The Only Way You Should Store Broccoli, According to an Expert

This is how you keep it from getting yellow and dry in the fridge.

We love broccoli at our house and often steam it as a side dish or stir-fry it in a skillet with other veggies and serve it with rice. We’ll go weeks where we are eating broccoli almost every night. And then our loyalties switch temporarily to green beans, and I forget about the broccoli hanging out in the bottom of the refrigerator.

When I buy broccoli, I usually toss it in the produce drawer in the fridge, still in the original bag from the grocery store. But if I don’t use it relatively quickly and it’s in there a bit too long, it's yellow and dry when I take it out.

A Simple Trick To Keep Broccoli From Drying Out

There’s one easy trick to keeping it fresher longer, and it involves a simple paper towel.

“When I get whole broccoli home from the store, I like to wrap it in a damp (not wet) paper towel and place it back in the original bag,” says registered dietitian and chef Melanie Marcus. “This keeps it from drying out without adding excess moisture.”

The damp paper towel provides just enough moisture to keep broccoli vibrant and fresh. Make sure it’s not overly wet, as that can speed up decay.

Read More: The Only Way You Should Store Potatoes, According to Potato Farmers

The Bouquet Method

A bunch of broccoli looks a little bit like a bouquet of flowers, which is fitting because you can keep them fresh the same way.

“You could also store it upright in a cup of water if you want to extend its quality a bit longer,” Marcus suggests. “Give the broccoli stem a fresh cut and stand it up in a cup with about an inch of water on the bottom, just like you would with fresh herbs or flowers. Then place a loose plastic bag over the top.”

Don't Store Broccoli With These Foods

However you store broccoli, watch what vegetables and fruits you keep it with. Broccoli is sensitive to ethylene, which is a gas released by some produce that can cause some fruits and vegetables to ripen faster. Storing broccoli next to ethylene producers like apples, tomatoes, and avocados can speed up the ripening process, causing it to spoil more quickly.

And don’t be tempted to wash your broccoli until you’re ready to prepare it. Extra moisture from cleaning can speed up spoilage and make your broccoli go bad more quickly.

Wait to wash it just before you use it. Rinse it under cold, running water. For a deeper clean, mix up a bowl of one-half cup of distilled white vinegar per one cup of cool water. Submerge the broccoli for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly under running water.