[17] Tips On How To Store Broccoli, For Keeping It Fresh

Amazing as a side dish or in a sautéed food, soup, or meal, broccoli (Brassica oleracea) works in a wide range of dinners.

Stuffed with antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber, it’s an adaptable veggie that can upgrade practically any supper.

The numerous plus points of broccoli make it a wholesome vegetable which contributes to diminishing different medical problems. Let’s explore all the 21 tips on How To Store Broccoli, along with the below points.

  • how to cook broccoli
  • how to freeze broccoli
  • how to store broccoli in the freezer
  • how to store broccoli and cauliflower

How To Store Broccoli In The Refrigerator?

Broccoli stays fresh for three to five days in the refrigerator if stored properly—nevertheless of whether it’s raw or cooked.

Not only does the nutrition content stay intact but also the freshness remains at its best condition when refrigerated.

When consumed in enough quantities and in fresh condition, it can help reduce a few illnesses, similar to malignancy, diabetes, coronary illness, and age-related sicknesses.

Thus, it is important to figure out how to store broccoli fittingly to guarantee it remains as fresh as possible for the maximum number of days.

What’s more, with appropriate capacity, the crown of broccoli can keep going for a week or more so you can load up unquestionably without stressing over wastage.

  1. It is better to wrap the broccoli in a sodden paper towel rather than a fixed compartment or plastic pack. This will ensure the broccoli stay fresh because of the good circulation of air.
  2. Washing it before storing may accelerate mold on the vegetable caused due to extra retention of moisture.
  3. In any case, it should possibly be washed when you’re prepared to utilize it to ensure it’s totally perfect.
  4. If the refrigeration process is properly done, the broccoli can stay fresh for up to 4 to 5 days.
  5. For storing cooked broccoli remember you have either aluminum foil or saran wrap to conceal the vegetable before refrigerating it. Ensure that what you enclose it by is similar water/air proof as possible.

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How To Store Broccoli In The Freezer

How To Store Broccoli In The Refrigerator
How To Store Broccoli In The Refrigerator

Freezing and storing the broccoli retains all the nutrients as well as allows you to enjoy it at any time of the year.

This cycle isn’t troublesome at all! Frozen broccoli arranged and put away in this manner can be added directly into a dish while cooking.

Best way to store fresh broccoli in the freezer:

#1 Pick Fresh Broccoli’s

When buying or reaping broccoli, search for heads that are fixed and tight. Do not pick broccoli even if it shows a little bit of an opening.

The freshness remains longer and more intact when the crown is tight. You can obtain yummy results by freezing ripe and fresh heads!

#2 Wash And Separate Each Floret

Broccolis can be a good feast for caterpillars as well. Make sure you rinse each floret thoroughly to eliminate any speck of dirt or traces of worms from the vegetable.

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Split the broccoli into segments that are not much bigger than 1.5 inches tall. Separate the heads into simple to-deal with areas and soak them in a salt solution of four teaspoons salt to water for about 30 minutes. Flush heads thoroughly after it.

#3 Blanch The Broccoli

Blanching of broccoli is a necessary step for freezing the florets. If you freeze it crudely, you’ll end up with unpleasant, boring green, withered stems.

  • Blanching will give you a frozen yet fresh broccoli with a splendid green tone and scrumptious flavor.
  • Blanching can be done by soaking the broccoli in bubbling water for 3 minutes or steam it for 5 minutes.
  • Make sure none of the broccoli overcooks by using a Chinese spider sieve to eliminate broccoli rapidly from the water.
  • A colander can also be used in its place provided you’re working with a pot huge enough to fit it.

#4 Cool Down The Broccoli

  • Keeping in mind the exact time you boiled the florets, cool down them for the exact time by dipping them in ice water.
  • For appropriate drainage of the water, a salad spinner functions admirably to constrain water out of each little floret joint.
  • Then again, you can wash off the broccoli with a colander and afterward spread it on a towel and dry them.
  • It’s ideal to move broccoli as fast as you can from ice water to the cooler, therefore, make sure to work as rapidly as possible.

#5 Broccoli Freezing Method

  • You can independently speedy freeze broccoli by covering them with parchment lining paper and then bundle it into airtight bags.
  • This work’s best if the broccoli florets are completely dry. Otherwise, pack it in freezer bags in enough amounts.
  • Remember to drain out excess water otherwise; it will freeze into a huge mass, which will hinder the cooking.
  • Arrange the florets as flatly as possible in the airtight bags to get effective freezing.

