The Easiest Way To Lock In Moisture As Soon As Veggies Are Blanched

Blanching your vegetables has a plethora of benefits, from retaining critical nutrients and preserving flavors, colors, and texture to making a suitable canvas for your preferred seasoning and doing away with some unwanted microorganisms present in raw veggies. And with one simple step, you can achieve restaurant-quality blanched vegetables at home. The key lies in retaining the moisture to avoid a dry, withered-up, unappetizing plate of veggies, and the way to lock in the moisture is by coating the blanched vegetables in oil as soon as they are taken out of the hot blanching water.

When you coat the veggies in oil right after blanching in hot water, it creates a water-proof barrier that stops the steam from the vegetables from escaping. The steam is indicative of escaping moisture, so the fat-based barrier from the oil allows the vegetables to retain their precious moisture and vibrant freshness. Consider tossing in some salt, pepper, and other seasonings to impart an additional kick of flavor.

Blanching your vegetables is not only a delicious way to prepare them, but also a great technique to make them suitable for refrigeration or freezing for longer-term storage while preserving nutrients, flavor, and texture. Blanched vegetables like green beans that are coated in olive oil can be stored in a fridge for up to 2 months. Firm vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans, to name a few, and leafy greens such as spinach and kale are commonly preferred and suitable for blanching.

The process removes the toughness of these veggies while maintaining a desirable bite without turning them into mush. Just make sure not to overblanch your vegetables as it can compromise their color, texture, and nutritional profile. You can save plenty of time on meal prep by blanching and storing your vegetables. Consider adding blanching your veg to your arsenal of tips and tricks for a quick and easy salad prep!