28 Tasty Broccoli Recipes to Try (2024)

Whether you're looking for a hearty side dish or want to quickly roast some florets you have on hand, these broccoli recipes have got you covered. For a main course, try chef Greg Vernick's roasted broccoli steaks, served with tapenade and a homemade tomato butter. Or, try a broccoli-forward soup; F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple's version, topped with crispy broccoli florets and croutons, is especially satisfying. Read on for these and even more broccoli recipe ideas.

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Caramelized Broccoli with Garlic

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Here, chef David Gingrass slowly caramelizes broccoli to bring out its sweetness, then enlivens it with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of crushed red pepper. The resulting broccoli is tender, flavorful, and makes an easy side dish.

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Roast Chicken with Chile-Basil Vinaigrette, Charred Broccoli, and Potatoes

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Chef Hillary Sterling's epic chicken gets its juiciness and deep flavor from brining, air drying, and marinating. The process is simple but does require some planning­ — start at least a day ahead. She serves the bird on a mix of charred broccoli, onions, and fingerling potatoes, fiery from the chiles and fresh from the basil, with a bright kick of red wine vinegar. Six heads of garlic mellow and sweeten after roasting, adding a caramelized flavor to the dressing and marinade.

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Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan

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This easy roasted broccoli recipe is a great side dish for grilled or roasted meat or fish and can be served atop cooked pasta or rice. It's ready in under 45 minutes, making it ideal for weeknight cooking.

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Broccoli and Potato Soup

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The bright green broccoli florets floating on top of this hearty soup make it especially eye-catching, but it's the broccoli stems that do the real work. They're cooked with the potatoes and then pureed to form a creamy base. A final sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese gives the soup an extra savory touch.

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Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Tomato Butter and Tapenade

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At his Philadelphia restaurant, chef Greg Vernick treats broccoli like a steak, roasting it at a high temperature on a preheated pan to achieve a lightly charred crust. Cooked on the same pan, umami-packed tomatoes blend up into a super-quick sauce enriched with just the right amount of butter.

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Aïoli-Glazed Charred Broccoli

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For this speedy recipe, aïoli-coated florets get gorgeously bubbly and browned on a grill or under the broiler, almost like instant broccoli casserole. Chef Helene Henderson says to serve the broccoli piping hot.

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Flash-Roasted Broccoli with Spicy Crumbs

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The genius idea here is to pulse sliced pepperoni with breadcrumbs, then use Dijon mustard to adhere the mixture to broccoli. It's a simple way to add lots of extra flavor and a great crunch to the dish.

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Meyer's Lemony Broccoli and Chickpea Rigatoni

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Chef Marc Meyer's book Brunch offers outrageously good recipes from his first Manhattan restaurant, Five Points. This quick and hearty pasta with chickpeas in a piquant lemon-Parmesan cheese sauce epitomizes his unfussy, ingredient-centric style.

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Roasted Sheet Pan Broccoli with Pickled Pepper Vinaigrette

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Tossing broccoli pieces with oil, salt, and pimentón (Spanish paprika), then roasting them on a preheated baking sheet in a super-hot oven coaxes out the vegetable's sweet side as the florets crisp and the stems turn meaty and tender. A punchy pickled pepper vinaigrette and shavings of Parmesan cheese transform the roasted broccoli into a satisfying and substantial side dish, delicious spooned over steamed whole grains or served alongside a juicy steak.

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Sicilian Scacciata

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Scacciata is a sought-after Sicilian street food featuring a light and crispy bread dough stuffed with a variety of fillings. Cookbook author Valeria Messina fills this winter version with gooey provolone cheese, tender broccoli florets, Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives.

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Shaved Broccoli and Fennel Salad with Goat Cheese

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The combination of creamy goat cheese, fresh herbs, and thin, crunchy vegetables with rich olive oil, lemon, and a little salt is irresistible. If you have a mandoline, it's great to use here.

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Broccoli, Shiitake, and Red Onion Roast

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In this sheet pan recipe, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, and red onions cook together in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner.

