Cooking broccoli in the Thermomix® works via the Varoma: 300 g florets, 500 g water with vegetable stock in the mixing bowl, 20 minutes at Varoma / speed 1. The broccoli cooks evenly with a pleasant bite, holds its colour, and retains far more nutrients than boiling, because it steams rather than sitting in water.
When boiled in water, broccoli loses its colour within minutes and turns mushy. In the Varoma it sits above the steam, the temperature is even, and the water-soluble vitamins (especially vitamin C and folate) stay in the vegetable rather than draining away into the cooking water. We have cooked broccoli exclusively in the Varoma ever since we compared the two methods side by side.
Steamed Broccoli in the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 3 ✓
- 300 g broccoli florets
- 500 g water
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder or homemade vegetable seasoning paste
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Prepare the broccoli.
Wash the broccoli, trim into florets, and place them in the Varoma.
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2
Add the liquid ingredients.
Add the water and vegetable stock powder to the mixing bowl.
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3
Cook the broccoli.
Place the Varoma on top and cook for 20 min / Varoma / speed 1.
Tip: For a quick snack, squeeze a little lemon juice over the broccoli and scatter some flaked almonds on top. Toss everything together and serve.
Nutrition per serving
20 minutes at Varoma / speed 1: evenly tender with a bite
Place 300 g broccoli florets in the Varoma. Add 500 g water and 1 tsp vegetable stock powder to the mixing bowl. Fit the Varoma and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma / speed 1.
If you prefer softer broccoli (for baby food or a puree, for example), add 5 extra minutes. For a crunchier result, reduce to 15 minutes. Remove the Varoma immediately after cooking, otherwise the broccoli continues to cook in the residual heat. Optional: rinse briefly with cold water to keep the colour bright green.
Cut florets to an even size: otherwise the result will be uneven
Wash the broccoli and divide it into evenly sized florets. This matters more than it sounds: if one floret is twice the size of another, the small one will be mushy while the large one is still undercooked. Do not throw away the stalks. Peeled and sliced thinly, they cook in the Varoma in the same time as the florets. If you stack more vegetables in the Varoma, a steaming chimney will help distribute the steam more evenly.
Broccoli on top, potatoes below: all-in-one in 20 minutes
The greatest advantage of steaming in the Thermomix®: while the broccoli cooks in the Varoma, a side dish can cook in the mixing bowl at the same time. We regularly do this with potatoes in the steamer basket. Everything ready in 20 minutes, one run, no second pot. All-in-one at its best.
To make sure both layers receive steam evenly, we place a second steaming insert inside the Varoma for the upper tier. This way the broccoli on top cooks just as reliably as whatever is on the lower level.
Butter and salt, garlic, seasoning paste: how we season
Steamed broccoli has a mild flavour. The simplest option: a knob of butter and flaky salt straight onto the hot florets. For more depth: sweat some garlic in olive oil and spoon it over the finished broccoli. Or use homemade vegetable seasoning paste instead of stock powder in the cooking water.
Broccoli soup, broccoli salad: using it straight away
You will find more Thermomix® side dish ideas in our side dishes collection.
Goes well with: Hollandaise sauce.
Steamed broccoli is also the base for other recipes. We use it regularly for broccoli soup (straight from the Varoma into the mixing bowl) or as an ingredient in broccoli salad with cranberries.
Can I cook frozen broccoli in the Varoma?
Yes, that works. Do not defrost the frozen broccoli first; place it directly from the freezer into the Varoma. Increase the cooking time to 25 minutes, as the frozen broccoli needs to thaw before it cooks through. The result is slightly softer than with fresh broccoli, but perfectly fine.
How much broccoli fits in the Varoma?
A maximum of 500 g of broccoli florets. Beyond that the florets sit too close together and the steam cannot reach everywhere. For larger quantities, cook in two batches, or use the Varoma tray and the collection dish at the same time, which allows up to 700 g.
More on the topic: Operating guides for the Varoma and sensor cooking are available in the Thermomix® hub Using Your Thermomix®. Or browse the complete guides overview.
