The enormous flower head, stem, and small accompanying leaves of the broccoli plant, a member of the family Brassicaceae and genus Brassica, are consumed as vegetables. Large, typically dark-green flower heads on broccoli branch out from a sturdy, mostly light-green stalk in a tree-like arrangement. There are leaves all around the cluster of flower heads. Cauliflower, a distinct but related cultivar group of the same Brassica species, resembles broccoli.
Broccoli is well-known for it’s positive impact on health. Broccoli is a good source of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium, among other nutrients. It also boasts higher levels of protein than most other veggies. This leafy green can be eaten raw or cooked, but current study indicates that mild steaming offers the greatest health advantages. Broccoli has few digestible carbohydrates but offers a fair quantity of fibre, which supports digestive health and may lower your chance of contracting a number of ailments.
So, how do you cook Broccolini or Broccoli, below we have 8 recipes for you to try:
In the recipes below Broccoli can be substituted for any form of Broccoli whether it be Broccolini, Sprouting Broccoli, Purple Sprouting Broccoli or Tenderstem Broccoli.
Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 25 – 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 320g pasta
- 300g broccoli florets, rinsed
- 80g smoked bacon, diced
- 250g sausage, sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add broccoli florets and cook them for 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick skillet and brown sausages and smoked bacon.
- Add broccoli florets and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with broccoli.
- Cook and stir for 30 seconds.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- Use short pasta like half-sleeves or mezze penne.
- Do not throw away broccoli stems; you can use them for preparing gnocchi or in other recipes. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Buckwheat with Broccoli
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 250g buckwheat
- Approx. 600ml vegetable broth
- 250g purple broccoli florets, rinsed
- 2 anchovies in oil
- 10 black olives, cut into rounds
- 30g pecorino cheese, grated
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add broccoli florets and cook them for 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Toast buckwheat in a pan with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, stirring constantly. Pour in vegetable broth and cook until al dente.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add anchovies. Stir until anchovies have melted.
- Add broccoli florets and stir well to combine the flavours.
- Add buckwheat, grated pecorino, black olives, a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- You can replace buckwheat with spelt or barley. They are all packed with nutrients and give a great texture to every dish.
- Add more vegetable broth if needed.
Broccoli Soup
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 – 18 minutes
Ingredients
- 800g broccoli florets, rinsed
- 500ml vegetable broth
- 100ml coconut milk
- A pinch of thyme
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a pan.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the broccoli is tender.
- Blend with the immersion blender until creamy and homogeneous.
- Season with more black pepper.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- Serve with croutons or toasted cereal bread.
- Garnish with caramelized onions, leeks, or chopped and toasted nuts.
Broccoli and Brie soufflé
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 250g broccoli (tender stems), rinsed
- 300ml almond milk
- 45g butter
- 40g flour
- 3 large eggs
- 120g Brie cheese, diced
- Breadcrumbs, to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200° Grease muffin moulds with butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Bring a pot with salted water to a boil and cook broccoli until tender.
- Drain broccoli and transfer them into a high-speed blender. Add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and blend until homogeneous.
- Melt 45g of butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir well with a wooden spoon until you obtain a lump-free mixture. Cook for two minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add almond milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat, add egg yolks, broccoli cream, Brie, and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. Incorporate them gently into the almond milk mixture.
- Fill muffin moulds and bake for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- There is nothing more we can say or advise regarding this recipe, as it is perfect like this. Just follow the exact steps, and you will love this recipe.
Broccoli Meatballs
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 250g purple broccoli, rinsed
- 2 small potatoes
- 30g ricotta cheese
- 30g Pecorino cheese, grated
- 40g breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with water. Add a pinch of coarse salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook until tender.
- In another pot, add broccoli and water, and cook until tender. Drain broccoli and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool.
- Peel the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl with broccoli. Mash everything with the potato masher.
- Add chopped walnuts, ricotta, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Form small balls and coat them with breadcrumbs.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- Serve broccoli meatballs as a toothpick appetizer with some tasty sauce like honey-mustard or red chilli sauce.
- You can also fry broccoli meatballs in vegetable oil. Remember to place them on kitchen papers to remove the excess oil.
Crustless Broccoli Quiche
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 kg broccoli (tender stems)
- 300ml béchamel sauce
- 200g tuna in oil
- 2 large eggs
- 60g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, grated
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- A pinch of chilli powder
- Butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add broccoli florets and cook them until tender. Drain broccoli and place them into a mixing bowl. Break them with a fork (you do not need to mash them).
- Add beaten eggs, tuna, béchamel sauce, grated cheese, salt, pepper and chilli powder.
- Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Grease a high-sides baking dish with butter and pour in the broccoli mixture.
- Level the surface with a spatula and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- This is a rather simple broccoli quiche recipe, but without the puff pastry. If you like that ingredient, you can add it and roll it onto a greased cake pan and pour in the filling.
- You can serve it with sour cream mixed with herbs like coriander or chives.
Broccoli Risotto
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 280g rice
- 350g broccoli florets, rinsed and cut into smaller pieces
- 120g shrimp tails, peeled
- 1 onion, chopped
- 100ml dry white wine
- 1l vegetable broth
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 20g butter
- 40g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, grated
Instructions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and cook until lightly golden brown.
- Stir in the rice and toast it for about 30 seconds.
- Add broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
- Blend with wine.
- When the wine has evaporated, add shrimp tails and a ladle of broth and stir well.
- Continue cooking by gradually adding a ladle of broth as needed.
- When the rice is al dente, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and grated cheese.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- When preparing risotto, use starchy rice like Vialone Nano, Carnaroli, or Arborio.
- The rice, just as pasta, need to be al dente.
- The vegetable broth needs to be warm when added to risotto, so you can let it simmer while cooking.
- Stir well the risotto after adding grated cheese, as that is one of the most important steps when preparing the risotto.
Cannelloni with Broccoli and Brie
- 4 Servings
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 250g cannelloni
- 1 leek, sliced
- 800g broccoli, rinsed
- 200g smoked cheese, grated
- 500ml béchamel sauce
- 80ml milk
- 40g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 25g butter
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°
- Dice broccoli florets into smaller pieces.
- Cook broccoli florets in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and cook sliced leeks until lightly golden.
- Add broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in 200 ml of béchamel sauce, 20 g grated Parmigiano, and smoked cheese.
- Blanch cannelloni in salted boiling water for 1 minute.
- Fill the cannelloni with the broccoli mixture.
- Grease a high-sides baking dish and cover the bottom with 100ml of béchamel sauce.
- Arrange cannelloni in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over cannelloni and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano and sliced butter.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Additional tips
- For this recipe, you can also use broccoli stems. Add them into the boiling water, and after five minutes, you can add the florets.
