like this recipe for Simple Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes (one pan), this Sheet Pan Chicken, Broccoli and Potatoes {Healthy Recipe}, and this one for Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese.

To roast broccoli, get a large pan and cover it in parchment paper. Spread out the cut florets on the pan and drizzle with some olive oil and Kosher salt.

How long to roast broccoli:

I recommend roasting broccoli at a high temperature: 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes.

Roasting is a "dry heat" cooking method. Unlike boiling and steaming which are "wet heat" methods.

So you'll notice that the water that's in the broccoli will be dried out and you'll be left with some delicious roasted broccoli, with little crispy bits on top.

Very important for roasting broccoli: be sure to get some olive oil and Kosher salt onto the broccoli so that you get some delicious flavour infused into the broccoli.

Once the broccoli is done roasting, you can serve it right away or use it in meal prep for the week ahead.

🥦How to roast frozen broccoli

Here's the thing about roasting frozen broccoli: it won't turn out exactly like fresh broccoli that you roast but it'll be pretty close.

Generally, it just takes longer to roast frozen broccoli than fresh.

Because it has more water in it (from being frozen), you need the heat of the oven to dry it out more.

If you like those little brown bits that you get from roasting like I do, here's how you can get that with roasting frozen broccoli:

• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F
• Get a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, add the frozen broccoli florets
• Add a little olive oil and Kosher salt over the broccoli
• Roast for 25 minutes, stirring the broccoli halfway

You'll get a few of those nicely browned tips when you roast frozen broccoli this way.

🥘How to Stir-Fry Broccoli

Stir-frying broccoli is a great way to side-step all the downsides of boiling broccoli.

It's a "dry heat" way to cook the broccoli so you don't have to worry about the nutrition leaching out in a pot of boiling water.

To stir-fry broccoli, cut the heads of broccoli into bite-sized pieces. You want to have the pieces of broccoli small enough so that when they hit the hot pan or skillet during stir-frying, they cook fairly evenly.

Not like you have to break out the measuring tape but you get it: just don't have a big ol' chunk of broccoli and expect to get a nice cook on it with stir-frying😅

For equipment for this stir-fry, if you have a wok, then definitely use that (lucky duck).

But if you're like me and only have a large non-stick pan, that will work too.

Get some olive oil in the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli pieces and stir frequently so that the pieces of broccoli get cooked on all sides.

You can also use a cast iron pan for stir-frying the broccoli too! I love cooking with cast iron and if you're just getting started with cast iron pan cooking, definitely check out these recipes:

How long to stir-fry broccoli:

Stir-frying broccoli doesn't take too long. After 4-6 minutes of stir-frying the broccoli, you'll start to see some browning on the florets.

It'll also turn bright green in colour. Then you know it's time to remove it from the heat.

You can serve the broccoli along side something else you're making like Cast Iron Skillet Boneless Pork Chops with Homemade Spice Rub or add it to a salad or meal prep you're making.

🥦How to Cook Broccoli in the Microwave

Cooking broccoli in the microwave has saved me so many times from having a supper with NO VEGETABLES (gasp!)

The best of us can forget the veg at supper and having frozen broccoli in the freezer can be one of the quickest and easiest ways to get a nutritious vegetable onto the supper table in a pinch.

Here's how to cook broccoli in the microwave from frozen:

• Get a microwave safe bowl
• Add the amount of frozen broccoli you need for the meal
• Add about 2 tablespoon of water per cup of frozen broccoli
• Place in the microwave to cook on high for about 3-5 minutes, depending on how much frozen broccoli you're cooking

This way, you're really "steaming" the broccoli: the water starts to heat up, produces steam and this thaws out and then heats up the broccoli florets.

My microwave has a "frozen vegetable" setting where you just hit it and the microwave figures out how long to cook it. I find this GREATLY overcooks the frozen broccoli (or any vegetable for that matter) so I find it better to do this way - the "manual way"😄

How long to cook broccoli in the microwave:

For each cup of frozen broccoli, it will take about 1-2 minutes on high to cook through.

I find it's helpful to stir it halfway too so that you can help it cook evenly and check on the broccoli so it doesn't get overcooked.

Alrighty, I hope this helps you figure out not only how to boil broccoli but also maybe inspired you to try some other ways to cook this fantastic vegetable too🥦

~April