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    Home » How Tos

    How To Steam Broccoli: Easy, Fast, And Healthy

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Steamed broccoli is an amazingly healthy vegetable with vibrant green color and a broad range of health benefits. Here’s a quick guide on how to steam broccoli.

    steamed broccoli on spoon

    Mama said there should always be a green vegetable on your plate. And, my favorite green vegetable is broccoli, more specifically, steam broccoli. It’s way more versatile than you might think and pairs with pretty much anything.

    You can enjoy it in a salad, on a plate with some brown rice, or on a plate with crispy blackened tofu.

    In this post, I’m going to show you a few different ways to steam broccoli perfectly every time. And, what do I mean by “perfect?” I mean crisp-tender, vibrant green, delicious with every bite, and NOT MUSHY steamed broccoli.

    Table of Contents

    • Why Make Steamed Broccoli?
    • Broccoli Nutrition Information
    • Ingredients You Will Need To Make Steamed Broccoli
    • How To Steam Broccoli Instructions
    • How To Steam Broccoli Using An Instant Pot
    • Easy Steamed Broccoli Recipe With Steamer Basket
    • How To Steam Broccoli In the Microwave
    • How To Steam Broccoli With No Steamer Basket
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage
    • More Easy Vegetable Recipes
    • How To Steam Broccoli: Easy, Fast, And Healthy

    Why Make Steamed Broccoli?

    Steamed broccoli is one of the easiest recipes and a great way to get a healthy side dish on the table super fast. It’s also one of those vegan foods you can happily over-indulge on completely guilt-free. It’s gluten-free, vegan, and loaded with vitamins.

    • Fast and easy: you can make steamed broccoli in less than 10 minutes with no fancy equipment.
    • Healthy: steaming broccoli requires nothing but water so it’s fat-free, low-calorie, and nutrient-dense.
    • Versatile: steamed broccoli not only goes with many different dishes there’s also a variety of ways to add flavor. It’s not boring!
    fresh broccoli on cutting board

    Broccoli Nutrition Information

    This bright green cruciferous vegetable is super nutritious. It’s very low in calories, full of nutrients, and contains almost no fat (source). The information below is for 1 cup of broccoli:

    • Calories: 31
    • Protein: 2.5 grams
    • Carbohydrates: 6 grams
    • Fiber: 2.4 grams
    • Fat: 0.4 grams

    Ingredients You Will Need To Make Steamed Broccoli

    Broccoli and water, that’s it! Yes, you can season it but you only need two simple ingredients to make steamed broccoli.

    Broccoli: you can either use pre-cut broccoli or chop your own. If you are going to chop your own leave the stems long, it looks much better and gives you more broccoli.

    broccoli florets

    How To Steam Broccoli Instructions

    When it comes to steaming broccoli there are a few ways to accomplish said task. And, they’re all super simple. Let’s look, shall we?

    How To Steam Broccoli Using An Instant Pot

    I use my Instant Pot EVERY day for almost every meal. It’s my go-to kitchen appliance of choice even for steaming vegetables.

    1. Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot insert and place a steamer basket in the Instant Pot. I like this silicone steamer basket.
    2. Spread the broccoli florets in the steamer basket. Choose manual or pressure cook mode on the Instant Pot and set the time to 0 minutes on high pressure with the vent in the sealing position. (Yes, I know it looks weird but it’s actually ZERO minutes)
    3. When the Instant Pot has finished cooking, do a manual “quick release” and remove the steamer basket. Be careful because it will be hot.
    4. Optional: place this basket under cold water to stop the cooking or enjoy the broccoli right away.
    5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Easy Steamed Broccoli Recipe With Steamer Basket

    If you don’t have an Instant Pot the most common method is using a steamer basket in a saucepan.

