Steaming Times for Vegetables

 I bought a pot that has a basket for steaming vegetables. How long do I steam my vegetables?

 Well, how long does it take you to read a book? Kind of depends on the book, doesn't it? Same thing with vegetables. Of course, it also depends on how well cooked you want the vegetables — there are some chefs these days who think if you don't crack a tooth on a piece of carrot, it's overdone. And many Southerners simply want their green beans to melt down to a pudding. Somewhere in between is our general guide for steaming vegetables. Make adjustments to suit your own preferences.

Steaming is a wonderful way to cook most vegetables. Because it is so gentle, it allows them to retain more of their shape, color, texture, flavor, and nutrition. It's also not very complicated. Make sure the water in your pan doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil before adding the vegetables to the basket. Cover and cook. Make sure the water doesn't boil away; add more boiling water to the pan as necessary.

Vegetable	Steaming Time
Artichoke, medium	40 minutes
Asparagus, thin spears  thick spears	3 to 4 minutes 5 to 6 minutes
Beets	30 to 35 minutes
Broccoli, florets  spears	4 to 5 minutes 5 to 6 minutes
Brussels sprouts	7 to 11 minutes
Cabbage, cut in wedges	6 minutes
Carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick	6 to 8 minutes
Cauliflower, head  florets	12 to 15 minutes 4 to 6 minutes
Corn on the cob	5 minutes
Green beans	4 to 5 minutes
Kale	4 to 5 minutes
Parsnips, 1-1/2-inch pieces	8 to 10 minutes
Peas	2 minutes
Potatoes, new  2-inch pieces	12 minutes 15 minutes
Spinach	4 to 5 minutes
Sweet potatos, whole  1-inch pieces	40 to 50 minutes 12 to 15 minutes
Winter squash, peeled, 2-inch pieces	15 to 20 minutes
Zucchini, 1/4-inch slices	5 to 7 minutes

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