I only boiled asparagus and was moderately successful - but I recently discovered that sauteing them awards with a more consistent outcome. Saute for 3 minutes, add water and let sit with the heat off for another 3-4 minutes and they come out perfect every time.

As someone who wasn't around for the 80s, I've never been able to figure out what people have against boiling. It's my go-to for cooking any kind of vegetable in a pinch, and I'm glad to know the history behind the scorn (and that, hopefully, the scorn is receding).

Why not steam? It uses less water, and I just tossed vegetables in my colander and put that over a steaming pot before I ever owned a steamer basket.

I can think of few vegetables, that would be best cooked by boiling. I'm old enough that I have no bias against boiling - except that it generally results in less flavorful vegetables. Possibly you would want to boil lima beans, and, occasionally, potatoes.

michael ruhlman also advocates for boiling in 'ruhlman's twenty', which i was pretty surprised about.

Growing up in the 80's/90's my mom microwaved our veggies (NOT better), boiling was reserved only for potatoes which is the only "vegetable" (if you can call them one) that I boil. What's not to love about steaming anyways? Soft with still a bit of crunch- yum!

Eat for your health, people.

I love the texture of broccoli when florets are boiled for exactly 6 minutes. Crisp yet silky, and I eat it frequently and in such quantity that I am not worried for minor nutrient loss. Steamed broccoli is always tough IMO.

I say try your favorite vegetables steamed, boiled, sauteed and roasted. Chose your favorite preparations and use ALL of them frequently. It is hard to go wrong when you are eating vegetables!

I grew up on boiled veggies, I never have liked steamed because I detest hot raw veggies. I do some roasting, but not much, maybe with a roast beef in the oven. I like my broccoli and Brussel sprouts boiled, and served with butter and a drizzle of cider vinegar. MMM

I absolutely adore AN EVERLASTING MEAL and have been cooking from it for weeks.She writes with authority, and grace.

I think I'll stick with steaming or roasting, unless it's potatoes. I still like boiling for mashed potatoes.

I agree with @fabricwench that steamed vegetables are always under cooked. & big whoop if there's some nutrient loss. You shouldn't be eating so few vegetables that you need to worry about that. It's the same way I feel about apples. People always complain that ALL THE NUTRIENTS ARE IN THE SKIN but I hate apple skin & always peel it away. I figure if you eat balanced enough else where you're not really missing out on that much from the minor loss.

No one is steaming their vegetables long enough if they're raw or undercooked.

I don't know ... there's just something so ... Soviet about boiled vegetables. At least psychologically. For me. :] But really, I can't imagine preferring boiling to, say, sauteeing or roasting for me. Maybe I just haven't given it a shot?

I only boil if I'm going to roast or saute later, and even then I only parboil. When you're doing dinner parties and the like, parboiling means your roast potatoes only take 20 minutes at the end instead of an hour, and they're perfectly cloud-like in the middle.

I live in the UK, where boiling is unfortunately still, always, consistently, very much "in". And by boiling, I mean 'boiling the heck out of it'.

It's completely turned me off boiling anything, so I stick to steaming or roasting.

Pfft. Boiling leaches the flavour from the vegetables, unless the veggies are super fresh. I almost always cook my greens by quickly sautéing them in a little bit olive oil, garlic or what ever flavour works, then adding a bit of water and popping the lid on. Or roast broccoli, who can beat that???

This just goes to show you -- you should cook food how you love to cook it. Trends come and go. If you like boiled vegetables, boil your vegetables. If you hate boiled vegetables, roast them, whether it's trendy or not. After all, it's only a matter of time before you'll be back in style again. :)

I love plain boiled broccoli! (and roasted broccoli) I am less likely to steam it because, for some reason, I always end up overcooking it.

My mother boiled the heck out of vegetables. All of us HATED brussel sprouts because they were limp sulfurous lumps after my mom was done with them. And then we discovered the magical power of roasting and brussel sprouts are now highly demanded at holiday dinners.

Vegetables I'm on board with boiling are carrots (hard to overcook these), corn, and potatoes. I think broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus taste so much better when slow roasted...plus the little florets can take on a yummy crisp texture that contrasts with the stalks.

I prefer my veggies roasted or sauteed. I agree with others who say cook them the way you will eat them--that's the most important part!

My problem with boiling vegetables, besides the nutrient loss, is that it generally doesn't give you the best flavor. I would much rather roast or saute something. And asparagus is so easy and quick to microwave, why wouldn't you go for that? The complaints that I'm seeing in this thread about microwaved or steamed vegetables don't have to do with the technique, they have to do with performing the technique badly. The fact that the steamed veg you've had have been underdone isn't a criticism of steaming, it's a criticism of the cook!

And I feel your pain, adelinea, on the U.K.'s boiled veg problem; it does seem to be the go-to method. My ex-pat Brit boyfriend has been surprised by how good vegetables can be when cooked properly (i.e., not boiled for a full year).

@FabricWench mentioned the key, I think - try everything! My father frequently complains about eating vegetables, because they're just...vegetables. Doing something different will engage the eaters in new ways, and that is ALWAYS a good thing.

Yeah, I thought the beef (ha) with boiling was that a lot of the vitamins in veggies (such as C) are water soluble, so that boiling leaches vitamins (as well, potentially, as flavor). But I do have much better luck boiling a big head of broccoli in a centimeter or so of water than I do steaming it, and it seems way quicker, even though it's not fully immersed, I don't know why. Bonus: no steamer basket to scrub!

And I'm a big fan of blanching big greens like collards and chard for the freezer so they're ready to go (or just to make room in the fridge). I cycle a whole lot through the same water in the hopes that all the 'lost' vitamins will build up in the water and then I consume the water, in soup or something.

I also try to temper vitamin losses by leaving things in big pieces and chopping smaller later, if necessary. I don't know if that works, but I feel better about it.

I love boiling and steaming vegetables. Timing is key - boil/steam till the veg is just cooked (still bright green), and refresh (but no need for ice), then dress.