Broccoli can be controversial due to its taste, but many people do not realise it will only have a bitter flavour if it is not cooked properly. Boiling broccoli is one of the worst ways to prepare it, as the sulphur compounds inside the vegetable can become stronger if you overcook it.
This will result in soggy broccoli that not only tastes horrible but is not as healthy for you as it should be. Instead, Jamie Vespa, a cook and founder of Dishing Out Health, has shared that the best way to cook broccoli is to ditch the pot and simply sauté it in a frying pan.
Jamie said: “Unlike boiling, which can cause some of the more heat-sensitive nutrients, like vitamin C, to leach out, sautéing helps vegetables retain some of their more delicate nutrients.”
She added: “Perfect sautéed broccoli comes together in just 15 minutes and will become your go-to way of preparing it.
“Never dried out, perfectly tender, and lightly charred, this broccoli will win over even the pickiest of eaters.”
How to make broccoli tastier
All you need to do is cut up the head of a broccoli so that all the florets are roughly the same size. You can also cook the stems if you wish, but they are a little tougher than the florets.
Next, place two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, and once the oil is hot, add the broccoli to the pan. Do not add it too soon, otherwise the broccoli absorbs the oil, which will make it soggy.
Cook the broccoli for two minutes in the oil, making sure to keep stirring it, and then cover it will a lid to continue cooking for six minutes.
Broccoli only needs eight minutes in total to cook properly and be lightly charred to get a better texture. Try to avoid burning it, otherwise you will get a bitter flavour.
Once the time is up, you can season it however you please. Salt and pepper are the most obvious choices, but you can also add a little lemon juice and parmesan cheese to make it even tastier.
Lemon juice brings out the natural sweetness in broccoli if it has been roasted and will give it a zesty flavour, so you are more likely to enjoy it.
Take the broccoli out of the pan, and your mouthwatering veggie will be perfectly cooked in less than 15 minutes.
