Steaming is, without a doubt, one of the easiest ways to prepare vegetables in a short time. It allows you to quickly transport a delicious dish of vegetables from the stove to the dining room table.
When you steam the food, it preserves its nutrients and unique flavors without being submerged in liquid. While boiling veggies is a convenient way to acquire your daily servings, you’ll want to avoid the mushy, bland, and tasteless consequences. That is why people prefer steaming over boiling.
But, can you oversteam vegetables as well?
You can oversteam a vegetable, but you shouldn’t. The correct way of cooking is that you steam for an appropriate amount of time to enjoy the true flavors of the vegetable.
Want to know why oversteaming is not preferable and how to steam properly? Then continue reading.
Table of Content
Why Oversteaming Vegetables is a Bad Idea?
Oversteaming a vegetable will make you regret not knowing enough about how to steam them. When you steam for a longer time, all the essential nutrients and minerals present in them are destroyed.
Even if the interior of the dish is cooked to perfection, you will end up with foods that are mushy and overcooked on the surface.
Also, over-steamed vegetables taste terrible because if you cook them on high heat, it will destroy their natural flavors.
The question is, how long do you steam vegetables? It is recommended to steam vegetables only for 25 to 30 minutes to get the best results.
The total cooking time for vegetables varies depending on the type and amount being cooked. Ideally, the vegetables should be soft enough to be readily pierced with a fork yet firm enough to hold their shape. Vegetables that are soggy are a clue that they haven’t been cooked properly.
You must now be wondering how to perfectly steam?
How to Steam Vegetables? Know The Right Ways
People ask us, how do I steam vegetables? And we are describing it now.
The key to correctly steaming vegetables is to cut them into uniform sizes and not to steam them too long.
You can mix and match veggies, but keep in mind that more fragile vegetables, such as broccoli, cook faster than denser vegetables, such as carrots.
If you wish to steam a variety of vegetables at the same time, start with the slower-cooking vegetables. After some time, you can add faster-cooking vegetables.
But we recommend using a high-quality vegetable steamer as it makes all the difference.
How Do You Use a Vegetable Steamer?
You must first have a general idea of the type of steamer you are using before learning how to utilize it.
Here’s a quick rundown of the two food steamers you’ll most likely use.
Steamer Basket
People use steamer baskets these days as it is the most common technique for steaming vegetables. Simply put vegetables into a pot or skillet, then place this pot in the microwave or stove.
Then pour a small quantity of water into the pot, place your vegetables in the basket, and cover the basket with the lid. As the water comes to a boil, the steam condenses, which cooks the vegetables.
Electric Steamer
An electric steamer is somehow similar to a steam basket as it does the work for you right on your counter. You fill the pot halfway with water, add the vegetables you want to steam, close and lock the lid, and then select the right setting on your appliance. That is all there is to it.
Now that you know what kind of steamer you’ll be using, here is a general guide to steaming vegetables that will assist you in making the best-steamed vegetable recipes
- Don’t Overdo It With The Water
First and foremost, pouring the correct quantity of water is very important in steaming vegetables. Are you wondering, how much water do you put in a steamer?
If you’re going to steam vegetables on the stove, start by filling the pot with one or two inches of water. It is the best way to make steamed vegetables.
However, you should not use too little water, as your pan to steam vegetables can be burned if the water boils before steaming vegetables.
- Boil Water Before Steaming
Heating the water to a boil before adding your vegetables or other food components improves the finished dish.
So, always boil the water first and then add vegetables.
- Adding Various Flavors
Infuse a new flavor into your cuisine to make it taste a little different. Instead of plain old water, try using chicken or vegetarian broth. Season the water with salt or lemon juice before it starts to boil.
- Check The Lid
To cook properly with a steamer, the steam must really touch the food.
Can You Oversteam Vegetables?
Yes, you can overcook vegetables by steaming them for too long. But you shouldn’t. The recommended time to steam vegetables is 3-5 minutes, anything beyond that can result in soggy, mushy vegetables. To avoid overcooking your vegetables, set a timer and check on them regularly to make sure they’re still crisp.
Best Steamers For Vegetables
Before telling you about the best steamer let’s enlighten you regarding the preferred vegetables for steaming.
Any vegetable you steam has about 25 calories and is high in vitamins and minerals. People ask us what veggies are good to steam? The most beneficial vegetables are for steaming are:
These are some good vegetables to steam vegetables that are tougher and won’t turn to mush as quickly as other vegetables. Leafy greens, such as Choy, spinach, and Chinese broccoli, steam pleasantly and quickly; that is why they are considered as best steamed vegetables.
Steam some radishes or quartered fresh potatoes if you want to try something new. Large chunks of vegetables take a long time to steam, so if you’re in a hurry, cut or trim your vegetables beforehand.
Now let’s have a look at some high-quality steamers you should buy in order to steam vegetables properly.
Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer
Hamilton beach digital food steamer has 5.5 quarts of cooking capacity.
Hence, you can easily prepare a complete dinner with just one appliance (interesting, isn’t it?). It has two steaming bowls, as well as a rice basket for rice or small items.
Simply fill it with water and set the timer. You can even adjust the countdown timer and other functions easily on the digital touchpad of this streamer. This 2-tier Hamilton steamer is versatile and stackable, allowing you to prepare many meals at once.
Pros
- 5.5 quarts of cooking capacity
- Versatile
- Can automatically switch to warm when the dish is ready
- Can fit in cabinet easily
Cons
- Its trays are made of plastic
- The warm mode in this streamer continues to cook food
Hamilton Beach Digital Food Steamer
Bella Two-Tier Food Steamer
Bella’s two-tier food steamer has a cooking capacity of 7.4 quarts and two separate steaming containers.
This allows you to cook a full meal with just one switch. Plus, the steaming is simple and safe due to the auto-shutdown feature in this steamer.
In addition, the Quick-start heating system allows you to steam in 30 seconds or less!
Not just vegetables but fish, red meat, chicken, shellfish, tofu, veggies, and cereals can all be steamed. A two-basket cooking system separates vegetables and meats, allowing you to create multiple dishes at the same time for unique dietary requirements.
Pros
- This steamer has 7.4 quarts of cooking capacity
- 2 tier design
- Dishwasher safe
- Quick-start heating system
- It has a two-basket cooking system
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- The tray is difficult to clean
BELLA Two Tier Food Steamer
FAQs
- What happens when you under steam vegetables?
When you under-steam vegetables, they will stay hard and bitter. It is important for you to steam for up to 25 to 30 minutes for vegetables to become tastier, juicy, and “perfectly steamed.”
- How do you fix mushy vegetables?
You can fix mushy vegetables if you use them in a salad, soup, or another form. By adding mushy vegetables to the soup, the lost taste and flavor may get back, and you will not end up wasting your food.
- Is it safe to steam vegetables in a plastic bag?
Steam-bag vegetables are safe and developed exclusively for microwave use. These steam bags are free of BPA. Do not reuse steam bags for other purposes, and always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions mentioned on the steamed pack.
Wrapping up
So, can you oversteam vegetables?
Over steamed vegetables not only taste bad, but they lose all of their nutritional benefits. Moreover, the taste also goes bland, which the taste buds hate too. So, it is crucial to steam properly.
There are many types of streamers available on the market, but the electric streamer should be your first choice as they steam vegetables faster. If you want to make the steaming process more enjoyable and easier, you should use the best streamers, such as Bella two-tier streamer and hamilton beach digital food steamer.
Follow all of our suggestions & instructions and never oversteam vegetables again.