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Charred Broccoli with Black Garlic Vinaigrette

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Crisp-tender charred broccoli is tossed with a thick, umami-rich vinaigrette and sprinkled with salty feta and sunflower seeds. Black garlic cloves give the dressing a sweet, tangy, balsamic-like flavor that pairs well with the earthiness of the dried shiitake mushrooms.

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Broccoli Mac and Cheese

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Tossing vegetables with mac and cheese is the easiest way to get your family’s broccoli haters to scarf down their veggies.

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Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli with Cranberry Agrodolce

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A quick, high-temperature oven roast on a baking sheet yields crispy, golden brown brussels sprouts and almost-charred, smoky broccoli. Tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce studded with tart cranberries, Fresno chiles, and shallots, the vegetables become an easy, elegant side dish.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli and Tomatoes

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Balsamic vinegar adds a hint of sweetness to this savory sauce tossed with broccoli and pasta.

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Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole

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Photographer and Alabamian Robert Rausch grew up eating vegetable casseroles — he and his mother are both vegetarians. The broccoli casserole his family ate is a step up from the standard church cookbook recipe, which calls for using canned mushroom soup: In place of that, he uses wild mushrooms. He still relies on Ritz crackers, though, for the crispy, buttery topping.

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Grilled Broccoli with Chipotle-Lime Butter and Queso Fresco

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If you've never tried grilling broccoli, you are definitely missing out: The vegetable becomes tender and deliciously charred. Tossing the broccoli with butter flavored with lime zest, honey, and smoky chipotle Tabasco makes it luscious.

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Warm Broccoli and Barley Pilaf

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People tend to cook barley more in the winter than in the summer. But once it's been toasted in a saucepan with some butter and boiled (only 20 minutes), barley is a terrific showcase for super fresh vegetables, like the broccoli we use here.

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Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Sausage

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This easy gluten-free broccoli and rice casserole is a one-dish meal that's just right for a chilly night.

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Baked Broccoli Ravioli

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Chef Bill Telepan's fresh free-form ravioli are filled with broccoli and cheese, then boiled and baked until crisp at the edges.

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Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Pine Nuts

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This weeknight recipe comes together in just three steps and boasts a lot of flavor from the toasted pine nuts and lemon dressing.

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Charred Broccoli with Blue Cheese Dressing and Spiced Crispies

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Chicago chef Stephanie Izard amps up broccoli with a punchy vinaigrette, creamy blue cheese dressing, and an irresistibly crunchy, butter-toasted Rice Krispies topping.

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Broccoli with Preserved Lemon Yogurt

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To make broccoli special, chef Laurent Tourondel cuts it into steaks and roasts it in the oven, then serves it with a cool and tangy yogurt sauce.

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Broccoli-Spinach Soup with Crispy Broccoli Florets and Croutons

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Given this soup's supremely silky texture, you'll think it's made with cream, but that texture actually comes from a potato pureed into the broth. For contrast, Justin Chapple tops the soup with crispy broccoli florets and croutons.

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Roasted Broccoli with Broccoli Stem Vinaigrette

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Roasting broccoli gives it a wonderful sweetness and crunch, making it a welcome side dish to any meal. Add in garlic and the spicy heat of crushed red pepper, and you've got a dish that will make even the biggest broccoli skeptic ask for seconds. The stems need not go to waste — they're just as delicious as the other parts of the broccoli. "This is a stem-to-floret dish," notes TV personality Alex Guarnaschelli.

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Fried Broccoli

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Based on a tempura batter from Seattle chef Edouardo Jordan, a 2016 F&W Best New Chef, the coating for this fantastic fried broccoli gets its whisper-thin crunch from cold sparkling water and baking powder. Enjoy the broccoli with a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon.

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Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli

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This roasted broccoli recipe requires just seven ingredients: unsalted butter, garlic cloves, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt, freshly ground pepper, broccoli, and extra-virgin olive oil.

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28 Tasty Broccoli Recipes to Try (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants make broccoli taste so good? ›

How do restaurants make broccoli taste so good? As with everything made by chefs, they have unexpected (read: unhealthy) additions to their meals — mostly butter, oil and heaps of salt. An excellent tip for the perfect broccoli is the blanching step.

