Steamed vegetables: tricks, times and weekly menu

Although steam is well known as a healthy cooking technique, many people associate steamed vegetables with a boring option. They confuse the results of this wonderful cooking technique with what can happen to the same vegetable if it is boiled, or “over-boiled”, which is even worse.

In addition, unfortunately, the culture of the diet has flagged steamed vegetables, not only as healthy, but also with few calories, leaving the most interesting thing in the background: that steaming respects the organoleptic properties most appreciated of vegetables: flavor, color and texture.

many people ask me How do I get my broccoli to be so green? yes i cooked it My answer is very clear: “It is that firm, green and appetizing because it is steamed.”

To steam vegetables, one of the most important things is take into account optimal cooking times so as not to make the same mistakes as in boiling. The advantages are many, because we better preserve the nutrients.

Broccoli is the perfect example of a vegetable that can go from being the most hated, if we over-boil it and it is soft and colorless, to being one of our essentials. In addition, we achieve that, with a correct exposure to heat, we can better assimilate nutrients. They are all advantages!

Before you start steaming you will have to get a steamerSo let’s first see what types of steamers we have. Then we will see some tricks for steam cooking and what are the cooking times of the main vegetables. Finally, I will tell you about the different uses that can be given to steamed vegetables, with a healthy weekly menu in which you will find some of these examples applied in practice.

types of steamers

There are different gadgets for steaming vegetablesbut basically we have three main types:

For the microwave, made of silicone suitable For placing in conventional pots Electric steamers

1. Microwave steamers

In microwave steamers we currently have a wide variety of options for making vegetables, and there are even options for steaming pasta or rice. It is convenient to read the instructions and keep in mind that many times we are going to have to add water.

The advantage of microwave steamers is that we can use them in the office, for example. They are easy to clean, very durable and we don’t have to watch the fire. Usually you have to add water.

2. Steamers to use in pots

Of the steamers that are placed in pots, we also have several types:

Bamboo steamers: They are traditional from Southeast Asia. Normally cabbage leaves or other green leaves, or a clean cotton cloth, are placed so that the food does not stick to the bamboo or take on flavor. Many preparations, such as mochis, bao or baozi are traditionally cooked in these steamers.Ceramic or glass steamers: They are placed on top of the pot and are the most common to find. They do not absorb flavors, as bamboo wood does, they are very easy to clean and are durable.Metal steamers: they have to be chosen to fit the pot, although they can also come as an accessory to it.

These steamers allow us to take advantage of the fact that we are cooking something on the fire, such as pasta or rice, to take advantage of the steam and cook some vegetables. Here the water does not touch the vegetables. If we submerge the vegetables, we are cooking it.

3. Electric steamers

As for electric steamers, they are usually multi-story. In its instruction manual you will have all the indications for its use.

Tricks for steaming vegetables

most vegetables they cook in a very short time, and in part this will depend on the thickness and cut of the same. My advice is that you write down how long they take in your steamer just as you consume them, noting if you have lacked time or left over, and so you refine. In the end you will have the sweet spot that you like.

You can start calculating using approximate times. Keep in mind that in microwave steamers the times are usually shorter. Also remember that, in a pot steamer, the time starts counting when there is steam.

Cooking times for steamed vegetables

I recommend you leave the vegetables al dente, at least to try them if you have never done them like this. These are the approximate times to achieve it:

Onion: 10 – 15 minutes Broccoli: 3 – 8 minutes Cauliflower florets: 3 – 8 minutes Cauliflower or broccoli stalks: 15 minutes Potatoes: 10 – 20 minutes Carrots: diced, about 10 minutes Asparagus: 5 – 10 minutes Zucchini: Coarsely chopped, about 15 minutes Spinach and green leaves: 3 minutes Green beans: half an hour or less and cut in half lengthwise

In the case of potatoes, I recommend you make them whole with skin if they are small or medium. Preserving the skin helps us to make them sooner and better.

What do not pass you by!

Once the time has elapsed, so that they do not continue cooking with the residual heat, this is what you can do:

Remove the steamer from the heat if it was in a pot. Remove the vegetables from the steamer and serve them immediately. If you are going to store them, cool them at that very moment.

to cool them and prevent them from being overcooked, you can place them on a clean surface, at room temperature. Another option to pass them to a bowl with water from time and ice cubes to completely lower the temperature. This water can be used for the next cooking you do, you don’t have to throw it away.

In the event that the vegetables are undercookedyou can always put it on longer or skip it a little later.

On the contrary, if you miss the vegetablesyou can make a cream, a puree or add them to a soup.

Eye! It is important that the pot has enough water. In many cases it is not necessary to fill it or put it on high heat. Make sure it doesn’t all evaporate.

How to eat steamed vegetables

Steamed vegetables are very useful for adding vegetables to any meal and it does not always have to be just a side dish. Here are some ideas:

As they are already cooked, you can add to soups or stews in the last minutes of cooking or during the rest. They are also very good stir-fried for a couple of minutes with rice, tofu, seitan or tempehfor example. Don’t forget them in your buddha bowls!

However, by themselves they are also delicious, since the flavor of each food is enhanced in an exceptional way. You can add a sauce to further enhance the flavors, such as:

They look very good vinaigrettes of all kindsboth basic and mustard or fruit.

The fresh sauces based on vegetable yogurt are another great option.

If you are a fan of vegetable mayonnaises, try making a light tofunaise, adding protein to your dish in a simple and delicious way.

Healthy weekly menu with the healthiest dishes

In today’s weekly menu you will find proposals for vegan recipes prepared with healthy cooking techniques. Several recipes include steamed vegetables, but you can always add them to other recipes if you want to complete them.

In general, it can always be a good idea to add one or two servings of steamed vegetables to your salads or use them as vegetable meat accompaniment. They go very well with tofu, tempeh or grilled seitan. If you are going to eat from a lunch box, take the sauce in a separate small bottle to add it when serving.

Download the weekly menu healthy here.

Remember that, even if we eat steamed, grilled or baked vegetables, we will need to consume one part raw vegetables. The vegetables in little bits or spiralized will help us throughout the day, since they are also a good snack.