The Big Mistake You're Making With Steamed Vegetables

Vegetable consumption has been on the rise over the last few years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, which is no surprise as more people are switching over to vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian lifestyles. The COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced what consumers look for at stores and buy, says Whole Foods' Chief Marketing Officer, Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, in a statement to Fox News.

With more veggies being purchased — Statista reports a sales growth of 4.4 percent — more people are roasting, pan frying, and steaming their greens. Although steaming may seem like the easiest way to get greens to the dinner table, there is a huge veggie uh-oh that home cooks everywhere are making that is keeping their vegetables from living up to their fullest delicious and nutritional potential. What is the big cooking mistake you're making? Overcrowding your yummy veggies while you're steaming them on the stove.

No one likes being packed into an elevator or a car like sardines in a can, and neither do your veggies. It's understandable that after a long day of work and chores, you want to get your meal done in a jiffy so that you can finally sit down and get some much needed rest and relaxation. But dumping all your veggies into your steamer or metal colander all at once can do you and your dinner guests a huge disservice.

Forkly agrees that it is logical to believe that dumping it all in at once is a solid idea, but it's not a good cooking practice. Why? Forkly explains that when you overcrowd your vegetables, you mess with the cooking time, the cooking temperature, and the texture of the food. One Green Planet recommends adding one layer of veggies to your steaming vessel, as this will allow them enough room to properly cook. One Green Planet also suggests cooking in batches, if time permits.