How to make broccoli taste good without making it unhealthy? ›

Simply sautee the broccoli in a pan with just a little butter, some onions and grated garlic and voila! Add a drizzle of lemon if desired.

What to season your broccoli with? ›

Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli for best results, but you can also use frozen broccoli. I recommend decreasing the cooking time by 30 to 60 seconds if using frozen broccoli. Seasonings: These could include melted butter, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and/or zest, salt, pepper, garlic, or shredded cheese.

Why does Chinese restaurant broccoli taste so good? ›

Chinese restaurants often incorporate garlic, ginger, and soy sauce to add depth and flavor to the broccoli. You can also add a dash of sesame oil or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an added kick.

Why is Chinese restaurant broccoli so good? ›

In Chinese restaurants, the vegetable is often cooked with oyster sauce, Canton style, and it has an affinity for that sauce. It's sometimes blanched before it's stir-fried, and can be cooked as you would broccoli. Health Benefits Like many leafy green vegetables, Chinese broccoli is a powerhouse of nutrients.

Why do you soak broccoli in salt water? ›

Hence, soaking the vegetables in salt water not only removes the pesticides and insecticides, but it also kills the bacteria and bugs present on them.

Is it better to saute or boil broccoli? ›

Healthiest Way to Cook broccoli. Over-cooking broccoli can result in a tasteless mush. A quick saute with garlic and a splash of water, that is enough to not only cook this under-appreciated vegetable but also retain all it's flavour and nutrition.

How do you make broccoli soft but not mushy? ›

Cut broccoli into florets and rinse with cold water. Place in an Anyday dish and cover with the lid (knob lifted). Cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until broccoli is vibrant green and tender, but not mushy.

What are the two appropriate methods of cooking broccoli? ›

Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!

What do you soak broccoli in before cooking? ›

Fill a large bowl with 2 ⅔ cups cold or warm water and ⅓ cup white vinegar. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes, then dump the broccoli into a colander. Rinse the vinegar-treated broccoli very well under running water.

Can dogs have broccoli? ›

Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Dogs can eat the vegetable both cooked and raw, as long as there are no seasonings or oils added. However, this vegetable should always be given in very small quantities, especially because the florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation in dogs.

Why do I feel good after eating broccoli? ›

Broccoli is a good source of dietary fiber, which aids digestion, promotes a feeling of fullness, and contributes to a healthy digestive system [13]. Broccoli's fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties contribute to heart health.

Why do I feel better after eating broccoli? ›

Broccoli Destroys Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can sap your energy and lead to chronic diseases such as arthritis. Practically all vegetables help fight inflammation to some extent, but sulforaphane and kaempferol—a phytonutrient and a flavonoid found in broccoli—are especially potent.

When not to use broccoli? ›

It might look limp, discolored or wrinkled, all signs that broccoli is going bad. You don't want to see off colors, either. Broccoli should be green, so it's a bad sign if the florets turn yellow or brown. If there are any visible mold spots, or if the broccoli looks mushy, it's definitely time to toss the bunch.

How do Chinese restaurants get broccoli so crispy? ›

The Chinese broccoli needs to cook as fast as possible, so that the nutrients and color don't have as much opportunity to leach out into the water. It's best to start with as much boiling water as you can. Restaurants serve amazingly green and crunchy Chinese broccoli because they use huge amounts of boiling water.

Why do restaurant vegetables taste so good? ›

Why are a restaurant's roasted vegetables so much tastier than homemade ones? The simple answer to why roasted vegetables from a restaurant taste so good: lots of fat and salt and high heat.

What do restaurants put in food to make it taste better? ›

There is a reason why vegetables taste better at restaurants than at home. The first and most obvious reason is that restaurants use more butter and salt than home cooks do. However, there's more to try than just salt and butter. Add fresh herbs and cheese or use different kinds of fats and types of vinegar.

How do restaurants keep broccoli green? ›

Use one teaspoon salt per 1 cup of water. Salt provides a “barrier” against carbon dioxide, which prevents chlorophyll from changing color. Make sure that you have enough water in your pot so that all of the broccoli is floating in it.

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