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.Cooking Times for Vegetables

Source of Recipe

The Seattle Times


Remember that cooking times are approximate and will depend on the freshness and thickness of the vegetable and on the desired tenderness. Salt will add flavor and can be used as needed.

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Artichokes (2 to 4): Wash and trim stems, then cut off about 1 inch from the tops.

♦ Blanch: 8 minutes.

♦ Boil: 30 to 40 minutes. The heart should be tender, and the leaves should pull away easily.

♦ Roast: Put artichokes into a large baking pan with about 1 inch of water in the bottom (check during cooking so the water does not boil off). Cover and roast in a preheated 375-degree oven 45 to 60 minutes.

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Asparagus (1 pound): Snap ends from spears and wash asparagus well.

♦ Blanch: 2-inch pieces, 1 minute; whole spears, 1 ½ minutes.

♦ Boil: 4 to 7 minutes for whole spears, or 3 minutes for 2-inch pieces.

♦ Grill: Brush whole spears with olive oil and grill over medium-hot coals or on a grill pan 5 to 10 minutes, turning often.

♦ Roast: Spread whole spears in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with olive oil to lightly coat. Roast at 425 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.

♦ Steam: Whole spears, 5 to 7 minutes.

♦ Stir-fry: Cut into 1 ½-inch pieces and stir-fry in hot oil over medium-high heat 3 minutes.

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Beans, green or yellow wax (¾ pound): Snap ends and leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.

♦ Blanch: Cut pieces, 2 to 3 minutes.

♦ Boil: 3 to 5 minutes for cut pieces, or 4 to 7 minutes for whole.

♦ Sauté: Blanch or steam beans first, then sauté in hot oil or butter 2 to 3 minutes.

♦ Steam: 5 to 10 minutes.

♦ Stir-fry: Pieces can be stir-fried in hot oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes. If beans are tough, add a little water or broth, cover and steam a few minutes until tender.

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Beets (1 pound): Wash but don't peel. Cut off stems, leaving about 1 ½ inches. A paring knife can be inserted easily into the center of cooked beets.

♦ Boil: 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Drain, briefly plunge into cold water, then peel.

♦ Bake: Wrap in aluminum foil and put into a baking pan. Cook at 375 degrees 30 to 60 minutes.

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Broccoli (1 pound): Trim broccoli florets into pieces about 1 ½ inches long. Peel the stalks and cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices.

♦ Blanch: 1 ½ minutes.

♦ Boil: 3 to 5 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Heat a little olive oil in a skillet, add broccoli and cook 5 to 7 minutes.

♦ Steam: Put florets and stalks into a steamer basket and set over boiling water. Cover and steam 3 to 4 minutes or until just tender.

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Cabbage, red or green (1 pound): Cut in half and remove core and tougher outside leaves. Cut into 8 wedges or ½-inch shreds.

♦ Blanch: 2 minutes for shreds; 5 minutes for wedges.

♦ Boil: 8 to 10 minutes for shreds; 12 to 15 minutes for wedges.

♦ Braise: 20 to 25 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Toss shreds in hot butter or oil and cook, stirring often, 7 to 10 minutes.

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Carrots (1 pound): Peel or scrub well. Unless otherwise indicated, cut into slices on the diagonal about ¼-inch thick. Baby carrots can be left whole.

♦ Blanch: 2 minutes.

♦ Boil: 3 to 5 minutes.

♦ Roast: Cut carrots in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 2-inch chunks. Put into baking dish, toss with olive oil and roast at 425 degrees 40 to 60 minutes. Stir occasionally.

♦ Steam: 7 to 10 minutes

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Cauliflower (1 pound): Cut florets into 1 ½-inch pieces.

♦ Blanch: 1 ½ minutes.

♦ Boil: 3 minutes.

♦ Roast: Toss with oil to coat lightly and roast at 425 degrees 10 to 15 minutes or until browned and tender.

♦ Sauté: Blanch first, then sauté in hot oil or butter 5 minutes.

♦ Steam: 7 to 9 minutes.

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Corn kernels (2 ½ cups): Remove husks and silks from ears, scrape kernels from cob.

♦ Blanch: 1 minute.

