How To Blanch Nearly Every Vegetable

I love the smorgasbord of Christmas feasting, but when the holidays are over and done, it's nice to eat simply for a change of pace. The week after Christmas finds me in the grocery store checkout line with the conveyor belt parading a rainbow of fresh veggies toward my reusable tote bags.

Blanching is one of my favorite tricks for getting the most out of those fresh vegetables. In case you’re not familiar with this technique, blanching involves partially cooking foods in boiling water, then rapidly cooling them in an ice bath, which is a fancy way to say "bowl of ice water." It's a low-effort process that's worth every second of the scant handful of minutes it takes. Here's why.

Why Bother With Blanching Vegetables?

When it comes to green vegetables like peas, beans, asparagus, and broccoli, blanching is a quick and easy way to lock in their vibrant green color while preserving their crunch. For fruits like peaches and tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are a fruit!), blanching is a quick way to peel them (more on that below). For denser foods like potatoes, blanching is a great way to get a head start on cooking so they’ll grill faster without burning.

Blanched vegetables can be eaten as-is for a simple side or dipped into dressing on a crudités platter. They can be stirred into recipes, or even frozen for a later use.

How To Blanch Vegetables

Blanching does not involve donning a caftan and winking at every gentleman who darkens your door (like Blanche from the Golden Girls). It’s actually much easier than that.

• Step 1. Simply start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
• Step 2. Next, carefully add the vegetable or fruit of choice to the boiling water, being careful not to splash.
  

• Step 3. When the vegetables brighten in color or the peels begin to loosen from the fruits (see below for specific times), transfer them to a bowl of ice water using a slotted spoon or a spider.

Step 4. Once they’ve cooled, drain and dry the vegetables or fruits well, then proceed with the recipe of your choosing, or freeze them for a later use.

What Vegetables Can You Blanch?

While you can blanch just about all vegetables, the candidates that benefit the most are crunchy veggies that won't soak up a lot of water. Here are our favorites:

• Green Peas: AKA English peas, these little guys blanch in the blink of an eye—just about 1 minute—so they’re a fast fix!
• Snow Peas: These slender guys cook fast—boil for no more than 90 seconds.
  
• Green Beans: Any pole beans are born to be blanched, but slim haricots verts are the best—they take about 2 minutes to get crisp-tender.
  
• Asparagus: Long and slender, these verdant spears are ready in just 3 minutes, a little more or less for thicker and thinner pieces, respectively.
• Carrots: For whole carrots, boil for 4 minutes; for sliced carrots, aim for 2 minutes.
• Corn: Boil shucked ears of corn for four minutes; let cool, then cut kernels from cobs.
• Broccoli & Cauliflower: Bushy florets with their thick stalks take a little longer to blanch—about 4 minutes—but they’ll be done before you know it.
• Small Potatoes: Think fingerlings and new potatoes. Blanching potatoes is great if you plan on grilling them—you’re not trying to cook them all the way through, just to get them started so they grill more quickly. Give them about 7 minutes in the boiling water, then test with a fork.
  

You Can Blanch Fruit, Too!

Blanching fruit is an awesome way to peel several varieties with easy. For peaches and tomatoes, cut a shallow “X” in the bottom of each fruit, then slide the fruit into boiling water for about a minute. When you see little bits of peel start to loosen near the "X," transfer the fruit to the ice bath. Let cool, then use a paring knife to gently peel the skin skin away in sheets.