I tried 4 fast ways to cook broccoli and one was better than all the rest

Broccoli, the humble green tree, is one of the most versatile and nutritious vegetables out there. It's packed with vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants, and let's not forget the stalk. Often discarded, but in my opinion, it's the tastiest and most nutrient-rich part. You can roast it, steam it, stir-fry it, or even blend it into soups. However, despite its many virtues, broccoli is notoriously tricky to get right.

Many people end up with a burnt, bitter mess when trying to fry it, or a watery, bland serving when you opt for steaming, blanching, or boiling. I've been there too many times, so I set out to find a fast, foolproof method that delivers on both flavour and texture. My mission was simple: take one head of broccoli, cut it into uniform florets (including that glorious stalk), and put four common "fast" cooking methods to the test.

I wanted to see which approach could transform this often-maligned vegetable into a genuinely delicious side dish without demanding too much time or effort.

I tried straight-up pan-frying, classic blanching, the ultra-quick microwave, and a hybrid sauté method. The results were quite revealing, and to my delight, one clear winner emerged, proving that a truly tasty broccoli side is just minutes away.

1. Microwaving

I started with the quickest option: microwaving. I added the florets to a microwave-safe bowl with four tablespoons of water and blasted them on full power for three minutes. The result? Predictably, it was incredibly fast, and the texture was soft but still had some bite.

There was no opportunity to add seasoning during this process, and the flavour profile suffered immensely. While it might be fine if you're steaming broccoli to blend into a soup, as a standalone side dish, it is quite bland.

Even seasoning the steamed veg fails to bring it to life, but it would work with a sauce.

2. Blanching

Next up, I tried blanching. I added the florets to a pan of boiling water and cooked them for three minutes, then immediately transferred them to an ice bath for another three minutes to halt the cooking process.

This method certainly delivered on aesthetics - the broccoli stayed a beautiful, vibrant green. However, much like the microwaved version, the taste was quite watery. All the flavour seemed to have leached into the boiling water, leaving the florets looking pretty but tasting rather bland.

It's great for retaining colour if you're planning a cold salad, but it doesn't quite hit the mark for a delicious hot side.

3. Pan-fried

Hoping for more flavour, I moved on to pan-frying. I drizzled cooking oil in a pan, heated it to medium, added the broccoli florets, and seasoned them generously with salt and pepper.

To prevent burning, I added a splash of water and cooked for eight minutes. This method produced a nice peppery aroma and a good browned colour - a welcome change from the pale blanched and microwaved versions. However, the texture was quite al dente, meaning it still had a firm, almost crunchy bite, which might not be to everyone's liking for an entire floret.

The major downside? You can't add delicate aromatics like garlic, as they would simply burn at the heat required to get that browning on the raw broccoli.

4. Sauteeing

The champion method involved a clever two-step process. First, I blanched the broccoli for three minutes - just enough to slightly soften it.

Then, I transferred it to a pan with just a tiny bit of oil (even less than the pan-frying method), seasoned with lots of salt and pepper, and sautéed for nine minutes.

The difference was phenomenal. The blanching made the broccoli nice and soft, but it still had some bite. The subsequent pan-fry in minimal oil gave it a beautiful smoky flavour and some delicious brownness, which was incredibly tasty. Plus, the seasoning created a lovely crunch.

It truly combined the best of both worlds: the initial blanching ensures the broccoli is cooked through evenly, while the quick sauté imparts fantastic caramelisation and flavour without burning.

You can sauté the broccoli without blanching it first, just do it on a lower heat for a longer time.