#6 Freeze Broccoli Stems

Do not leave the stems behind. Wash the stems and blanch them in the same way before freezing them in air-tight packets in the freezer, thus keeping the broccoli fresh.

You’ll have the option to snatch a modest bunch of stems to add to your stews or soups.

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How Should You Store Broccoli And Cauliflower?

Hailing from the same family the broccoli and cauliflower is a cool-season crop, and the most ideal approach to appreciate its straight from-the-garden flavor is to freeze it in season.

While cooking you often wonder how to store raw broccoli at home. Simply putting, you can store broccoli and cauliflower in shut plastic packs, it’s ideal to leave them open or utilize punctured capacity sacks.

The exchange of air will keep broccoli fresh and crispier. With this method, the cauliflower and broccoli should be able to be saved for around 5 days.

How To Cook Broccoli?

Broccoli is the vegetable we go after when we need a bit of a bonus to balance our diet.

This cool-season crop is a huge plus point with respect to the nutritional content of your daily diet and helps cut the chances of various diseases even.

But sometimes broccoli could stand out as a dull food, especially to children who hate gulping the greens down their throats.

If you are someone who has the same concern, we have brought for you the best five ways to cook broccoli.

Not only will these methods retain all the nutrients but also the delicious taste of it so that it stands as a loved food by all.

Cooking Method 1:

Blanching:

  • Fill a large bowl or pan with water and bring it to a boil.
  • Add a whole tablespoon of salt to it and stir.
  • To the gurgling water, add the broccoli pieces. Cook them till they become soft and tender.
  • Remove the florets with a Chinese spider sieve to eliminate them rapidly from the water.
  • Bring a bowl filled with ice-cold water
  • Dip the broccoli into the bowl of ice-cold water.
  • Keeping in mind the exact time you boiled the florets, cool down them for the exact time.
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If you like your broccolis to be tenderer, just cook them for more 30 minutes.

Cooking Method 2:

Steaming In The Microwave:

  • Put broccoli florets and stems in a microwave bowl.
  • Add three to four tbsp. of water on top of them.
  • Cover them with a plate and microwave them on HIGH intensity for about three to four minutes.
  • Remove the plate from microwave bowl to check the tenderness of broccoli.
  • If you would like your broccoli to be tenderer, cook for an additional 1 minute in the microwave oven.

Cooking Method 3:

Steaming On The Stovetop:

  • Fill a pot a little lesser than half of it.
  • Insert a steamer basket over the top.
  • Be certain the water doesn’t come in contact with the lower part of the steamer basket.
  • Put broccoli in steamer basket and cover it.
  • Now steam for about 4-5 minutes, until they become delicate.

Cooking Method 4:

Sautéing:

  • Take dry broccolis for this method.
  • Make sure that the broccolis are properly rinsed after wash, or skip washing them if they look clean.
  • Coat a pan with oil and set the flame at high to medium-high warmth.
  • Add florets to the pan when it’s heated enough and toss them with an adequate amount of salt.
  • Include broccoli stems to the pan one minute later.
  • Keep stirring often, until the broccoli is splendid green and delicate.

Cooking Method 5:

Roasting:

  • Bring the oven to heat at 425°F.
  • Ensure the broccoli is just about as dry as could really be expected.
  • Make sure that the broccolis are properly rinsed after wash, or skip washing them if they look clean.
  • Throw the broccoli florets and stems in the oven with teaspoons of oil and salt as per taste.
  • Use a foil-lined baking sheet to place broccoli florets in a single line.
  • Allow it to roast for about twenty to twenty-five minutes until the broccoli is crunchy and you can see a profound caramelized earthy color appearing.
  • Serve hot and right away!

How To Store Broccoli Sprouts?

Growing broccoli sprouts is easy and does not require you to master any special gardening skills.

These sprouts are famous for containing sulforaphane which is said to be able to fight various cancer-fighting properties. Above it all, the antioxidants present in broccoli help improving human health.

Contrary to popular belief broccoli sprouts do not come from the regular crown of broccoli but from broccoli seeds which you can easily get in the market.

All you need are a few tools and you can start sprouting broccoli seeds right on your kitchen countertop.

