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How To

How to Steam Frozen Vegetables

Contributor
By C.J. Heller
eHow Contributing Writer
(7 Ratings)
Steam Frozen Vegetables
Steam Frozen Vegetables
Ian O'Leary / Getty Images

Want some fried or sautéed vegetables? You might as well eat French fries. Cooking vegetables in the oven takes too long and boiling them leaves them soggy. The best solution to get your veggie fix? Steam, steam, steam.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • A stove or a microwave
  • A plastic microwave steamer set or a cooking pot with an attachable lid (can use a plate that is larger for a makeshift lid)
  • A pasta drainer basket that can rest on the pot without touching the bottom
  1. Step 1

    Steaming frozen vegetables is as easy as steaming fresh vegetables, it just takes less time to do it. To start, you'll need either a kitchen stove or a microwave.

  2. Step 2

    Microwave users. Fill the bottom part of the microwave steamer with a few tablespoons of water. The more ice on the vegetables, the less water you need. Place as many vegetables as you can (but leave some room for air) on the platform that rests above the bottom part, which should be full of holes to allow the water vapor to rise and steam the vegetables.

  3. Step 3

    Microwave users. Cover your steamer with the lid and make sure it's secure. Stick it in the microwave and heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, or less if you have a particularly large microwave. If the vegetables are still cold, heat for another minute or two.

  4. Step 4

    Stove users: Fill the pot about halfway through with water. Place or attach your pasta draining basket inside the pot. The water should not touch the vegetables.

  5. Step 5

    Stove users. Add the vegetables to the basket and place the pot lid or a large plate on the basket. Turn on the stove. The water from the pot will evaporate and steam the vegetables and the lid or plate will ensure less steam escapes. Allow them to steam for roughly 7 minutes, or as long as necessary to cook them thoroughly.

Tips & Warnings
  • Some people like to steam vegetables by essentially boiling them with a bit of water inside a skillet. This defeats the purpose of actually steaming them and can also burn your skillet if not enough water is added.
  • Others like to use fancy bamboo steamers but some find these costly, clunky and prone to getting ruined quickly.
  • Make sure there is enough water in your microwave steamer or pot; you don't want to burn the veggies.
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