These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (2024)

Go forth into this brave, grown-up world of broccoli and enjoy.

Photo credit: Damn Delicious

Broccoli has a bad reputation, and it's somewhat deserved. Stalks resemble limp and tasteless trees, and they're forced upon us so much throughout childhood that many of us banish them from our adult lives altogether. It's totally understandable. But if you've only ever had steamed, boiled or microwaved broccoli, you have no idea of what this veggie is capable of.

Broccoli pairs particularly well with cheese, lemon and chiles. It's a genius addition to grilled cheeses. And it's a revelation when roasted in the oven with olive oil until it's fork tender with charred edges. Don't let your unfortunate history with broccoli let you miss out on all these delicious dishes.

Folks, these are not your mother's broccoli recipes.

1

Lemon Garlic Roasted Broccoli Salad

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (1)

Half Baked Harvest

Get the Lemon Garlic Roasted Broccoli Salad recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

2

Broccoli Soup With Ginger And Lemon

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (2)

Naturally Ella

Get the Broccoli Soup With Ginger And Lemon recipe from Naturally Ella.

3

Perfect Roasted Broccoli

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (3)

A Spicy Perspective

Get the Perfect Roasted Broccoli recipe from A Spicy Perspective.

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4

Roasted Broccoli Peanut Noodles

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (4)

Naturally Ella

Get the Roasted Broccoli Peanut Noodles recipe from Naturally Ella.

5

Best Broccoli Salad

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (5)

Oh Sweet Basil

Get the Best Broccoli Salad recipe from Oh Sweet Basil.

6

Whole Wheat Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pizza

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (6)

Half Baked Harvest

Get the Whole Wheat Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pizza recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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8

Greek Broccoli Salad

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (8)

Cookie + Kate

Get the Greek Broccoli Salad recipe from Cookie + Kate.

9

Broccoli Quinoa Salad With Creamy Lemon Dressing

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (9)

Well Plated

Get the Broccoli Quinoa Salad With Creamy Lemon Dressing recipe from Well Plated.

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10

Broccoli Soba Bowl

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (10)

I Am A Food Blog

Get the Broccoli Soba Bowl recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

11

Broccoli With Cheese Sauce

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (11)

Oh Sweet Basil

Get the Broccoli With Cheese Sauce recipe from Oh Sweet Basil.

12

Roasted Broccoli Pasta With Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese Sauce

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (12)

Naturally Ella

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13

Harissa Broccoli, Spinach And Wild Rice Casserole With Crispy Prosciutto

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (13)

Half Baked Harvest

14

Broccoli And Shiitake Mushrooms

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (14)

Foodie Crush

Get the Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms recipe from Foodie Crush.

15

Simple Broccoli Soup

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (15)

Not Enough Cinnamon

Get the Simple Broccoli Soup recipe from Not Enough Cinnamon.

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16

Broccoli Chickpea Bowl With Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (16)

Naturally Ella

17

Rejuvenating Winter Broccoli Salad

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (17)

Half Baked Harvest

Get the Rejuvenating Winter Broccoli Salad recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

18

Chicken And Broccoli Alfredo

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (18)

Damn Delicious

Get the Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo recipe from Damn Delicious.

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19

Chicken And Broccoli Skillet Bake

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (19)

Half Baked Harvest

Get the Chicken And Broccoli Skillet Bake recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

20

Roasted Broccoli Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (20)

Minimalist Baker

Get the Roasted Broccoli Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad recipe from Minimalist Baker.

21

Pasta With Roasted Broccoli And Chicken Sausage

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (21)

The Clever Carrot

Get the Pasta With Roasted Broccoli And Chicken Sausage recipe from The Clever Carrot.

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22

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (22)

Damn Delicious

Get the Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli recipe from Damn Delicious.

23

Beef Stir Fry With Broccoli

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (23)

The Woks Of Life

Get the Beef Stir Fry With Broccoli recipe from The Woks Of Life.

24

Easy Shrimp And Broccoli Stir Fry

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (24)

Damn Delicious

Get the Easy Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe from Damn Delicious.

