Cooking Broccoli In The Microwave

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Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable that can added to various types of recipes. The easiest and quickest way to cook broccoli is in the microwave.

How do you microwave broccoli? To microwave broccoli, cut the florets into bite sided pieces, place the flowers in a microwave safe bowl with a lid, and add 2 tablespoons of water. Nuke 12 ounces of broccoli for 3 minutes on high.

From egg dishes to sautés, stir-frys and sides of steamed broccoli, microwave broccoli to add to your favorite meal preps.

The information provided in this write-up will help you understand how to microwave broccoli. Included below are microwave tips that will give you perfect results.

Can you microwave broccoli?

Yes, you can microwave broccoli as it is the quickest and easiest way to cook broccoli.

Microwave cook food by focusing electromagnetic energy at water molecule, causing them to vibrate, which generates heat through friction.

Therefore, foods with high water content cooks quickly and effectively in the microwave. Like most vegetables, broccoli has a high water content.

While microwaving broccoli, each piece should be cut into one inch in size so that the long wavelengths can easily penetrate the vegetable and cook it properly.

Is microwave broccoli healthy?

Yes, it is healthy to microwave broccoli. Like most other foods, broccoli needs to be cooked for the nutrients to become available for digestion, the microwave is a safe and effective way to cook it.

Many people are under the impression that microwaving food can be dangerous, as it could possible take away nutritional elements and add unhealthy components to it. But it is not true.

Actually, microwaving is safer than any other cooking method. According to experts, microwaving is one of the best methods of preparing nutritionally sound foods.

A small amount of water can help a microwave to quickly steam the food, along with retaining its essential minerals and vitamins. It has been proven through various studies that broccoli can retain its sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting element, when it is steamed in a microwave.

When you use a microwave-safe container with a tight fit lid, then you can microwave broccoli safely with a minimum amount of water to retain its nutritional values.

Can you microwave broccoli without water?

Yes, you can microwave broccoli without water as it naturally contains 90% water. It is better to microwave broccoli rather than cooking it in boiling water as water can extract much of its nutrients.

To microwave broccoli without water, you will have to take a large bowl that is microwave-safe, fill it with bite-size pieces of broccoli and cover the bowl with a microwave safe plate. Place the bowl into the microwave and nuke on high for 3-4 minutes.

The moisture in the broccoli will release from the florets as they begin to heat up. As more and more liquid natural releases, it help to steam it properly without destroying releasing nutrients into the boiling liquid that eventually gets drained away.

How do I cook broccoli in the microwave?

Cook broccoli in the microwave by following a few easy steps discussed below.

To microwave broccoli, use a microwave-safe bowl, a microwave cover or large microwave-safe plate as a lid, and a colander to drain the natural liquid that releases from the florets.
Start microwaving the broccoli after washing and cutting bite-size pieces of florets from the stalk.
Put these broccoli pieces in the bowl and add water up to half an inch along the bottom, and cover the bowl with the plate.
Place the bowl into the microwave and nuke high for 3 minutes, or until it becomes tender with a slight crisp.
Seasoning it with pepper, salt, butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

The water in the bowl produces steam that eventually cooks the broccoli as the steam is not allowed to escape the plate used as a lid on the top of the bowl.

It is recommended to check the doneness of the broccoli after 2 minutes, give a quick stir and continue zapping for another minute or so. The time taken to microwave broccoli can vary depending upon the wattage of your microwave and the quantity of broccoli being microwaved.

How long do you microwave broccoli?

Using a 1000 watt microwave, 12 ounces of broccoli cooks for 3-4 minutes on high to get tender and crispy broccoli every time.

The time taken to microwave broccoli can vary depending upon the microwave wattage, size of the florets and the weight of broccoli you want to microwave.

Tips to microwave broccoli

The tips provided here under can help you to microwave broccoli more efficiently.

Use a microwave-safe container with a microwavable lid over the top and a colander to drain the liquid afterwards.
Wash the broccoli and cut into bite-size florets.
Add half-inch of water to the bottom of the bowl and place pieces of broccoli into it.
Cover the top of the bowl with a microwave cover, or use a glass or ceramic plate as a lid.
Put the bowl with broccoli into the microwave and nuke until the broccoli is tender with a slight crunch, about 3 minutes on high.
Use a potholder or oven mitts to take out the hot bowl from the microwave and the colander to drain away the water.
Season the microwaved broccoli just before serving.

In this method, the heat generated by the microwave reacts with the water in the bowl creating steam that fully cooks the broccoli. You should check the doneness of the broccoli every minute or so, that last minute really cooks quickly.

Best way to microwave broccoli

The best way to microwave broccoli is to place the florets in a microwave safe container with a lid. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the dish and nuke on high for 3 minutes.

To microwave broccoli, you will have to follow a few simple steps:

Cut the florets and stalks of broccoli into bite-size pieces after removing from the woody stem. Smaller pieces will help in cooking the broccoli more evenly.
Put all the pieces of broccoli into a microwave-safe bowl and add 2-3 tablespoon of water per one pound of broccoli.
Cover the bowl tightly with a microwave-safe lid, a plate will work much better than using plastic wrap if you don't have a lid. For this purpose, a damp paper towel can also be used to trap the steam inside the dish.
Put the bowl into the microwave to microwave it for 3-4 minutes on high. The time to microwave the broccoli can vary depending upon the wattage power of the microwave, size of the pieces and the amount of broccoli to be microwaved.
Check for doneness every minute to make adjustments to the time if necessary. Microwave broccoli until the florets get tender, but still remain slightly crispy.
After the broccoli is cooked, take the bowl out of the microwave and carefully open the cover. It can release a burst of steam which can burn you if not opened cautiously.
Before microwaving broccoli, consider adding soy sauce, lemon juice or a piece of butter to it to increase its taste. When adding these liquids, don't add water as this will dilute the flavor.
Before serving the cooked broccoli, season it with salt, pepper and any flavorful additions you enjoy like melted cheese or cheese sauce.