Heat
How to blanch vegetables
Cook vegetables briefly in boiling water, then chill them in ice water so they stay bright and crisp.
Step by step
- Fill a big bowl with ice and water.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the vegetables in small batches so the boil comes back fast.
- Cook just until bright and barely tender, often 1 to 3 minutes.
- Lift them into the ice water, then drain once cold.
How you know it's done
The color is vivid and the vegetable bends a little but still snaps.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the ice bath, so they keep cooking and turn dull.
- Crowding the pot.
Simmerbee recipes that use it (1)
In those recipes the word is underlined in the steps; tap it for the short version. In hands-free cook mode, ask “How do I blanch?”