Place them in a microwave-safe bowl—covered with a plate or lid, never plastic wrap—with about 2 tablespoons of water, and microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes. When ready, the carrots should be tender (again, test with a fork).
How do I cook carrots without a steamer?
Bring a scant 1/2 inch of salted water to boil in a large frying pan or saute pan. Add the peeled and trimmed and/or chopped carrots, cover, and cook until the carrots are tender to the bite and the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. If you want your carrots a bit more tender, simply cook them a little longer.
What can I use if I don’t have a steamer?
First, take three sheets of aluminum foil and roll them up into baseball-sized balls. Place them on the bottom of the pot, and pour in about an inch of water. Then rest the plate on top of the foil balls, and add whatever food you’re trying to steam to the plate. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam away.
Can I steam vegetables without a steamer?
The technique is simple: fill a medium pot with 1/2 inch of water, place three golf ball–sized balls of aluminum foil on the bottom, rest a heat-proof plate on top of the foil balls, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Add vegetables to the plate, cover, and steam until crisp-tender.
Is it better to steam carrots or boil?
Carrots contain a number of beneficial nutrients, but some cooking methods — such as lengthy boiling — lead to nutrient loss. Steaming carrots prevents this nutrient loss, allowing you to enjoy the texture of cooked carrots without sacrificing the nutritional value of the vegetable.
How do you steam vegetables on the stove?
Directions
- 1Cut the vegetables into evenly sized pieces.
- 2Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large stock pot over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low.
- 3Place a steamer basket over the simmering water.
- 4Remove the pot from the heat and uncover, tilting the lid away from you (to avoid the steam).
Can I steam vegetables in the microwave?
To micro-steam, lay vegetables in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Cover them with a triple layer of damp paper towels. Microwave on high heat until the vegetables are tender, two and a half to six minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.
How long do you steam veggies for?
What vegetables should I steam?
- Peas, including frozen peas: 2-3 mins.
- Broccoli and cauliflower: 8-10 mins.
- Leafy greens like kale, collard greens, Swiss chard: 5-7 mins.
- Spinach: 3 mins.
- Asparagus: 3-5 mins.
- Green beans: 3-5 mins.
- Root vegetables like beets, carrots, turnips, potatoes: 10-15 mins.
Can you steam in an air fryer?
Unfortunately, you can not steam food in air fryers. Although air fryers have multiple cooking functions, there is no steamer button in their control panel.
How do you steam carrots and broccoli without a steamer?
If you have long veggies you want to steam, just wrap them in a wet paper towel and put them on a microwaveable or in a microwave-safe dish. Then, warm up the food in the microwave. For a pound of asparagus or carrots, you need to warm it for about two minutes.
How do you steam food in the microwave?
Add 1-2 tablespoons of water (a little more if you’re steaming multiple portions). Place in the microwave and pop a lid on top to keep the steam in. Microwave on high! Firmer vegetables like turnips or potatoes may take 6-8 minutes, and softer, moister veg like broccoli will take less – around 4 minutes.
How do you steam vegetables without losing nutrients?
Boiling and steaming increase the levels of beta carotene. To preserve water-soluble vitamins and minerals, wait to wash until right before you cut. You want those nutrients to stay locked in. Avoid soaking your vegetables, as that can remove key nutrients, such as vitamin C.
What is the healthiest way to eat carrots?
Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In fact, researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent.
How long does it take to soften carrots?
Carrots sliced into 1-4-inch slices take 4 to 5 minutes to cook to crisp tender. You can cook them a little longer if you prefer carrots that are even more tender. Just make sure not to boil them too long! Boil them over 10 minutes and the carrots will turn to mush.
Is it healthy to steam carrots?
Steaming is a healthy option for cooking vegetables like carrots since it does not require large amounts of oil for cooking. Butter and a small amount of sugar accentuate the natural sweetness of these carrots, making this easy steamed carrot recipe a crowd-pleaser.
What is the healthiest way to cook vegetables?
Steaming veggies can preserve nutrients, color, shape, and texture, without having to add any unnecessary fats through ingredients like oils or butter. To steam, place food into a steam basket and cover over simmering water. Since food is not directly touching the water, vegetables retain more of their nutrients.
Are steamed veggies healthy?
Steaming is a healthy way to prepare food, according to Dudash. “While boiling involves submerging the vegetables completely underwater, therefore causing some nutrients—like vitamin C and B vitamins, as well as antioxidants—to leach out into the water, steaming helps retain more of these nutrients,” says Dudash.
Can I steam veggies in an air fryer?
While you can cook vegetables in both an air fryer and a steamer, you’re unable to steam in an air fryer as an air fryer works by circulating hot air with a minimal amount of oil and a steamer works by heating water to create steam.
Can I steam vegetables in a microwave in a Ziploc bag?
Chop any large vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower into bite sized pieces and add them all to a microwave-safe plastic bag. Seal the bag 3/4 of the way across if using a ziplock bag but be sure to leave a small gap so the steam can escape. Put the bag into the microwave and cook on high for about 3 minutes.
Is it safe to steam vegetables in plastic bag?
Steam-bag vegetables are safe and specifically designed for use in microwave. They do not contain BPA or phthalates.
How do you make microwave vegetables taste better?
Just toss them in a quick combination of spices—I like a mix of garlic powder, paprika, salt, freshly ground pepper, and cumin—top with spoonfuls of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese, and roast until the vegetables are hot and the cheese is melted.