How to Cut Broccoli

A broccoli stir-fry, a broccoli and cheese side dish, or a broccoli gratin are all delicious, healthy dishes that can be prepared with broccoli. Many people use frozen broccoli, but if you use whole fresh broccoli you will need to learn how to cut broccoli.

What Is Broccoli?

Broccoli is a dark green vegetable that you can easily find at any grocery store. It has small florets that resemble miniature trees.

Broccoli comes from the cabbage family and is a distinct cousin of cabbages and cauliflowers. However, unlike these vegetables, broccoli is not a naturally occurring vegetable.

This delicious and super healthy vegetable is actually man-made! Well, not entirely, of course; but when a specific plant is grown in a strict environment under certain conditions, you get broccoli.

Broccoli dates back to the 6^th century. It is said to have originated first in the Roman Empire. However, it wasn’t until the 18^th century that this vegetable made it to the rest of Europe.

Today it is among the most widely used vegetables. You can eat it raw and cook it as well. Furthermore, it is readily available in a fresh form, as well as frozen form.

Broccoli Nutrition Facts

Broccoli is mostly comprised of water and fiber, with lots of vitamins and minerals. With its nutritional profile, it is no wonder this vegetable is a common household favorite.

It is an extremely dense source of vitamin K, which is vital in blood clotting and wound healing. In fact, one cup of broccoli includes as much as you’ll need in a day.

Since broccoli has so much fiber while being low in calories. It is a great menu addition to anyone trying to lose weight. It will keep you full while not providing any empty calories.

Fiber is also essential for digestion and possibly helping to prevent type 2 diabetes. Broccoli, along with other cruciferous veggies, is also thought to help improve heart health.

For those on blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin), consult with your medical professional before making changes to your diet, especially concerning vitamin K intake.

Vegan Broccoli Recipes

Tofu Broccoli Skillet

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Broccoli Curry

Vegan Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Fritters

How to Cut Broccoli?

Broccoli should be thoroughly washed. Run a cool stream of water through the broccoli’s head until it is completely rinsed. The flowery head may need to be rubbed with your fingers to remove any dirt or insects stuck there. After that, you can use a towel to pat it dry. Keep in mind that it is not recommended to soak broccoli in water to clean it.

You can pick the broccoli leaves and throw them away, or you can keep them for cooking. In traditional recipes, broccoli leaves are only used occasionally. Although they contain a good deal of nutrition. In addition to serving the leaves as a side dish to broccoli, you could also use them as part of a salad.

Removing the leaves creates a more uniform appearance for the broccoli after chopping it, resulting in a cleaner end result.

Trim off the bottom, inedible portion of the stalk. There will be woody and tough parts at the bottom of the stalk that you will not be able to eat. To cut the stalk, use a knife or scissors to remove one to two inches (2.54 to 5 cm) from the bottom. You can either dispose of or compost this part.

Cutting Broccoli Florets

The florets must be cut free from the main stalk. Cut the florets off of the stem as close to the underside of the florets as possible with a knife or pair of kitchen scissors. The point where the stalk splits into individual florets is an ideal location for this. Leave about an inch or two of the stalk at minimum, so that the pieces of broccoli florets don’t fall apart when they are being cooked.

In some cases, you may be unable to get an ideal cut from your first attempt because of the thickness or position of the florets. When you have removed the florets from the stalk, you can tidy up the cut broccoli.

Start from the outside of your head of broccoli, then work your way inward. Continue cutting off the florets until you have removed them all.

Whatever size you choose, ensure that the florets cook at the same rate when you cook them. Make them all roughly the same size. The optimal size for broccoli is a mouthful or smaller. If your florets are too big, take your knife or scissors and cut each floret in half.

You can peel the stalk, then cut them into matchsticks, they are great added to stir-fries or shred and use in a slaw. You can also cut the stalks crosswise into medallions and add them to stir fries.

Can You Freeze Broccoli?

I simply love broccoli, and I can happily eat it each day every day for the rest of my life. But unfortunately, fresh broccoli is not available throughout the season. The peak freshness level is reached from October till April. So, what to do during the rest of the months? The answer is simple, you preserve it! well, of course, we are not going to dehydrate it. in fact, I will tell you how to freeze broccoli so that when you use it, it is just as fresh as it was before you freeze it.

Like every other vegetable, you can easily freeze broccoli. If you follow the right freezing procedure, you will get results that ensure flavor, color, texture, and freshness. The procedure is super simple and it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes. you can freeze broccoli is large batches so that you can use it for soups, stir-fries, roasted vegetables, and what not! Learn How to Freeze Broccoli here.