- Food: Steamed Broccoli
- Writer: Nicolas Wilson
- Content-Type: Food Blog
Learn how to precisely steam broccoli every time! It’s a delightful healthy side dish that’s seasoned with salt, pepper, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
I make this steamed broccoli recipe when I need a quick, fresh side dish to fill out a meal. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes, including prep and cleanup, and the results are always wonderful.
The broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green when steamed. I like it plain (the steaming brings out the natural sweetness of the broccoli), but it’s much more delicious with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice on top.
Broccoli Steaming Instructions
It doesn’t get any easier than this when it comes to steaming broccoli! This is how it works:
Prepare the broccoli first. Remove the stalk from the broccoli and cut it into bite-sized florets. You can also peel, dice, and steam the stalk if desired. Save it for another purpose, such as cooking broccoli rice!
Cook is the next step. Fill a steamer basket with broccoli florets and place it in a pot with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower to low heat and cover. Allow the broccoli to steam for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender and bright green.
To taste, season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. That concludes our discussion.
Serving Suggestions for Steamed Broccoli
Steamed broccoli is one of my favorite healthy side dishes. To make it beautiful and bright, I toss it with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a hefty squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
It’s also delicious with romesco sauce, vegan ranch, honey mustard dressing, or lemon vinaigrette.
It goes well with nearly anything once it’s been seasoned; try it with a frittata, a baked potato or sweet potato, vegan meatballs, or a steaming cup of soup. It goes extremely well with pasta. Pair it with any of the following dishes:
- Fettuccine Alfredo (vegan) or Fettuccine Alfredo (non-vegan)
- Macaroni and Cheese (classic) or Vegan Macaroni and Cheese (vegan)
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
- Easy Baked Ziti
I like to add steamed broccoli to grain bowls or toss it with noodles if I’m not serving it as a side dish. In my Cashew Broccoli Soba Noodles or my Macro Veggie Bowl, it’s a must-try.
It’d be fantastic in both this Buddha Bowl and this Power Bowl! In this warm Vegan Broccoli Soup, steamed broccoli adds color and texture.
Steamed Broccoli
| 3-minute prep time Time to cook: 5 minutes Serves: 4 |
This steamed broccoli recipe is my personal favorite way to prepare broccoli. The florets are delicious, crisp-tender, and bright green in less than 10 minutes.
Serve it as a side dish or add it to grain bowls, mac & cheese, and other dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- Water, for steaming
- Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, for seasoning, optional
Instructions
- Place the broccoli florets in a steamer basket over 1-inch of water in a pot.
- Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until it is tender.
- As desired, drizzle the steamed broccoli with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.