♦ Boil: 3 to 4 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Add to hot oil or butter in skillet and sauté over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes.

♦ Steam: 3 to 4 minutes.

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Corn on the cob (4 to 6 medium): Unless grilling or roasting, remove husks and silks.

♦ Blanch: 2 minutes.

♦ Boil: 4 to 5 minutes.

♦ Grill: Remove silks, replace husks and soak corn in water 1 hour. Drain and twist or tie tops. Or remove silks and husks and wrap in foil. Cook over medium-hot coals 15 to 20 minutes.

♦ Roast: Prepare as for grilling and roast in an electric 450-degree oven 15 to 20 minutes.

♦ Steam: 5 minutes.

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Leeks (1 pound): Remove tougher outer green leaves and cut off about 2 inches from tops. Leave whole, sliced in half or cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

♦ Braise: 15 to 25 minutes.

♦ Grill: Brush halves with oil and grill over medium-hot coals 10 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Slices, 5 minutes.

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Onions (yellow, red, white, boiling, Cipolline, pearl; 1 pound):

♦ Blanch: 3 minutes for whole, unpeeled onions. Drain and peel.

♦ Boil (Cipolline, boiling, pearl): Peel, 2 to 5 minutes.

♦ Braise: Blanch and peel first. Sauté in olive oil or butter, cook covered over medium-low heat 25 minutes, then uncovered 5 minutes.

♦ Roast: Peel, brush with olive oil and put into a baking dish. Roast at 400 degrees 50 minutes for whole, 30 minutes for wedges.

♦ Sauté: Chopped or sliced, 5 to 10 minutes

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Peas, green (3 cups shelled): Rinse and shell.

♦ Blanch: 1 to 2 minutes.

♦ Boil: 3 to 5 minutes.

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Peas, snow and sugar snap (1 pound): Rinse and pull strings.

♦ Blanch: 30 to 60 seconds.

♦ Boil: 1 to 2 minutes.

♦ Stir-fry: 2 to 5 minutes in oil over medium-high heat.

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Peppers, hot or sweet (2 to 4): Remove stems, seeds and white membranes. Cut into rings or strips.

♦ Blanch: 2 minutes.

♦ Sauté: 7 to 10 minutes in olive oil over medium heat.

♦ Roast: Place whole peppers under a broiler or over a grill. Roast until skins have blackened, then remove from heat and top with wet paper towels to cool. Skin and seed roasted peppers.

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Potatoes (1 ½ pounds): Scrub and peel if desired. Cut into slices, wedges or cubes, or leave whole.

♦ Bake, whole: Pierce and bake at 375 degree, 45 to 60 minutes.

♦ Boil: Whole new potatoes, 15 to 20 minutes; whole mature potatoes, 25 to 45 minutes; slices 5 to 7 minutes.

♦ Roast: Peel and cut into wedges or chunks. Toss with olive oil and roast at 425 degrees 25 to 45 minutes, turning once.

♦ Sauté: Slice and cook in combination of olive oil and butter over medium heat 25 to 35 minutes.

♦ Steam: Whole new, 20 minutes; whole mature, 30 to 45 minutes; slices, 10 to 15 minutes.

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Spinach (1 ½ — 2 pounds): Wash well, remove tough stems, chop leaves or leave whole.

♦ Blanch: 2 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Cook 3 to 4 minutes in oil or butter on medium heat.

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Squash: Summer (1 to 1 ½ pounds): Leave baby squash whole; slice or dice others.

♦ Blanch: 1 to 2 minutes.

♦ Grill: Slice ¾-inch thick; brush with olive oil; medium-hot grill 8 to 10 minutes.

♦ Sauté: Cook in olive oil over medium-high heat 4 to 7 minutes.

♦ Roast: Toss with olive oil, 425 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes.

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Tomatoes (1 pound): Wash.

♦ Bake: Cut in half, put into baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375 degrees 20 to 25 minutes.

♦ Blanch: Cut X in blossom end, 30 seconds.

♦ Roast: Put in roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees 30 to 45 minutes; texture should be very soft.

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Sources: "Timing is Everything" by Jack Piccolo; "Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Companion: The A to Z Guide to Everyday Cooking Equipment and Ingredients"; "Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop