THIS is my absolute favorite broccolini recipe! Learn the secret to cooking this nutritious and delicious veggie and you’ll be hooked.
Looking for an easy side dish that can be on the table in less than 15 minutes? This basic broccolini recipe will show you how to quickly cook broccolini to simple perfection.
Your broccolini will turn out with a beautiful, vibrant green color and a balanced tender-crunchy texture in every bite. And it’s not roasted, sautéed or pan-fried. What’s the secret?
Broccolini is a green cruciferous vegetable hybrid with pencil-thick, elongated stems and a head of tightly clustered florets that look similar to broccoli rapini buds and Chinese broccoli.
Is it related to broccoli? Broccolini is a type of brassica, just like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. But, even though broccolini is often called “baby broccoli”, it’s not actually broccoli.
You can find broccolini in your supermarket produce section or farmer’s markets, where it’s usually sold in bunches.
It’s a relatively new variety in the produce section, a circa 1980s Japanese hybrid of broccoli developed by pollinating gai lan (a/k/a Chinese kale) and broccoli.
Broccolini has a mild, sweet flavor that’s really appealing. I think it tastes like a mixture of broccoli, asparagus and leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale.
Check to see if the stems are fork-tender. If they are, youre done! If theyre still tough (this happens with relatively thick stalks), add a bit of water to the skillet, cover, and steam until the stems are tender-crisp, 1-2 minutes.
In fact, if the stems are very thin, you can skip steaming altogether and simply saute the broccolini for 2-3 minutes on each side. So check the stems after the first stage of sauteing. If theyre fork-tender, theyre ready to serve.
No. The entire vegetable is edible, so you dont need to remove the leaves or stems before cooking. When cooking broccoli, its best to cook the florets and stems separately because the stems are tough and need longer cooking. Heres a good recipe for roasted broccoli stems. Making sauteed broccolini is easier because you can cook the entire vegetable simultaneously.
Cook the broccolini until it has absorbed the butter, 2-3 minutes per side, over medium-high heat.
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Seasoning ideas for broccolini
- Crushed or finely chopped garlic
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Sliced roasted red peppers
- Sesame oil, tamari and sesame seeds
- Cheese: Try shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, Cheddar, feta, goat cheese.
- Melted butter
The BEST SAUTEED BROCCOLI RABE With Garlic And Oil
FAQ
What part of the broccolini do you eat?
How much of broccolini stem is edible?
How much stem do you cut off broccolini?
Do you have to remove leaves from broccolini?
Should it be Broccolini®?
It should be Broccolini®. Here’s the story: In the late 1980s, the idea for a new vegetable was born in Japan. The Sakata Seed Corporation, a leading broccoli seed grower and exporter, wanted a crop with a longer harvest season and that was less fussy about growing conditions than broccoli (which hates being hot).
What is the best way to eat broccoli, raw or cooked?
Consuming raw broccoli allows for a better use of its nutritional value. Raw broccoli is richer in vitamins, which can be lost in the cooking process, its fibers are also intact, since when cooked they are softened. This feature is interesting for intestinal functioning.
Why do people eat Broccolini?
Another reason to love Broccolini is that it’s so easy to prep. It has small florets, long stalks, and a few small leaves—all of which are edible, so there’s nothing much to trim off or peel away. Simply wash the Broccolini under cold running water, then trim the stems by about a half-inch, and it’s ready to cook.
What goes well with Broccolini?
Stir fried – stir-frying is a great way to preserve the tender texture of broccolini, and its sweet, nutty flavour blends well with aromatic Asian flavours like sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. With cheese – like its close relatives broccoli and cauliflower, broccolini pairs particularly well with cheese.