Day 1: Soak The Broccoli Seeds Properly

To begin, you’ll need to load your broccoli seeds in any bowl filled with normal water. This readies the seeds to grow.

Put the bowl in a space with dim light for at least 12 hours so that it gets soaked properly.

Day 2: Transfer Seeds To Sprouting Vessel

After the seeds are soaked enough, it’s time to transfer them into the sprouting vessel.

Store the seeds in a cool dark place for around two days.

You’ll also need to rinse them at least three times a day, to ensure the sprouting is done perfectly. 

Days 2-4: Sprout & Rinse

After 24 hours, you’ll find the sprouts starting to grow a bit. Even though they’ll be yellowish, you’ll see them slowly turn to greenish in the sprouting vessel.

Day 4 Or 5: The Sprouting Vessel Is Moved Out Of The Dark

Once you find the sprouts growing in size from about half-inch to full-inch in length, you’ll know it’s time to shift them into the sunlight.

This will associate with day 4 or 5 of the growing cycle.

We would prefer not to place the vessel in direct daylight so early, however in some pleasant aberrant light for around twelve additional hours.

This will help build up the stunning green shading that broccolis ought to have.

Day 5: Harvest The Sprouts

This would be the last step of sprouting.

They ought to be completely developed and quite greenish in color. All you need to do is to give them one great last wash and move them to a glass bowl covered with a lid.

You should store them in the refrigerator before you decide to cook the broccoli sprouts. Make sure the sprouts are dry to touch before you put them for storage in the refrigerator.

How To Store Cut Broccoli?

How To Store Broccoli
How To Store Broccoli Tips

Sometimes you just cut broccoli only to discover that you don’t need that much into making the dish. Now, what to do?

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Don’t worry!

  • Cut broccoli can stay new and crisp as long as 5 days if appropriately put away.
  • Simply, stuff the broccolis in an airtight container before putting it in the refrigerator.
  • In case you do not have an airtight container at hand, simply put them in a plastic bag.
  • Remember to eliminate as much air as you can from the plastic before putting it inside the fridge.
  • For long haul stockpiling, utilize the freezing strategy above to keep it new throughout the year.

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How Long Can You Keep Fresh Broccoli In The Fridge?

While storing fresh broccoli it is advisable to eat the broccoli as soon as possible.

To store them, make sure you wash them properly before drying them and storing them in a glass container with an airtight lid to retain the freshness of the florets.

If stored outside at normal temperature, be sure to eat it as soon as possible or within 2 days to get the crispy taste.

Raw Broccoli: To Freeze Or To Refrigerate?

The crispiness and freshness of this green vegetable make it a wholesome green that can be easily incorporated into a diet.

Keeping in mind the nutritional advantages of broccoli you might want to store broccoli for a longer and fresher period of time.

Refrigerating the broccoli will lock its freshness for about four to five days even after you thoroughly blanch the florets. But freezing the raw broccolis keeps the freshness and crispiness of them locked for about 12 months.

  • Cut broccoli into small florets.
  • Rinse them and blanch them for about three to four minutes.
  • Dry the florets properly before you store the florets in a container with an airtight lid.
  • Lastly, put the florets in the refrigerator. By this method, you can store them for up to 12 months.

How To Store Broccoli In The Refrigerator?

Broccolis are perishable vegetables that cannot be kept in the open for longer days. Its crispiness starts vanishing as days pass by.

Therefore it is advised to consume it as early as possible for maximum nutrient retention. If you store the broccoli in the refrigerator, it is advised to consume it before four days are up.

  • Remember to cut fresh pieces of broccoli before rinsing then properly
  • Blanch the cut pieces of florets thoroughly for three minutes.
  • Dry the florets well.
  • Pack the florets in a single line before stuffing them in an airtight container and then putting them inside the refrigerator.

Remember to consume the florets within four to five days.

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Conclusion

Broccolis are highly nutritious vegetables that are often associated with green weight loss.

These are packed with nutritional properties that can reduce cancer-causing properties. It is important to be consumed in our daily diet.

Storing broccoli won’t be a hassle anymore now that you know the bible of storing florets as well as locking away the freshness.

Therefore make sure to keep broccolis fresh so that you can toss them in the pan whenever you wish to. Use all these above tips on How To Store Broccoli.

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