Steaming vegetables is a quick and easy option for getting vegetables onto your plate.
Steaming your vegetables is a great way of keeping some of the crunch in your vegetables, none of us likes soggy broccoli with dinner.
Here are some things you may need to know about how you can get perfect steamed vegetables every time.
One important factor in steaming vegetables is keeping your vegetables the same size, if vegetables are cut to the same size they will cook at the same rate, this means you will be getting consistent texture in the finished vegetables.
Do not overfill the steamer, too much in one batch will mean some vegetables will overcook and others will barely be heated through.
Steam the dense vegetables first; things like carrots take slightly longer to cook than things like broccoli, if you are steaming a mix of vegetables try adding the dense first and tender vegetables towards the end.
If you do not want mushy vegetables set a timer, steaming is quick so try checking your veggies after 3 minutes; you should be able to tell how much longer they need to cook.
Take the vegetables out just before they are done, this means you will not overcook them and end up with a mushy mess but perfectly cooked vegetables.
Different vegetables take different lengths of time to steam; this is a rough idea of how long some commonly used vegetables take to steam
- Spinach and Rocket: 3 minutes
- Peas: 3 minutes
- Broccoli Florets, Cauliflower Florets, Green Beans: 5 to 7 minutes
- Carrots, Potatoes, Turnips, Squash: 8 to 20 minutes
- Kale and Collards: 10 minutes
How to Steam Vegetables
Ingredients
- Any vegetables you want to steam
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Chef’s knife
- Small saucepan with lid
- Steamer basket or colander
Instructions
Cut the vegetables into uniformly sized pieces. The smaller the pieces the faster they will cook.

Add 2-3cm of water to the pan and place the steamer basket or colander on top of the pan, the basket or colander should not touch the water.

Bring the water to a boil, when you can see steam rising from the pot it is ready to use.

Add your vegetables to the steamer basket or colander and cover with a lid.

Check on the vegetables after approximately 3 minutes, vegetables will be ready when they are just tender and often look vibrantly and brightly coloured when they are ready.

Remove the vegetables when they have a little crunch left, they will continue to cook even when they come out of the steamer

Freshly steamed vegetables are great served with a little olive oil or some butter.
Instructions
- Cut the vegetables into uniformly sized pieces. The smaller the pieces the faster they will cook.
- Add 2-3cm of water to the pan and place the steamer basket or colander on top of the pan, the basket or colander should not touch the water.
- Bring the water to a boil, when you can see steam rising from the pot it is ready to use.
- Add your vegetables to the steamer basket or colander and cover with a lid.
- Check on the vegetables after approximately 3 minutes, vegetables will be ready when they are just tender and often look vibrantly and brightly coloured when they are ready.
- Remove the vegetables when they have a little crunch left, they will continue to cook even when they come out of the steamer
- Freshly steamed vegetables are great served with a little olive oil or some butter.