7 Smart & Easy Ways to Eat Frozen Broccoli
If you don’t already have a bag or two of frozen broccoli in your freezer, add it to your grocery list immediately. We’re huge fans of the stuff here at Kitchn — not only for its affordability and ease (forget about chopping down a big head of fresh broccoli!), but also for its versatility. Here are seven ways we love to use it.
1. Fold it into an egg scramble.
Add a little green to your breakfast by throwing frozen broccoli into your scrambled egg routine. Just toss a big handful into your skillet with a little olive oil, cover and let it steam for a few minutes, then uncover, toss in the eggs, and scramble everything. Don’t forget to add some cheese!
2. Add it to any and all stir-fries.
Since stir-fries are prepared at such high heat, they’re the perfect contender for frozen broccoli. You can toss the florets right into your favorite recipe, without thawing, and they”ll cook up in just a few minutes.
3. Blend it into soup.
Any soup recipe that calls for fresh broccoli can be replaced with frozen broccoli. It will save you the hassle of chopping a head into florets, and the frozen florets can be tossed right into the pot to defrost.
4. Roast it until it’s charred and crispy.
Yes, you can totally roast broccoli from frozen. Just make sure you’re using a large sheet pan to give the broccoli enough room to roast instead of steam as the water evaporates.
Get the recipe: Oven-Roasted Frozen Broccoli
5. Toss it into pasta.
Make a quick pasta dinner you can feel good about by dumping frozen broccoli florets right in the pot of boiling pasta in the last minute or two of cooking. Drain both; return them to the pot; and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Get the recipe: Lemony Broccoli Pasta
6. Steam it in the microwave for a 5-minute side.
If dinner is almost ready to go and you realize there’s nothing green on the table, let frozen broccoli come to the rescue fast. Microwave a bag of frozen broccoli according to package instructions, usually about five minutes, and then finish it your way — a healthy dusting of Parmesan cheese will do the trick, but a bit of fresh ginger and a drizzle of sesame oil is also nice.
7. Turn it into pesto.
Break out the food processor and turn frozen broccoli into creamy, cheesy pesto. Thaw and quickly cook the florets until just softened, squeeze them dry, then blend them with herbs, cheese, garlic, and olive oil. Use the pesto as a sauce for pasta, thin it with some lemon juice or red wine vinegar to make a dressing for salad and grain bowls, or swipe it on sandwiches.
Get the recipe: Broccoli & Feta Pesto