Has there been a time when your baked potatoes got too soft and your steamed cauliflower became soft and lost its crunch?
Well, there are different ways of cooking vegetables – steaming, roasting, baking, boiling and microwaving. But in each of these forms of cooking vegetables, the “cooking” time varies. Let’s take for example beans; while you may need to boil them for 6 minutes, you microwave them for just 3 minutes.
Thus, knowing the right “cooking” time is very essential and either you experiment by trial and error or follow my veggie cooking cheat sheet instructions below, because I’ve experimented and done the research, so you don’t have to!
Veggie Cooking Cheat Sheet
I’m made a list of some of the commonly cooked vegetables and how to bake, steam, boil and microwave them for the right time.
1. Eggplant
Eggplants need to be steamed for 5 to 6 minutes and can be microwave for 2 to 4 minutes. Boiling eggplants is not recommended. You can also bake them at 425 degrees with the husk on for around 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Mushrooms
Boiling mushrooms isn’t recommended. You can steam them for 4 to 5 minutes and microwave them for 2 to 3 minutes. Baking mushrooms at 400 degrees for 25 minutes is also ideal.
3. Spinach
Spinach should be boiled for 2 to 3 minutes and steamed for 5 to 6 minutes. It can be baked at 450 degrees for 3 to 6 minutes and it can also be microwaved for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Sweet Potato
Sweet potato can be baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and can be microwaved as a whole for 8 minutes. As for boiling, it will take 20 to 30 minutes and steaming will take 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob can be boiled for 5 to 8 minutes, steamed for 4 to 7 minutes, baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and microwaved for 1.5 to 2 minutes.
6. Cabbage
Cabbage (when shredded) can be boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, steamed for 5 to 7 minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (when made into wedges) and microwaved for 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Asparagus
Asparagus shouldn’t be boiled, but it can be steamed for 8 to 10 minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes and microwaved for 2 to 4 minutes.
8. Potatoes
Potatoes can be boiled for 15 to 20 minutes, steamed for 10 to 127 minutes, baked at 425 degrees for 20 minutes and microwaved for 6 to 8 minutes.
9. Zucchini
Zucchini can be boiled for 3 to 5 minutes, steamed for 4 to 6 minutes, baked at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes and microwaved for 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Peppers
Peppers shouldn’t be boiled but, it can be steamed for 2 to 4 minutes, baked at 450 degrees for 15 minutes (until browned and then peel off the skin) and microwaved for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Broccoli
Broccoli can be boiled for 4 to 6 minutes, steamed for 5 to 6 minutes, baked at 425 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes and microwaved for 2 to 3 minutes.
12. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can be boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, steamed for 5 to 10 minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes and microwaved for 2 to 3 minutes.
13. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts can be boiled for 5 to 7 minutes, steamed for 8 to 10 minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes and microwaved for 4 to 6 minutes.
14. Beans
Beans can be boiled for 6 to 8 minutes, steamed for 5 to 8 minutes, baked at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes and microwaved for 3 to 4 minutes.
15. Sliced Onions
Sliced onions shouldn’t be boiled, but can be steamed for 5 minutes, baked at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes (when halved) and it shouldn’t be microwaved either.
16. Peas
Peas can be boiled for 8 to 12 minutes, steamed for 4 to 5 minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and microwaved for 2 to 3 minutes.
17. Carrots
Carrots can be boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, steamed for 4 to 75minutes, baked at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes (if baby carrots) and microwaved for 5 to 6 minutes.