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25

Pan-Roasted Cashew Broccoli

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (25)

Not Enough Cinnamon

Get the Pan-Roasted Cashew Broccoli recipe from Not Enough Cinnamon.

26

Broccoli Cheese Soup

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (26)

Damn Delicious

Get the Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe from Damn Delicious.

27

Slow Cooker Beef And Broccoli

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (27)

Well Plated

Get the Slow Cooker Beef And Broccoli recipe from Well Plated.

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28

Cheddar Cheese Broccoli Tots

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (28)

I Am A Food Blog

Get the Cheddar Cheese Broccoli Tots recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

29

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mini Pies

These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (29)

Half Baked Harvest

Get the Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mini Pies recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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These Aren't Your Mother's Broccoli Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why does my broccoli soup taste bitter? ›

Broccoli contains varying amounts of bitter compounds depending on the type. Standard broccoli is relatively mild in flavor, while Chinese broccoli is slightly more bitter, and broccoli rabe contains the highest level of bitter compounds.

How do you make Chinese broccoli less bitter? ›

Hot water blanch method to remove bitter taste: Chinese broccoli has more bitter flavor than broccolini. If desired, after dice and rinse the vegetable, quickly blanch the stems in hot boiling water for 1 minute and leafy parts for 10-15 seconds then shock the vegetable in cold water to stop cooking.

How to prepare broccoli for people who don t like broccoli? ›

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.

How do you crisp soggy broccoli? ›

WILTED. A quick soak in ice water for 5 to 10 minutes is often enough to reinvigorate wilted veggies. Bendy carrots will straighten right up, lettuce will crisp, and limp broccoli will find its strength again.

What counteracts bitterness in soup? ›

Add sweet vegetables like carrots and beets. They will sweeten the broth and deepen its color. You might also add a bit of miso (or salt) and/or a squeeze of lemon juice. Sweet, salt and acid balance bitter flavors.

Does blanching broccoli remove bitterness? ›

Blanching is a cooking process that removes the harsh, bitter taste of raw broccoli while setting its bright green color. It also ensures that the broccoli won't be overcooked as it can just be tossed with a finished recipe at the end.

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 do you sweeten bitter broccoli? ›

Honey adds a little complexity and maxes out the flavor. Published May 3, 2022. As far as vegetables go, broccoli rabe isn't always at the top of everyone's list of favorites.

How do you make bitter broccoli taste better? ›

To make your broccoli rabe less bitter, toss it in a pot of boiling salted water for one minute, then drain out the liquid. Then you'll want to quickly plunge the broccoli rabe into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and prevent your broccoli rabe from ggetting soft.

What is the healthiest way to eat broccoli? ›

Cooking (Or Not Cooking) Broccoli To Protect Its Nutritional Riches : The Salt Cooking broccoli too long destroys the beneficial enzyme that breaks down chemicals into cancer fighters. The best way to eat it is raw or steamed for just two to three minutes, a nutrition expert says.

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.

Can dogs eat 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.

How do Chinese restaurants get broccoli so crispy? ›

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.

How long to cook broccoli so it's not mushy? ›

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt. Add the broccoli florets and cook until crisp-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge immediately in the ice water.

What does it mean when broccoli turns yellow on top? ›

Answer. Broccoli that is turning yellow is past its peak freshness and will start to slowly lose nutrients. Try to use it while it is fresh and still green. To keep it fresh, refrigerate in a plastic bag and use within 3-5 days.

Why does cooked broccoli taste bitter? ›

Why is Broccoli Bitter? Broccoli contains several compounds which some people perceive as bitter. Proper growing, storage, and cooking can replace that bitter flavor with an earthy, almost sweet taste. Broccoli is best grown when the temperatures are cool and there is less sunlight.

What makes cooked broccoli bitter? ›

What causes broccoli to be bitter? Overcooking broccoli releases sulpher compounds. Take a hint form chinese cooking with a wok. Rapid and high heat produces a crisp and bright green presentation.

What makes veg broth bitter? ›

Turnips and radishes. While you can toss in the tops of most produce, there are some root veggies she recommends leaving out. "Stay away from some of those really bitter root vegetables, like turnips and radishes," says Jawad. They can ruin the balance of your stock, making it come out very bitter.

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