Whether you simply have a large amount of broccoli you want to preserve for later or have a recipe that requires blanched broccoli, learning how to blanch broccoli is perfect for maintaining the very best color, flavor, and texture of this nutritional green veg, ready to add to salads and other dishes or to freeze for up to a year!
Why blanch vegetables?
First, what is blanching? It is the process of submerging foods into boiling water for a brief time, followed by immediately halting the cooking process with an ice bath. This brings out the vibrant color and best flavor/texture, then halts the natural enzymes that cause them to change color and lead to spoilage. This also means if you plan to freeze the vegetables, upon thawing, they won’t deteriorate and will remain vibrant while also preserving flavor. Plus, since blanching broccoli only takes a few minutes, it’s a no-brainer! With broccoli, a quick blanch can also help to get rid of the slightly unpleasant (and sometimes even bitter) “raw” flavor before adding to recipes like salads or where it only requires very brief cooking, like stir-fries. Within this post, I’ll take you through the best method for blanching and freezing broccoli, as well as how to cook it from frozen or use it from blanched!
What you’ll need
Broccoli: make sure to choose a broccoli head that is bright green (not yellowing), with a firm stalk and no brown spots.
Yield: a medium-sized broccoli head (around 9oz/250g weight) will yield around 3 ½ cups of florets and an additional 1-2 cups of chopped stalk.
Water: I just use tap water, but use filtered if necessary/preferred. Ice bath: you’ll need an ice bath to quickly halt the cooking process once the blanched broccoli is ready. I use a large bowl filled with ice-cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Slotted spoon: to remove the florets from the boiling water and transfer them to the ice bath. Large saucepan: a thick-bottomed saucepan is best for more even heating throughout.
How to blanch broccoli
First, separate the broccoli into even-sized florets, trimming any woody ends. I usually slice off an inch from the end of the broccoli trunk and then pull the florets apart by hand, using a knife when needed to separate them or chop them down to even-sized pieces. At the same time, peel the stem and chop it into pieces that are a similar width to your floret stems (and ½-inch thick). Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water (lightly salted if preferred) to a boil. Once boiling, carefully transfer the broccoli to the pan and allow it to cook for one minute for firmer results or 2-3 minutes (depending on the size of the florets) for slightly more tender results. They should be vibrant green and firm. I usually blanch the broccoli for 1 minute when freezing it and between 2-3 if I plan to eat it from blanched (i.e., in a salad). Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli from the pan and transfer it to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Allow it to cool for 3-4 minutes. Once cooled, pat the broccoli florets with a clean kitchen towel and then either use immediately OR it’s now time to freeze the fresh broccoli!
How to freeze fresh broccoli?
First, blanch, cool, and dry the broccoli following the steps above. Dry it well to avoid extra ice when freezing. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in your pan of choice. Add the chopped broccoli florets/stems to the tool of choice, trying not to overlap/stack them too much. Then steam for 4-5 minutes. Then continue with the ice bath steps. Then, spread the broccoli across a large tray, ensuring they aren’t touching, and flash freeze until solid. Once solid (this will take 2-3 hours), transfer the broccoli to a freezer-safe bag. Squeeze out all excess air and label with the use-by date (see below for storage instructions).
Storing instructions
You can store blanched fresh broccoli in the fridge for 3-4 days after blanching OR in the freezer for up to 12 months. However, I recommend using it within 6 months for the best quality (in terms of flavor and texture).
How to cook from frozen or blanched?
I love cooking vegetables from frozen cause there’s rarely the need to thaw it first. This is also the case with this frozen broccoli. You can either continue to cook it with your method of choice (boiling, roasting, air-frying, etc.). OR add it to dishes (like pasta, sauces, stir-fries, soups, and stews) within the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Likewise, blanched broccoli is a perfect fuss-free addition to salads, easy pasta salad, grain bowls, vegetable stir-fries, to top butternut squash pizza, etc. I also love to serve lightly blanched broccoli as crudites with dips like creamy hummus, baba ganoush, herby labneh dip. It’s also delicious when topped with this Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce.
Top tips
Save any scraps: they can be added to a separate freezer bag of veggie scraps and turned into vegetable stock! Use enough water: ensure that the florets are entirely covered with water while blanching. Otherwise, the cooking will be uneven. Whether to add salt: salting the boiling water will ever so slightly season the broccoli. It also helps the florets to preserve their flavor and texture. However, feel free to omit it if preferred. Have everything ready before starting: this entire process is very quick, so it’s best to have your chopping, blanching, and ice bath stations ready to go. Prepare the ice bath in advance and bring the pan of water to a boil while chopping the broccoli. Blanch in batches is necessary: if you plan to blanch a large amount, do so in batches. The more broccoli you add to the saucepan, the more the temperature will drop and affect the cooking time. For the best results, add just enough for just over a single layer of broccoli in your pan. Then, as that batch rests in the ice bath, blanch the next batch (only taking 2-3 minutes each time!).
More ways to use broccoli
Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli (Oven and Air Fryer Methods) Broccoli Apple Salad Asian Broccoli Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash Healthy Rainbow Chopped Veggie Salad Vegetable Stir Fry
If you try this method for how to blanch and freeze broccoli, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
