How to Boil Broccoli: Full Guide with Useful Tips

Broccoli is an edible vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family. Being rich in fiber and many other nutrients, broccoli makes for a fantastic diet supplement. You can normally eat broccoli raw without cooking it. However, a great way to get the best out of broccoli is to boil it. Boiled broccoli is more tender than normal broccoli and adds more taste to the vegetable. Obviously, to eat boiled broccoli, you will need to boil broccoli as well. If you are wondering about how to boil broccoli, we have compiled the following steps as a guide for you.

What You Need To Do in Order to Boil Broccoli

If you are wondering about how to boil broccoli, you just need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Obtain 1 bunch of Broccoli

The first step requires obtaining the broccoli for boiling. You need to pick a green bunch that is not yellow in parts and also does not feel old. The best way to check if the broccoli you purchased is fresh is to check the firmness of the broccoli. Fresh broccoli is firm but not hard. It has water inside it and can be slightly pressed. Having fresh and good broccoli is key.

Step 2: Divide into inflorescences

Next point in our “How to Boil Broccoli Guide”: you need to cut up your broccoli into multiple pieces. The best way to do this is to cut the broccoli into inflorescences. Inflorescences are the round singular parts of the broccoli that end up making the whole thing.

Step 3: Take 1 liter of water and add 1 tablespoon of salt to it

Next, you need to take 1 liter of water in a small container and add 1 tablespoon of salt to it. Be sure to thoroughly mix in the salt until it dissolves completely in your liter of water.

Step 4: Add the inflorescences into the water

Add the inflorescences you cut earlier into the salty water solution you have prepared just now. This step helps prepare the broccoli for boiling. By being placed in the salty water, the broccoli loses water due to the process of osmosis. The loss of water makes the broccoli harder and more firm.

Step 5: Leave the broccoli for 30 minutes

Leave the broccoli sitting in the salt solution for 30 minutes to allow the water to have the desired effect on the broccoli.

Step 6: Drain the Water

Once the thirty minutes are up, take the container or utensil you prepared the solution in and drain the water. Take extra care to drain all of the water. Leaving water along with the broccoli can have a negative effect on it and can end up damaging the broccoli entirely.

Step 7: Boil Some Water

Next, you need to prepare some water for boiling. Simply take 1.5 liters of water and put it inside a utensil and heat till the water boils.

Step 8: Add 1 tablespoon of Salt

Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiled water and mix it thoroughly until all of the salt happens to dissolve inside the water. Salt makes it harder for water to boil while also giving the broccoli some flavor.

Step 9: Add the broccoli and leave to boil

Simply add the broccoli inside the water and put it on the stove. Then leave the broccoli to boil there.

How long should you boil broccoli?

Since the broccoli has already been subjected to treatment by water beforehand and the fact that the water you use for boiling it has also been already heated and boiled, you do not need to leave the broccoli boiling for long. Simply leave the pan with the water and the broccoli on the stove for 3-4 minutes and remove it immediately afterward. If you leave the utensil on the stove for longer than that, the boiling may end up damaging the broccoli. Possible damage includes the broccoli losing its color and/or losing almost all of its firmness. You will know when your broccoli is properly boiled by piercing it with a knife. If the broccoli is easily pierced, you are done with boiling it.

Taking it Out after Boiling

Once you have boiled the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, take out each piece one by one and place it in freezing water, or ice water, to let it cool down. The broccoli needs to be put in ice water for at least one minute. Not only does it cool the broccoli down and make it easily edible, but it also helps the broccoli retain its color. The boiling can damage the membranes of the broccoli and leak out its pigments. By putting it in cold water right afterwards, you restore the temperature of the broccoli to normal and it doesn’t get damaged. Leaving the broccoli in cold water for an extended period of time is not advised, however, as the broccoli might become too cold and stiff. As a result, 1 minute of time is perfect for cooling the broccoli.

How to Boil Broccoli (Summary)

Vera Stetsenko

If you want to boil broccoli, you just need to follow some steps. Cut the broccoli into inflorescences, then place it in salty water. Drain the water and put the broccoli in heated water. After that, take the broccoli and place it in ice water. Finally, it is ready to serve.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 minutes mins

Total Time 44 minutes mins

Course main dish

Cuisine all

Calories 35 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 4-5 liters of water
• 2 tablespoons of salt

Instructions

 

• Obtain 1 bunch of Broccoli
• Divide into inflorescences
• Take 1 liter of water and add 1 tablespoon of salt to it
• Add the inflorescences into the water
• Leave the broccoli for 30 minutes
• Drain the Water
• Boil Some Water
• Add 1 tablespoon of Salt
• Add the broccoli and leave to boil

Notes

Here are some tips for you to make your boiling experience even better:

• Cut the broccoli so that it is as fine as possible, without ruining the inflorescences
• Change the amount of salt you add based on how tender or hard you want the broccoli to be, and based on flavor too
• Cool for longer periods of time if necessary