Reheating Steamed Vegetables - A Simple How To Guide

Vegetables should appear in almost every meal you cook at home. They are plentiful, cheap, good for you, and delicious. Sometimes we can be a little exaggerated when it comes to distributing the portions for dinner, or you may have cooked a little more for lunch the next day.

Whatever the reason you have leftover steamed vegetables, the question is how to reheat them.

Reheating leftover steamed vegetables can be done in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven. However, in order for steamed vegetables to retain their flavor and not turn into mush, there are a few tricks for reheating them.

Reheating Steamed Vegetables in the Microwave

Reheating steamed vegetables in the microwave is the fastest way to do it. You don’t want to leave the vegetables in the microwave too long, so they overcook, but you do want to leave them long enough for them to heat up again.

Since all microwaves have different power levels, the general rule of thumb is to microwave steamed vegetables until they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature during heating.

A good tip for steaming vegetables in the microwave is to cover them with plastic wrap, which acts as a steam mechanism itself and prevents extra moisture from escaping the vegetables, keeping them flavorful and with all the health benefits they boast.

Reheating steamed vegetables in the oven

Steamed foods generally don’t get along well when heated in the oven, but steamed vegetables are an exception. You’ll need to reheat them over low heat, keeping the oven at around 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit so you don’t burn them or heat them too quickly to mush.

To prevent steamed vegetables from drying out and getting soggy, you should cover them with aluminum foil until the last few minutes of reheating. Another useful trick to remember is not to overfill the baking tray and to spread the vegetables evenly on the baking tray to prevent them from getting soggy.

Steamed vegetables take about 10 minutes to heat up in the oven.  Vegetables tend to heat up faster than meat, so be sure to check on them every few minutes, and remove the foil for a few minutes at the end.

Reheating steamed vegetables on the stove

The stove is a great place to reheat steamed vegetables, as it takes next to no time and really locks in the flavor and texture of the steamed vegetables.  You are not going to re-steam the vegetables, as this will make them too soft and soggy.

Instead, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over low to medium heat, which helps prevent overcooking, and steam the vegetables.  Stir the vegetables around for a few minutes in the pan so they heat evenly, and add a squeeze of lemon juice for extra flavor.

How to Steam Vegetables for Reheating Later

The key to ensuring that your steamed vegetables taste great when reheated is to store them properly. It is not enough to put them in the fridge on a plate of food, but you have to be a little more careful. Here are some tips for storing steamed vegetables in the fridge:

• Remove steamed vegetables from the steamer as soon as possible . If you know you won’t be eating the steamed vegetables right now, and you plan to reheat them the next day, remove them from the steamer a minute before they’re done. This leaves them al dente and ensures they don’t get too soft when heated.
• If there are a large number of steamed vegetables, remove them from the heat source and place them in a large shallow dish , which allows the heat to dissipate more quickly, allowing the steamed vegetables to cool faster and preventing them from keep cooking.
• Avoid leaving steamed vegetables out too long, and don’t leave them out overnight.
• Make sure steamed vegetables have cooled completely before putting them in the fridge.  If the vegetables are still warm when placed in the fridge, it could increase the temperature inside the fridge and create a breeding ground for bacteria.
• You can choose to use lidded containers or freezer bags to store your steamed vegetables. Freezer bags work well to save space in the fridge as they can be stored flat or upright.
• Keep steamed vegetables away from other foods, especially raw meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and shellfish.  If steamed vegetables come into contact with other foods, they can lead to food poisoning. Cross contamination must be avoided.
• Only put steamed vegetables in the fridge if you know you will be eating them in a day or two. If you plan to eat them later, you should place the steamed vegetables in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and put them in the freezer.

Why are steamed vegetables better?

There are many different ways to cook vegetables, but some are definitely more beneficial than others. Steaming is a popular method of preparing vegetables, and for good reason. Here’s why you should steam your vegetables, even if it’s just to reheat them later.

less waste

When you boil vegetables in water, 20 to 50 percent of the minerals and vitamins can go to waste, washing away with the water in which they were boiled.  By steaming vegetables, you cut this waste in half, since the minerals and vitamins are retained in the vegetables, and do not leach into the water.

Texture

Steaming vegetables is one of the best ways to ensure that vegetables retain their crisp texture and vivid color. If you time the cooking time correctly, the vegetables will not be overcooked, tasteless and dull in color.

Time saving

Steaming vegetables does not take much time. There are methods for steaming vegetables on the stove or in the microwave, and if you start with already boiling water, vegetables can be steamed in just a few minutes.

It obviously depends on the vegetables you are steaming, as broccoli and cauliflower take longer than vegetables like spinach and peas, but they can all be steamed properly in less than 10 minutes.

Related questions

Can I reheat spinach?

Reheating spinach can be a bit trickier than reheating other steamed vegetables. Spinach wilts and shrinks very quickly, and reheating it by steaming it can turn it into a mess.

If you have leftover spinach, you can eat it in two ways.

1. One would be to eat the spinach cold. It may not sound very appetizing, but cold spinach with a squeeze of lemon juice is really delicious.
2. Another option is to add the cooked spinach to a pasta salad or casserole just at the end of cooking.

This way, the spinach can be eaten cold in the pasta salad, or warmed up with the rest of the casserole ingredients, preventing it from getting any more soggy than it already is.

Is it safe to eat reheated vegetables?

It is completely safe to eat reheated vegetables that have been steamed, as long as the vegetables have been kept safely in the fridge, have not gone bad, and have been reheated properly.

How long can I keep steamed vegetables in the fridge?

Steamed vegetables can usually be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you are going to keep the vegetables for a longer time, you should store them in the freezer . It is important to make sure that steamed vegetables in the fridge do not come into contact with other foods in the fridge, especially raw meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.

How can I defrost frozen steamed vegetables?

There are three different ways to defrost steamed frozen vegetables.

1. You can place frozen vegetables in the fridge overnight and let them thaw, it is a safe and slow thawing process, but it ensures that the vegetables will be in the best condition.
2. Another way is to submerge the bag of frozen vegetables in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed.
3. You can also defrost frozen vegetables in the microwave by setting the defrost setting to low power. This is a faster option, but it can make the vegetables soggy.

Reheat steamed vegetables

Vegetables are very good for you, and steaming them is one of the best ways to ensure that you are getting the most nutrients and vitamins from vegetables.

When reheating steamed vegetables, you can choose between the microwave, stove, or oven, making sure not to overheat the vegetables, which could make them soggy and mushy.

Steaming a few extra veggies to save for lunch the next day is a great way to motivate yourself to eat healthier, and reheating steamed veggies is pretty easy to do at mealtime.