Techniques › Vegetables, grains and beans
Blanching (and shocking)
Beginner Vegetables, grains and beans
Blanching is boiling vegetables briefly, then plunging them into ice water.
Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
How do you do it?
1Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready.
2Cook the vegetables just until bright and barely tender (green beans 2–3 min).
3Lift them straight into the ice water, then drain.
Why does it work?
Quick heat sets the bright color and softens slightly; the ice bath stops the cooking so they don't go dull and soft.
What are the common mistakes?
- A small pot — the water stops boiling when the veg goes in.
- Skipping the ice bath.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
Learn by cooking. In Pantry to Pan, technique words in your recipes' steps link straight
to guides like this one, right when you need them.
Try it free for 14 daysMore vegetables, grains and beans
- Caramelizing onionsCooking onions slowly until deep golden brown, soft and sweet.Intermediate
- Pasta water and al denteCooking pasta until just tender with a little bite, and saving some of the starchy water.Beginner
- Roasting vegetablesCooking cut vegetables in a hot oven until their edges brown and their centers turn tender.Beginner
- Cooking rice (the absorption method)Simmering rice in a measured amount of water so it absorbs all of it and cooks fluffy.Beginner
- Rinsing rice and grainsWashing grains in cold water before cooking to remove loose surface starch and dust.Beginner
- Making risottoSlowly cooking short-grain rice while adding hot broth bit by bit and stirring, until it turns creamy.Intermediate