    1. Add 1-inch of water and a steamer basket to the saucepan and bring the water to a boil.
    2. Place the broccoli in the basket, cover reduce the heat to medium, and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. The broccoli is done when it’s fork tender.
    3. Don’t let the broccoli overcook or it will turn an ugly green and get all soft and mushy.
    broccoli in steamer basket

    How To Steam Broccoli In the Microwave

    1. Pour 1-2″ of water into a large microwave-safe bowl and add the broccoli to the bowl.
    2. Microwave the broccoli on high for 2 minutes. Check the broccoli for tenderness and microwave for an additional 2 minutes on high if necessary. 
    3. Carefully remove the broccoli from the microwave, let it cool for a few moments, and enjoy.
    steamed broccoli in bowl

    How To Steam Broccoli With No Steamer Basket

    If you don’t have a steamer basket you can still cook the broccoli on the stove-top with boiling water.

    1. Place 1-2″ of water in the bottom of a pot, pan, or nonstick skillet. Heat over high heat until the water is boiling. Add in the broccoli and place a lid on top.
    2. Cook for 3-4 minutes and quickly place broccoli in a strainer and run cold water over the broccoli.
    3. Drizzle with lemon juice and enjoy.

    Serving Suggestions

    You can enjoy steamed broccoli plain but dressing it up a little doesn’t hurt. I like topping it with a sprinkle of my vegan parmesan cheese, cashew vegan mayo, balsamic vinegar, a little soy sauce, or something simple as a squeeze of lemon juice.

    • Brown Rice and Lentils
    • Crispy Blackened Tofu
    • Best Grilled Tofu Recipe
    • Vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
    • Easy Grilled Teriyaki Skewers
    • Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

    Storage

    Place leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    broccoli in bowl

    More Easy Vegetable Recipes

    • Skillet Green Beans
    • Easy Maple Roasted Carrots
    • Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    • Holiday Oven Roasted Vegetables
    • Oil-free Oven Roasted Potatoes

    If you tried this recipe please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and a review in the comments section down below the recipe card. Stay in touch with and connect with me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to my newsletter.

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    How To Steam Broccoli: Easy, Fast, And Healthy

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Print Recipe

    Steamed broccoli is an amazingly healthy vegetable with vibrant green color and a broad range of health benefits. Here’s a quick guide on how to steam broccoli.

    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2–4 servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 head of broccoli or bag of pre-cut broccoli florets

    Optional add-ons

    • cashew mayo
    • lemon juice
    • garlic
    • balsamic vinegar
    • salt and pepper to taste

     

     

    Instructions

    1. Add 1-inch of water and a steamer basket to the saucepan and bring the water to a boil.
    2. Place the broccoli in the basket, cover reduce the heat to medium, and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. The broccoli is done when it’s fork tender. Don’t let the broccoli overcook or it will turn an ugly green and get all soft and mushy.
    3. Carefully remove from the heat, season as desired with optional add-ons, and enjoy!

    Equipment

    Saucepan

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    Steamer Basket

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    Chef’s Knife

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    Nonstick Skillet

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    Instant Pot

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    • Author: Shane Martin
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Category: Vegan Side Dishes
    • Method: Steam
    • Cuisine: Vegan
    • Diet: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 of 4
    • Calories: 52
    • Sugar: 2.6 g
    • Sodium: 50.2 mg
    • Fat: 0.6 g
    • Carbohydrates: 10.1 g
    • Fiber: 4 g
    • Protein: 4.3 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: steamed broccoli, how to steam broccoli

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mari

      September 12, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      Can we use instantpot without the basket to cook the broccoli? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 12, 2022 at 3:45 pm

        I’ve never done it that way, but it’s very possible it would burn.

        Reply
    2. Shane Martin

      September 08, 2022 at 9:11 pm

      Steamed broccoli is an amazingly healthy vegetable with vibrant green color and a broad range of health benefits. Here’s a quick guide on how to steam broccoli.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Hélène

      September 08, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Hello,

      If I am using the microwave méthod, do I cover the brocoli to create steak?

      Thank you, Hélène

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 08, 2022 at 9:10 pm

        There’s no need to cover. But, you can place a paper towel over is you wish.

        Reply
    4. Regina Walter

      September 08, 2022 at 12:53 pm

      I like to buy big bags of frozen broccoli from Costco. Would you use the same methods for frozen?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 08, 2022 at 9:10 pm

        Yes. I would use the same methods.

        Reply

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