How to steam broccoli without a steamer

Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to prepare broccoli, as it preserves most of the nutrients and keeps more of its natural flavor compared to boiling. Even without a steamer or steaming rack, you can still steam broccoli on the stove or in the microwave. Your delicious dinner will be ready in no time!

For 4 servings - 450g broccoli with stems, cleaned and chopped - A pinch of salt (optional) - 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Wash the broccoli. Make sure to wash it thoroughly to remove any insects.

Cut the broccoli to your desired size. Cutting the broccoli into smaller pieces will reduce the cooking time.

• If you want to eat the stems, cut them into smaller pieces than the florets. Discard any tough or old parts.

Place the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add a bit of water. Choose a bowl with a lid (if possible).

• You can use a large ceramic bowl or a small ceramic tray.
• For 450g of broccoli (about one head), add 2-3 tablespoons of water.
• There's no need to spread the broccoli in a single layer because the steam will rise and cook all the pieces, both top and bottom.

Cover the bowl. Make sure the lid fits tightly, leaving as little gap as possible to prevent steam from escaping.

• If your dish doesn’t have a lid, you can use microwave-safe plastic wrap.
• A large, heavy microwave-safe plate can also serve as a cover if you prefer not to use plastic wrap.

Microwave for about 3-4 minutes. Set the microwave to high power until the broccoli is tender but still crisp and retains its vibrant green color.

• Since each microwave has different power, check the broccoli after the first 2 minutes. If it's not fully cooked, cover it and continue microwaving.
• If overcooked, the broccoli will become mushy.

Season to taste (optional). Once the lid is removed, season the broccoli with salt and melted butter before serving.

• Be cautious when opening the lid. Steam will escape and could cause burns if you're not careful. Move the bowl away and then open the lid to avoid steam exposure.

Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Use a knife to separate the florets from the stems.

• Cut the florets into pieces about 2.5cm in size.
• Cut the stems in half horizontally and slice each half into thin pieces, about 3mm thick.
• Since the stems are tougher, cut them into smaller pieces than the florets to ensure even cooking time.

Add water to a deep pan or saucepot. The pan should have a capacity of 2.5-3 liters. Pour in 1/4 cup (70ml) of water.

• Do not add more than 1/4 cup (70ml) of water. Adding too much will turn the steaming process into boiling. You only need enough water to create steam.

Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and cook the broccoli on high heat until steam begins to rise.

• It’s important to cover the pan tightly to trap the steam inside.

Reduce the heat and continue cooking. Turn the stove to low heat and cook the broccoli for an additional 3 minutes.

• When reducing the heat, make sure there’s still enough heat in the pan to cook the broccoli, but not too much that it boils and turns the broccoli into a boiled dish.

Serve with butter (optional). Carefully remove the pan’s lid and stir in butter before serving.

• Open the lid in a way that the steam escapes away from your face to avoid burns.
• When done, the broccoli will be tender yet crisp. If cooked too long, it will become mushy.

Cut the broccoli into the desired size. You can cut smaller pieces or double the size, but the stems should be cut smaller than the florets and uniformly sized.

• Ensure all pieces of broccoli are cut to the same size, including the stems.
• Remove any tough parts from the stems.
• Smaller pieces will cook faster than larger ones.

Add some water to a large pot. You only need to pour in about 2.5-5cm of water into the pot.

Place a metal strainer into the pot. The strainer should fit snugly into the pot, placed inside without touching the water.

• If the strainer touches the water, remove some of the water.

Bring the water to a boil.

• If water splashes through the holes of the strainer, you should reduce the water level to prevent this from happening.

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer the water. Simply cover the pot and continue simmering until the broccoli is tender but not mushy.

• Check the broccoli after the first 5 minutes, especially if you’ve cut it into bite-sized pieces. If it’s not cooked, cover the pot and keep simmering.
• Larger pieces of broccoli may require up to 15 minutes of steaming.
• It’s crucial to use a tightly fitting lid to keep the steam inside.

Season and serve. Add salt and butter to the broccoli (if desired).