Steam Broccoli Without a Steamer

Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook broccoli since this woody vegetable loses fewer nutrients and retains the most natural flavor during this process than it does when boiled. If you do not have a steamer or a steaming basket, you can still steam broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop. Dinner is that much closer to being healthy and delicious!

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb (450 g) broccoli with stalks, rinsed and trimmed
• Pinch of salt (optional)
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter (optional)

Steps

Microwave

1. Wash your broccoli. Check for insects.
2. Cut the broccoli as desired. Cutting the broccoli into small pieces will help it to cook faster.
   • If you want to eat the stalks, they should be cut into pieces that are slightly smaller than the florets. Remove any hard, woody pieces.
3. Place the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add water. Choose a bowl with a lid if at all possible.
   • A large ceramic bowl or small casserole dish works well.
   • For one pound of broccoli (about one head) add 2-3 tablespoons of water.
   • The broccoli does not need to be in a single layer since the steam will rise and affect top layers just as well as it will affect bottom layers.
4. Cover the bowl tightly. Secure the lid onto the bowl, leaving as little room as possible for steam to escape.
   • If you do not have a lid for your dish, you could also cover the dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap.
   • A large, heavy, microwave-safe plate can also be placed over the top of the bowl instead of a lid if you would feel more comfortably skipping the plastic wrap.
5. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes. Cook the broccoli on High until the broccoli is tender yet still crisp, and is a brilliant emerald green.
   • Since all microwaves vary by strength, you should check the broccoli after the first 2 minutes. If it is still not done, re-cover the dish and continue microwaving.
   • If cooked too long, the broccoli will become mushy.
6. Season, if desired. Remove the lid and season the broccoli with salt and melted butter before serving.
   • Be careful as you remove the lid. The steam will escape, and it could burn you if you are not careful. Open the bowl away from you to avoid exposing yourself to the steam.

Skillet

1. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Use a sharp kitchen knife to separate the florets from the stalks.
   • The florets should be cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
   • The stalks should but cut in half crosswise, and each half should be chopped into slices that are roughly 1/8-inch (3.175-mm) thick.
   • The stalks are more dense, so they must be cut into smaller pieces than the florets in order to cook them within the same amount of time.
2. Add water to a deep skillet or saucepan. The pan should be able to hold 2 1/2 to 3 quarts (2 1/2 to 3 liters).. Top the stalks with 1/4 cup (70 ml) water
   • Do not use much more water than 1/4 cup (70 ml). Adding too much water will only cause the broccoli to boil. You need just enough water to create steam.
3. Bring the water to a boil. Throw in the broccoli.
4. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Place a lid on the saucepan and cook the broccoli on the stovetop over high heat until steam forms.
   • It is crucial that you cover the saucepan securely in order to trap the steam inside.
5. Reduce heat and continue cooking. Turn the heat down to simmer the broccoli for another 3 minutes.
   • By turning the heat down, you ensure that the inside of the saucepan will remain hot enough to cook the broccoli but not so hot that it causes the water to boil the broccoli, instead.
6. Serve with butter, if desired. Carefully remove the lid and stir in the butter before serving.
   • Remove the lid so that the steam points away from your face. Otherwise, you may get burned.
   • Once finished, the broccoli should be tender-crisp. Mushy broccoli has been cooked too long.

Metal Colander

1. Cut up the broccoli as desired. The pieces can range from bite-size to twice as large as bite-size, but the stalks should be smaller than the florets and each piece should be evenly sized.
   • The florets should all be the same size, just as the stalks should all be the same size.
   • Remove any especially woody bits from the stems.
   • Smaller pieces will cook faster than larger ones.
2. Fill a large stockpot with a few inches of water. You only need to fill the stockpot with 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of water.
3. Place a metal colander inside. The metal colander should be able to rest on the rim of stockpot. The basket portion should fit inside the stockpot without touching the water.
   • If the basket does touch the water, pour some of the water out.
4. Heat the water to a boil.
   • If the water splashes through the holes of the colander, carefully dump out some of the water so that none of it reaches through.
5. Put the broccoli in the colander.
6. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low, to keep the water at a simmer. Put a lid on the stockpot and cook the broccoli until it becomes tender, but not mushy.
   • Check the broccoli after the first 5 minutes, especially if you cut it into bite-size pieces. Re-cover and continue cooking if it is not yet done.
   • Large pieces of broccoli may need to steam for as long as 15 minutes.
   • A secure cover is essential in order to trap the steam inside.
7. Season and serve. Flavor it with butter and salt, if desired.

Things You'll Need

Microwave Method

• Microwave-safe dish
• Lid, plastic wrap, or heavy plate

Skillet Method

• 2 1/2 to 3 quarts (2 1/2 to 3 liters) skillet or saucepan with lid

Metal Colander Method

• Large stockpot with lid
• Metal colander

Related Articles

• Keep Cooked Broccoli Bright Green
• Steam Broccoli in a Rice Cooker
• Steam Carrots
• Freeze Broccoli

Sources and Citations

See also

• Steam Broccoli
• Steam Broccoli in a Rice Cooker
• Make Steamed Rice
• Steam Clams
• Steam Crab
• Steam Vegetables
• Steam Corn
• Steam Carrots
• Cook Vegetables in the Microwave
• Steam Cabbage

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• Cook Broccolini