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Four plates of broccoli each of them showing a different cooking method including steamed, roasted, sautéed, and air fried
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5 from 3 votes

How To Cook Fresh Broccoli

Broccoli is a very healthy vegetable, but it can be tricky to cook. Follow along to learn how to cook broccoli in four easy ways!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, vegetarian
Keyword: Broccoli
Servings: 4
Calories: 103kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare broccoli for any of the methods below by rinsing the broccoli well and allowing to dry (you don't need to dry if streaming). Cut the fresh broccoli florets away from the large stem, leaving an inch or two of the floret stems and use a knife to cut the florets into even pieces.
    Cut up pieces of broccoli on a cutting board next to a knife, lemons, salt, and olive oil

To Steam:

  • Place 1-2 cups of water in a heavy saucepan with a steamer. Bring water to a rolling boil. 
    Add prepared broccoli to the steamer basket and place over the saucepan, covering with the lid. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low) and allow to steam for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is just fork tender.
    Do not over cook! Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
    Steamed broccoli in a white bowl with salt and pepper

To Roast:

  • Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
    Place the broccoli, 2 tablespoons of olive oil (I love using garlic or lemon infused oils), and salt in a plastic zip-top bag. Seal bag and shake until broccoli is coated in oil and seasonings.
    Top view of uncooked broccoli in a zip-top bag
  • Place florets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and crispy. Remove from the oven and serve. 
    Optional: toss with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano) and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
    Broccoli on a large baking sheet roasting in the oven

To Saute:

  • Heat oil in a large skillet, frying pan, or wok. 
    Add broccoli and sauté over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes. 
    Add sauces and/or seasonings and continue sautéing an additional 1-2 minutes
    Broccoli being sautéed in a skillet

To Air Fry:

  • Place the broccoli, 2 tablespoons of olive oil (I love using garlic or lemon infused oils), and salt in a plastic zip-top bag.
    Seal and shake until broccoli is coated in oil and seasonings.
    Raw broccoli cut into florets in a plastic zip-top bag next to a jar of olive oil
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of your air fryer basket and then add broccoli. 
    Air fry at 375 for 7 minutes. Check broccoli every couple minutes to make sure it isn't drying too fast and give it a good toss if needed.
    Cooked broccoli in an Air Fryer basket

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 961mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1894IU | Vitamin C: 271mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 2mg