Cooking Green Veggies - Tip of the Day

by Adeena Sussman, Posted Mar 3rd 2010 @ 9:00AM

How do you keep vegetables like green beans, asparagus and broccoli brightly colored after cooking? Shock 'em.

Overcooking and oxidation are the enemies of green vegetables, but there are a few simple ways to ensure that your veggies retain their gorgeous hue. First, don't overcook: Too much time in water or steam will leach color from your produce. Second, make sure to shock the vegetables in an ice bath as soon as they're ready. Have a large bowl filled with plenty of ice and water ready before cooking. When done, plunge vegetables into cold water for two minutes, which will both prevent them from overcooking and keep them bright green.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day
Tags: asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green vegetables, green veggies, ice bath

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-03-2010 @8:06PM sheila said... hahaha lita
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3-03-2010 @9:19PM Irene said... Who cares if they are so beautifully green at the table. My main concern would be if they taste good for sure.
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3-03-2010 @10:55PM Barbara said... Why would you put your warm vegetable into an ice bath? Crazy. Just Put a little pinch of baking soda in the cooking water and vegetables will stay green.
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3-03-2010 @10:58PM Linda said... I have heard about the baking soda trick, but have also heard that it can make the veggies mushy. Have you had any problems with that?