How to Keep Green Vegetables Bright Green

Have you ever made a big pot of greens, green beans, spinach or broccoli only to have it turn into a drab olive-green color? Not very appetizing, huh? Here are a few easy ways to keep your green vegetables bright green.

Close up image of cooked green beans in white bowl.

In one of the Food Science courses I took, we learned how to keep green vegetables green. It’s really quite simple, but there are four factors to consider: Water, pH balance of water, the release of natural gases that form from chlorophyll and time-the duration of cooking the veggies.

What Causes Green Vegetables to Discolor?

All plants (fruits and vegetables) have pigments-it’s what gives them their vibrant colors.

Chlorophyll, which is responsible for the green pigment in vegetables, is not very heat stable. The minute a green vegetable hits the hot water, organic acids are released from the vegetables.

These acids react with the chlorophyll and turn the once beautiful green vegetable into a drab olive color. This is due to several factors:

the amount of liquid
degree of acidity and alkalinity
the duration of cooking time
oxygen: covered vs. uncovered

4 ways to prevent green vegetables from turning dull green

Prep fresh greens with a good wash. Rinse thoroughly a few times. Remove the center stem and cut, or tear the remaining leaves into smaller pieces.

Water

The best way to prepare bright green vegetables is to ensure there is plenty of water. Use enough water to cover the greens by at 1″inch. (This is one of the secrets to cooking crispy green beans.)

Adjust pH

Add 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda per 6 cups of water. The baking soda balances the pH of the water and greens.

Release gases

Bring salted water to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Add the green vegetable (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparague, broccoli rabe, collards.) Leave the lid off for 2-minutes to allow the organic acids and gases to escape. After two minutes, Replace the lid and continue to cook on medium to medium-high heat until greens are tender (but not mushy,) with a mild crunch.