No steamer basket? No problem! Here’s how to steam broccoli without a steamer basket. All you need is a pot with a lid and a colander for draining the pot.
How to Steam Broccoli Without a Steamer Basket
Once upon a time, I was a young adult with a meager collection of kitchen equipment.
I desperately wanted to make a broccoli casserole just like my mother’s, but I had no steamer basket with which to steam broccoli.
I did what any young person should do in those circumstances. I called Mom and asked for help.
She said that she never used a steamer basket either, and gave me simple instructions on how to steam broccoli without one.
So, thanks to my lovely mom—and my clueless younger self—I’m sharing this easy technique with you today. All you need is a pot with a lid for cooking and a colander for draining.
(And if you want to pick up a steamer basket for next time, this stainless steel steamer basket is a steal at just $5.) 
Once you’ve steamed your broccoli, you can serve it as a side dish or use it in your favorite recipe.
Keep it simple with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, if you prefer, or drizzle it with a little sauce for flavor.
I like sweet Thai chili sauce or a little ranch dressing sometimes.
Cooking Tips for Steaming Broccoli without a Steamer Basket
- If you don’t have a lid for your pot, you may follow the same recipe, but stir the broccoli once every minute while cooking in order for it to cook evenly.
- Use your sense of taste, rather than the clock, to decide when to stop cooking the broccoli. It’s like pasta; if you taste it and it’s neither too chewy nor too soft, then it’s done correctly.
- If you have a different sized pot, you may need to adjust a little. If it’s a smaller pot (such as a 2 quart), you’ll need to stir the broccoli every minute or so to ensure even cooking. If it’s a larger pot (such as a Dutch oven), you’ll want to stay close by to make sure the water doesn’t boil away.
If you’re ready to explore more cooking methods that use steam for cooking, take a look at this sous vide carrot recipe!
How to Steam Broccoli Without a Steamer Basket
No steamer basket? No problem! Here's how to steam broccoli without a steamer basket. All you need is a pot with a lid and a colander for draining the pot.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh broccoli
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
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Wash the broccoli. Chop the florets off the stalk, then discard the stalk. Cut down any large florets to match the size of the others.
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In a 3.5 quart pot (with a lid), add the water and the broccoli florets. Cover with the lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils vigorously, reduce the heat to medium.
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Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the broccoli florets are easily pierced with a fork but not limp.
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Drain into a colander.
If you like this recipe, you can use a similar method to cook yellow squash for my squash casserole recipe.
Angie
That’s really great to know! I don’t have a steamer, but I’ve never thought about how to steam veggies otherwise. I just default to roasting them in the oven or what not. Those sauces also look super good!
Katie
I like roasting, too! I am always roasting sliced mushrooms these days.
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
We are HUGE broccoli fans! Thanks for the great tips on how to steam broccoli without a steaming basket! The dressings sound amazing. I’d love to try their flavors the next time we have broccoli! They all sound delicious!
Katie
Hooray for broccoli! You should try my broccoli casserole some time, it’s awesome.
Sarh S
I’ve never owned a steamer and this is how I have steamed my broccoli for years. I always wondered if this was the correct way, it works for sure and makes great broccoli!
Katie
Ha, I call it the correct way! I still don’t own a steamer. 🙂
Tammilee Tips
I love finding new ways to prepare broccoli!! I have not seen these new sauces before they sound amazing! I love that there is more then one way to steam broccoli there are times I haven’t wanted to drag out the steamer and have done this before.
Katie
Exactly. It keeps it simple.
Kelly
I usually cook my broccoli in the steamer tray on top of my rice cooker, since I make rice for virtually every meal (it’s a Peruvian thing). I really like the sound of these sauces! What a time saver when I don’t have time to fix something a little more special for a side dish!
Katie
Cool! A Peruvian thing! I will have to look into that! 🙂
Kelly
Oh, it’s just that traditionally, rice is a part of nearly every meal. It’s a big part of the cuisine, and I cook a lot of rice – about a kilogram a day!
Katie
Wow! I need to get cooking some more rice. We tend toward pasta around here. 🙂
Ken Pickard
We usually cook our broccoli in a steamer tray, but it’s good to know these little tips if you don;t have a tray. The sauces sound pretty good. Funny how this post crossed my desk. I was just reminiscing how I got my younger brother to eat broccoli by using similar type sauces years ago.
Katie
Isn’t that funny! I always conquered my fear of veggies by adding cheese. These sauces work well too.
LaShawn
I’ve never heard of Marzetti Veggie Drizzle but it looks like something I would love to try. We usually put our broccoli in one of those steamer bags from the grocery store. I’m always looking for new ways though because sometimes it still comes out soggy
Katie
This is a good way to control the cooking. You can stop exactly when they get to the tenderness that you prefer.
Cherri Megasko
These sauces look wonderful! I don’t need sauce on my steamed vegetables, but my grandsons need a little something to get their taste buds excited. These sauces would be perfect for them.
Katie
It does work quite well for families with kids! Makes it fun.
Jamie
I absolutely love steamed broccoli (really any steamed veggies) and usually hit them with a little soy or balsamic vinegar. I’ll have to look for these sauces though, as they sound wonderful. It’s a trusted brand in my household too, so that’s a plus!
Katie
Oooh, balsamic vinegar is good! I like making a reduction sometimes.
Aileen Adalid
I’ve always cooked my broccoli this way and the sauces you featured here will absolutely kick it up a notch quickly for me starting now. Thank you so much for sharing!
Katie
Thanks for stopping by, Aileen! Glad to know there’s another steamer-less broccoli cook out there.
Rebecca Huff
My method is even simpler and can be used with asparagus, green beans, whatever! I put a bit of water in the bottom of a glass baking dish, dump I’m the cut up broccoli, seal the top with plastic wrap and microwave for 8 minutes or so, depending on how Crisp you like it. You can also add lemon juice (which I love) to the water for a bit more zing.
Katie
Neat! Sounds just like one of those steamer bags they sell in the frozen aisle, only the DIY version. 🙂
Zachary
I’m here because I’ve never steamed broccoli before and I don’t have a steamer, but isn’t this just boiling broccoli? Isn’t steaming something entirely different? I always assumed boiling vegetables wasn’t as good as steaming vegetables because you lose flavor and nutrients to the surrounding water.
Katie
Hi Zachary! Actually, boiling is when you submerge all the broccoli in boiling water. In this recipe, you have a very shallow amount of water in the bottom of the pot. By boiling that small amount of water, it creates enough steam to steam all of the broccoli in the pot- even the vast majority of the broccoli that never touches the water. Technically speaking, I suppose a tiny amount of the broccoli gets “boiled,” (the bit that’s submerged at the bottom) but it’s such a small quantity that you won’t really lose any flavor or nutrients. You can also stir the pot once or twice to minimize the effect, making sure to cover it again tightly to hold the steam.
Nancianne
Thank you for this recipe it works!