How to Blanch Broccoli (2024)

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Learn How to Blanch Broccoli to tame its raw, bitter taste. Then you can sauté it for stir-fries, add it to pasta salads, or pile it on your next vegetable platter.

Blanched broccoli is an easy, healthy ace to keep up your sleeve. Blanching is a cooking process that removes the harsh, bitter taste of raw broccoli while setting its bright green color. You start by boiling raw broccoli florets for just a few minutes, then plunging the florets into an ice bath. By doing these two steps quickly, you’ll get a tender-crisp texture and a nice, mellow flavor.

I like to blanch broccoli before adding it to Vegetable Platters, pasta salads, Brown Fried Rice, stews, and other dishes. It’s also a fantastic component of any meal prep plan.

Tutorial notes

• Uniform size:Cut the broccoli florets into pieces that are all about the same size so they cook evenly.
• Buying:Choose bright green broccoli that has a firm stalk without yellowing florets or brown spots. Broccoli should feel heavy for its size.
• Storing:Whole broccoli should be stored in an open bag in the refrigerator. Use broccoli within 3-4 days.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water with salt to boil and fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Lower the broccoli florets into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and tender-crisp.

2. Remove the broccoli and immediately plunge into the bowl of ice water. When the broccoli is completely cool, drain well.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield:This recipe makes 6 servings (½ cup blanched broccoli each). 1 pound of broccoli yields about 6 cups of raw florets or 3 cups of blanched florets.
• Storage:Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer:Arrange drained broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment or waxed paper and put it in the freezer (this is flash freezing). Once the broccoli is frozen, transfer it to a freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze broccoli up to 9 months. Remove and reheat any portion size, or thaw the whole bag overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Just the stems: If you have a recipe that makes use of the florets, you could cut up, blanch, and freeze just the sturdy broccoli stems. Waste not!
• Sauce it up: Blanched broccoli makes a delicious side dish with a drizzle of hollandaise, teriyaki sauce, or cheese sauce.
• Leftovers:Use leftover blanched broccoli in an Omelet or Scrambled Eggs, Seafood Pasta Salad, or green salad.
• More vegetables to cook: Try blanching green beans and blanching asparagus. Carrots, cauliflower, and other sturdy vegetables work well too. Roasted Broccoli is another favorite and you can do it with just a drizzle of olive oil and some salt.