Hello and welcome to this new thing we’re trying out where we help you figure out what you’re gonna put in your mouth this week. Some of these are recipes we’ve tried, some of these are recipes we’re looking forward to trying, all of them are fucking delicious. Tell us what you want to put in your piehole or suggest your own recipes, and next week we’ll check in and talk about which things we made, which things we loved, and which things have changed us irreversibly as people. Last week, we ate peas.
I have a confession: I am a really lazy cook. Most dinners I make are simple and easy productions, and thus, broccoli is my best friend. Broccoli gets a bad rep from picky, whiny kids heard ’round the world (like peas, right?!), but it’s one of the easiest veggies to cook.
Broccoli is low-maintenance, high-nutrient and relatively easy to keep fresh for awhile in your fridge. You just chop it up, toss it in some water to boil and it’s ready in less than five minutes. In fact, that’s exactly what I made for a side in last night’s dinner, then spent ten minutes convincing my niece broccoli and cauliflower were edible flowers so she’d try them.
But broccoli is super versatile! It is especially great for saucy dishes because it soaks it right up and holds flavor amazingly. Hell, you can even make broccoli desserts. Who knew?
Here are some recipes for broccoli on those nights you want somethin’ a lil’ fancier than boiled broc.
Appetizers, snacks & sides
1. Broccoli Guacamole
via Vegangela
I kind of want to make this just as an excuse to say “broc guac” over and over and over until I have no friends left.
2. Broccoli Sweet Potato Cakes
via She Knows
3. Beer Battered Broccoli
via Betty Crocker
Why? Because fuck broccoli always being healthy, that’s why.
4. Pesto Broccoli
5. Sriracha Broccoli
6. Cauliflower and Broccoli Tapas
Meals
7. Copycat of Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheese Soup
Real talk: Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup rivals my mother’s. Shhh.
8. Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese
9. Green Mac and Cheese
via Weelicious
10. Squash and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna
via Bon Appetit
11. Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets
via Skinny Taste
These are super easy to make ahead and then heat up for your breakfasts on the go!
12. Cheesy Broccoli and Red Pepper Quiche with Potato Crust
via Mango & Tomato
13. Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup
via Whole Living
14. Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
via Skinny Taste
15. Creamy Chicken, Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole
via Pinch of Yum
16. Broccoli Curry Udon
17. Broccoli, Apple and Almond Salad
18. Raw Broccoli Raisin Salad
via Rawmazing
19. Broccoli Stuffed Shells
via Hidden Valley
20. Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry
via Baked Bree
21. Broccoli Cheddar Beer Soup
recipe via Autostraddle / image via efoods.com
Desserts
22. Broccoli Brownies
via Wine and Plum
23. Chocolate, Black Bean, Broccoli and Basil Smoothie
via Battinburg Cakes
24. Sweet Broccoli Cake with Pumpkin Frosting
25. Broccoli Sorbet
I, like this photo, am also preeeeeetty skeptical, but why not?
Share your favorite broccoli tales/recipes with us!
I want all of this. I’ve never met a broccoli dish I didn’t like.
This dessert section is everything I never knew I wanted. Especially the smoothie. I am so down.
Broccoli is the bomb. Those whiny kids don’t know what they’re missing.
Also, broccoli in hash browns is delicious.
Broccoli level: college. Eat it frozen straight out of the bag.
….not that I’ve done this. Or been seen doing this by my roommates…
Broccoli is the best! I was one of those weird kids who would request broccoli for dinner. My mom would steam it, and then sauté it with some garlic and olive oil. So delicious.
I could never get into raw broccoli, though. There are some raw veggies that I love, but I like my broccoli cooked.
Omnomnom.
broccoli is such simple perfection. just so good.
unsolicited public service announcement: please eat your broccoli stems, people! they contain so many nutrients and they taste great. they can be a little tough and fibrous if you get the really large stalks, but peel the outside with a veggie peeler (or even just trim them a little if you are feeling lazy) and voila. they taste really great raw (much better than the florets i think) or you can steam/puree them into the creamiest broccoli soup you have ever had. i personally buy fresh broccoli and see it as two veggies in one: i use the florets first in a stir fry or something of that nature and then reserve the stems for soup the next day. plus usually you pay by the pound for fresh broccoli so wasting the stems is huge waste of money.
sorry for the excessive info on my personal broccoli habits, but i just really need you guys to know that broccoli stems are wonderful.
Can i second that, i started peeling and eating the main stem after i saw it on an episode of good eats (he compared it to artichoke heart) and i wen’t home for christmas and i saw my Mom and here boyfriend throw like 4 big ones away…. my mom may have been a bit surprised by my wide-eyed shock.
The stem is the best bit, julienne that shit!
Wait, what? I can have broccoli for dessert?
Broccoli, bacon, and apple salad is where it’s at.
The broccoli cheese beer soup is incredible! I made that recipe a few months ago.
Broccoli-gasm. That is all.
Broccoli and chicken casserole is my ultimate comfort food. I’m definitely trying it with quinoa instead of rice next time.
Beer battered broccoli??? bye, I have to go make that and put it in my mouth right now.
Roasted broccoli grilled cheese sandwiches! How did I live without these in my life??
Broccoli Brownies?! Really?
I’ll settle for some Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup it’s the best – & it’s heading into Winter here in New Zealand, I might just have to try some Broccoli Cheddar Beer soup as well.
Broccoli dessert? I can eat broccoli in all my meals all the time?! Oh hell yes. I’m going to be looking like she-hulk by the end of the week with all this green deliciousness
This is such a horrible article to be reading at work when I’ve missed lunch, am starving, have a huge crush on broccoli and cannot have anything I am seeing! :(
However, on a plus side I see broccoli grilled cheese being in my mouth in about an hour! And, almost, everything else will be made in the next week or so! :)