How to Cook Broccoli (vegetable)

Tips for Usage (Cooking/Eating) Broccoli Vegetable

Broccoli is a green vegetable with loads and loads of benefits. This is a vegetable which can be consumed in both forms cooked and raw. Raw broccoli vegetable is known to be more nutritious as it contains more sulforaphane than the cooked one and be a suitable addition to salads. Broccoli the vegetable in any form is very beneficial for our body as it’s loaded with nutrients and vitamins that help to protect you from various diseases. Lets see how to make or cook broccoli (vegetable).

How to Cook Broccoli: Always before using broccoli vegetable for cooking make sure you have washed and rinsed it thoroughly in cold running water to get rid of all the dirt and insects which might be present in it. Now cut the florets into small pieces for cooking it. The stems of the broccoli are also edible, so peel it and cut it into small slices. To get the most nutrition from broccoli vegetable, let it sit aside for a few minutes after cutting it before cooking. There are many ways you can cook and enjoy Broccoli vegetable and it can be added to many recipes to make the dish more nutritious. Read on for some of the methods of cooking and making broccoli (vegetable).

How to Steam Broccoli vegetable: Broccoli is a vegetable that tastes amazing when it is steamed. But make sure not to overcook it as it will enhance its strong flavor and drain it of all the nutrients. Just cook Broccoli for a short time just to make it tender and crisp. You can steam Broccoli using either a microwave or on stove top. If you are using a microwave to steam, then place the broccoli florets in a dish and pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of water on the top. Cover the dish and microwave it at a high temperature for 3 to 4 minutes. Check the broccoli if it is tender if not then steam it for an additional minute if needed.

If you are using a stove top to steam the broccoli, just fill a pot with a little water and place a steamer basket on top. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. Let the water heat on medium to high heat and then add the broccoli florets and stems to the steamer basket. Now cover the steaming pot with a lid and steam the broccoli florets and stems for 4 to 5 minutes until they get tender. You can enjoy steamed broccoli with olive oil and seasonings, salads, casseroles and soups.

How to Blanch Broccoli vegetable: To make the broccoli tender you can also use this method of cooking known as blanching. To blanch the broccoli you will need to fill a bowl with ice water and keep it next to the stove. Now boil a large pot of water and to it add a tablespoon of salt and broccoli florets. Let the florets Cook for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, so that they become tender and crisp. Your broccoli is now ready and can be served on the vegetable platter.

How to Sauté Broccoli: After washing the broccoli, rinse it properly to make sure it is completely dry. Now in a skillet, heat some oil on medium to high heat. Add the broccoli florets along with salt and toss them around in the skillet to coat them with oil. Now after a minute add the stems of the broccoli. Saute the broccoli till it turns bright green and tender.

How to Roast Broccoli: To roast a broccoli vegetable it should be as dry as possible or it won’t roast properly. Now heat the oven on 425F. In a mixing bowl take the broccoli florets and stem and coat them with a few tablespoons of oil and half teaspoon of salt. Now place the oil coated broccoli on a thin layer of foil lined baking sheet. Roast the broccoli for 20 to 25 minutes to make it nice and crunchy. Serve the roasted broccoli immediately. You can also use it as a side dish or pizza topping.

How to Eat Broccoli vegetable : Now that you know the various ways of cooking broccoli, Now let’s look at some of the delicious ways you can enjoy broccoli. It can be added to pastas, pizzas and salads or made into soups to make them more interesting as well as nutritious.

• Pastas: Steamed broccoli goes very well with pasta when added along with nuts and tossed using olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Soup: You can easily make some delicious Broccoli soup by just pureeing some broccoli and add some amazing seasonings of your choice to it. You can also prepare a chicken soup can pureeing broccoli and chicken broth and adding sautéed onion to it.
• Omelette: You can also add the Broccoli florets and chopped stalks to your regular omelettes to make them more nutritious.
• Salad: Broccoli salad can be easily prepared by tossing some steamed broccoli with chickpeas, halved grape tomatoes, olive oil, crumbled feta and red wine vinegar.
• Dip: You can make some amazing dips by pureeing steamed broccoli and mixing it with sour cream and grated parmesan cheese to be served with raw vegetables.
• Frittata: You can make some amazing frittata at home by sauteing some chopped garlic and steamed broccoli in olive oil and cover them with beaten eggs. Now sprinkle some grated cheese and bake it at 350F in an oven.
• Broccoli slaw: To prepare broccoli slaw you need to combine chopped raw broccoli with red onion and add some cream, cider vinegar and honey dressing to it. You can also use yogurt, lemon juice and garam masala as an dressing for Broccoli slaw.
• Broccoli with Chicken: You can make some amazing chicken dishes using broccoli like you  can toss in some Broccoli with bone-in chicken pieces and whole garlic cloves in olive oil and then roast it at 400 F for 35 to 45 minutes until cooked.
• Snack: You can enjoy Broccoli as a snack as well. For an amazing snack just Steam some broccoli and toss it with some butter and lemon juice and sprinkled with toasted almond slices.
• Broccoli with Anchovies: You can mash a few anchovies and a garlic clove using a mortar and pestle and mix with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add steamed broccoli to this and toss it.