How to Steam Cauliflower? In Pan, Basket, Microwave

How to steam Cauliflower? Cut the cauliflower into equal florets. Wash the cauliflower clean and put the cauliflower in the steamer or basket and bring the water to a boil. Put the lid on the pan. Steam the cauliflower until al dente in 7-10 minutes. A whole cauliflower in 20 minutes.

Cauliflower can be prepared in several ways. One of the ways is steaming. That’s what this blog is about; How to steam cauliflower?

How long to Steam Cauliflower

The steaming time for steaming cauliflower strongly depends on the size of the cauliflower pieces and how you steam it. Steaming in the microwave has a different steaming time than steaming in a steamer basket. The overview below makes everything clear.

Nice that you’re going to steam, but why? The cauliflower is not in water during steaming. It is heated by hot steam. This preserves all vitamins and minerals. The color of the cauliflower also does not change and the texture is preserved. That is why steaming vegetables is healthier, it looks better on your plate and when you steam it briefly you have a nice ‘bite’.

Cauliflower steaming time

The steaming times mentioned are indicative and strongly depend on the size of the florets.

Steam cauliflower

The most well-known way of steaming is with a steamer or steamer basket. Steaming cauliflower for these two is equal.

Before steaming, the cauliflower must first be cleaned and cut into florets. Cut the cauliflower into even sized florets. If you also use the trunk (which is possible), cut it into even sized pieces and put them in the basket. Now rinse the cauliflower under the tap and drain.

Place the pan on the heat source and fill the pan with a layer of water and put the basket in or on the pan and close with the lid. Bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, turn the heat source to medium-high. The water must continue to boil.

You put the lid on the pan otherwise the water will evaporate very quickly and you will not have enough water to steam.

Now steam the cauliflower for 7-10 minutes. Pierce the florets with a fork to determine if they are done. If you want them softer, steam the florets a little longer, 12 minutes.

Carefully remove the cauliflower from the pan. Use oven gloves, as steam is very hot. Now serve the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper.

Steam in a pan or with a basket

We can steam the vegetables in a steam oven, steamer, wicker steamer or stainless steel steamer.

A steamer with two layers has the advantage that you can steam several vegetables at the same time. This pan is highly recommended. It has good steam holes and is easy to clean.

In addition, there are cheaper alternatives such as the stainless steel steam basket. This basket adjusts itself to the size of the pan and is easy to clean.

There are also baskets made of wicker. The advantage is that these also have multiple layers. They are just a little more difficult to clean.

Steaming Cauliflower In Steam Oven

A steam oven is usually built into the kitchen and is a perfect device for steaming cauliflower and other vegetables. Place the cauliflower in a dish with holes in the bottom and place in a dish with a closed bottom to catch the moisture.

The steaming time is approximately 20 – 30 minutes for florets. Pierce the florets with a fork to check if they are al dente. It should go in easily and still have a little resistance.

You can steam a whole cauliflower in 30-40 minutes. Now pierce the cauliflower with a fork to check if it is al dente.

Cauliflower Steaming Microwave

Steaming in the microwave is very fast. The water evaporates and becomes hot steam.

Place the cauliflower florets in a microwaveable bowl and add a quarter glass of water to the bowl. Cover the bowl with the bowl lid and put it in the microwave. Set the power to the highest setting and the timer to 2.5 minutes and press ‘start’. See how it goes after 2.5 minutes. Be careful as the steam is extremely hot. Pierce the florets with a fork to determine if they are al dente. If not, steam some more.