Blanching broccoli is the best way to make it! It is so easy and delicious because it preserves SO much flavor and settles the raw, bitter taste. Blanching broccoli ensures that your broccoli is nicely cooked but also still has a nice crunch to it. It goes well with just about anything! This 10 minutes side dish is the perfect addition to any weeknight meal. I make this recipe weekly here in my own home.
If you have been following along on Instagram, you probably already know I own a local meal prep company. Over the years we have experimented with how to cook broccoli and this by far is my favorite. If you are into easy side dishes like I am, be sure to check out my other favorite sides on my blog like my Roasted Bok Choy, Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts, Instant Pot Zucchini, Lemon Garlic Asparagus, Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots, and my Arugula Pear Salad. You can spice up your vegetables by adding fun sauces to the mix like my Lemon Dill Aioli.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- You literally can have this side dish on the table within 10 minutes.
- This recipe goes great in just about anything like stir fry and crockpot meals.
- The balancing process ensures the broccoli is well cooked while still having a nice crunch to it.
- You can eat broccoli plain with a little bit of salt or top it off with one of my favorite dressings like this Steakhouse Ginger Dressing or my go to Tahini Dressing.
- This recipe is naturally dairy free, gluten free, soy free, nut free, vegan, paleo friendly and Whole30 friendly.
- If you love simplifying cooking check out my other broccoli recipe- Cooking Frozen Broccoli In The Air Fryer. If you carbs with your vegetables check out my Peas and Potatoes recipe.
- Cooking vegetables does not have to be hard! You can also use the instructions from this recipe to make just about any cruciferous vegetable.
Recipe Ingredients
- Raw broccoli florets- Be sure to grab fresh broccoli. When you cut the head of broccoli apart into smaller pieces and remove the thick stock, you have broccoli florets. You can use a knife, however, I find it easier to twist and pull the pieces apart into smaller pieces; AKA florets. The thick stock (or trunk) is edible, however, it takes longer to cook this portion so you want to cut this down. The trunk does have nutrients in it too so I do not like to waste. If you prefer not to eat the trunk part, make sure you still save it-you can use it in smoothies like my Broccoli Smoothie. You can also buy prepped broccoli florets from the grocery store so you do not have to break it apart!
- Sea salt- This prevents the broccoli’s natural sugars and salts from draining into the blanching water preventing your broccoli to lose any flavor.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Substitutions and Instructions
- Lemon juice-I like to add a little bit of lemon juice once the broccoli is done for flavor. Note that the lemon juice may change the bright green florets/ bright colors to light brown and that is ok. It doesn’t mean the broccoli is bad, it is just due to the enzyme activity and natural enzymes in the lemon juice.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Recipe Instructions
Photo #1: Bring 4 quarts of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water too and set to the side. Put the broccoli florets in the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until you have tender florets. The broccoli should be bright green and just barely tender.
Photo #2: With a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli and immediately plunge in ice water.
Photo #3: When the broccoli is completely cool, drain it from the ice water and pat dry with a paper towel. Allow it cool on a sheet pan.
Cooking Process FAQs
A super simple cooking method! It is most often used with different fruits and vegetables. First, you place the food item in boiling water for a few minutes. Then, you “shock” the food item by placing it in ice cold water. This prevents the item from overcooking and leaving you with a mushy product. Blanching will ensure the perfect taste, texture, and color.
Yes. Store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Absolutely. First, place in the freezer on a parchment lined sheet pan to allow for flash freezing. Once the broccoli is frozen, you can transfer to a Ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to 9 months. Be sure you put the broccoli in a freezer-safe bag. Remove and reheat any portion size at your convenience. In fact most frozen broccoli that you buy is already blanched, it helps preserve it for later use!
I love the caraway pots and pans. They are non-toxic and so easy to clean!
Absolutely! Put the broccoli, water, and salt in a microwave friendly bowl covered (either a microwave friendly ceramic lid or plastic wrap) on high for 3-4 minutes. Then follow the same instructions as you would if you used boiling water. Once the broccoli is cooked, drain the water and shock it with an ice bath.
Yes! You would follow the exact same recipe for balancing cauliflower.
You can but I do suggest using ice. If you do not have ice you can run the broccoli under cold water.
Cooking Tips
- Have your bowl of ice water ready while the broccoli is in boiling water. You want the transfer to be quick, to make sure that the broccoli stops cooking.
- Be sure not to cook the broccoli too long or you will have mushy broccoli. It is always easier to cook the broccoli for less time and throw it back in rather than reverse overcooked broccoli. The longer you cook it, the more it will have loss of flavor.
- If I am blanching a ton of broccoli at once, I like to have a baking sheet ready for me to allow it to cool off on. The broccoli will continue to cook once it is done boiling so you will want to make sure you put it in the ice water bath with ice cubes then allow it to lay out in a single layer after you cook it.
- This recipe can last for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Other Easy Side Dishes Recipes You Will Love
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Blanching Broccoli
Equipment
- large pot
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli florets
- 2 tsp sea salt optional
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts of water and 2 tsp of sea salt to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
- Put the broccoli florets in the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and slightly tender.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli and immediately plunge in ice water.
- When the broccoli is completely cooled, drain from the ice water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Lori says
This is my favorite way to make broccoli!!