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Five Ways to Eat: Broccoli

Broccoli is famously hated by two-year-olds and presidents alike. But it's a powerhouse of green nutrients and delicious flavor too. Here are five of our favorite ways to eat this tree-like cruciferous vegetable.

 
 

A velvety pasta sauce made from steamed broccoli and feta cheese.

What's your favorite way to eat broccoli?

  1. Raw! - Our favorite way to eat broccoli is in a spicy raw salad, like this recipe for Sexy, Spicy Broccoli from Melissa Clark. Lots of olive oil, chili pepper, and some garlic. Delicious! Also try this Broccoli Slaw.
  2. Steamed - Probably the easiest way to eat a head of broccoli. You can steam broccoli stalks in the microwave quickly and easily. Serve with a little salt, vinegar, and olive oil.
  3. Roasted - Crispier and darker in flavor than the ubiquitous steamed broccoli, roasting is just as easy. Here's how to roast broccoli. Great with a little Parmesan cheese!
  4. With pasta - There's something about the texture and taste of broccoli that we really love paired with pasta. We like it as a vegetable tossed into sausage pasta, and as an addition to a healthy feta and broccoli pasta salad.
  5. As a pasta sauce! - But broccoli isn't just an addition to pasta; it can also be the sauce! A little oil and cheese transforms steamed broccoli into creamy, delicate green pasta sauce. It's really delicious and a great way to eat your veggies. Here's the recipe: Velvety broccoli and feta pasta sauce.

Here are a few other good tips and fun things about broccoli.

Good Question: Do You Eat Broccoli Stalks?
Conscientious Cook: Good Uses for Broccoli Stalks
Virtual CSA Box: Broccoli
Tiny Laughing Faces In Your Broccoli

Tags

Ingredients - Vegetables, Health, broccoli, cruciferous

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Comments (17)

Broccoli is probably my favorite veggie. What about stir-fried broccoli? Just some soy, and a bit of stock make it so nice. Also, I love mine pan sauteed with some garlic, olive oil, and anchovies. Yum. And on top of pizza. Delish.

posted by lotusmoss on October 5th 2009 at 9:54am
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Out of all the foods/recipes I've ever shared with anyone, the MOST favorite is the M. Clark broccoli! It is THAT good! When I make it, I don't even have time to let it marinate, I just pick it warm out of the bowl, like candy!

posted by aleec on October 5th 2009 at 9:58am
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I love including broccoli in omelets. I usually mix it in with other veggies (peppers, onions) and sometimes bacon. I also include it in stir fry like lotus moss. So easy to include along with carrots and other otherwise blah veggies. And it's always good in pasta as well.

Must try to M. Clark recipe sometime.

posted by groupie on October 5th 2009 at 10:51am
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The sexy, spicy broccoli is one my absolute favorite recipes. However, I'm breastfeeding and my daughter is miserable (which means we all are miserable) after raw broccoli. I'm please to report the recipe also great with cooked (not overcooked) broccoli!

posted by anntlope on October 5th 2009 at 11:42am
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Oh how I wish I could eat broccoli in larger quantities! Unfortunately it tears up my digestive system, if I may be so indelicate. My favorite pizza place in town puts bits of broccoli florets on white pizza, the mozzarella/broccoli/garlic combo is tasty.

posted by catsup on October 5th 2009 at 11:43am
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I like stir-fried broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and ginger, or micro-steamed with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of fresh pepper. Also, sauteed broccoli with olive oil, garlic, capers and crushed red pepper is divine!

posted by Lorena in SD on October 5th 2009 at 12:26pm
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I love it pan roasted in butter, olive oil and plenty of garlic. Let it sit for a bit before turning to get it a wee bit browned. Yum.

posted by violet222 on October 5th 2009 at 1:19pm
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I like to make broccoli tempura with a soy chili dipping sauce. The batter is super light and I use very little veg. oil.

Also, like to lightly steam broc, chill and slightly dip a very good dijon mustard.

posted by LoriSF on October 5th 2009 at 1:56pm
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I love broccoli, and loved it even as a child. My favorite is steamed with cheese sauce or browned butter, both classics from my mom.

posted by Emily G. on October 5th 2009 at 3:22pm
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I'm growing a di Cicco variety and I just can't believe people could ever hate broccoli. Well, unless they've only had it steamed. I really do believe that steamed veggies turn most people off from veggies. Who wants that bland nonsense anyway? I use brocc in curries, to make a creamy brocc soup, on pizza, in pasta, with cold noodles, in salads, in just about anything. Oh yes, and I'm with LoriSF. Brocc tempura is yummy!

posted by graciela on October 5th 2009 at 6:00pm
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As a kid I loved broccoli with honey on it. Sweet yes, but honey has some good to it and a little bit got me eating a lot of broccoli.

Now I think it is great chopped into quiche or as part of a simple stir-fry of pork or beef (thin cut), onions and broccoli with a half-and-half (more or less) sauce of soy and peanut butter (chunky).

posted by Faithbck on October 5th 2009 at 8:05pm
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There is always a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer at all times. I love it sauteed in olive oil with tons of garlic and red chili flakes. Sometimes I eat that as a side or I toss it with bowtie pasta and parmaesan. I also love raw broccoli slaw tossed with green onions, peanuts, cubes of tofu, and Trader Joe's poppyseed dressing.

http://dinnerblogging.blogspot.com

posted by footballfoodie on October 5th 2009 at 8:29pm
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Thanks for the recipe. I came home from the market with broccoli... hmmm... what to make? Well, I just made Melissa Clark's "sexy,spicy"... it's going to a potluck dinner tomorrow. I had to restrain myself because like aleec I was eating it right out of the bowl. Super-easy! I had all the ingredients inhouse.

posted by burrda2000 on October 5th 2009 at 9:07pm
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Roasted broccoli, tomatoes and onions with lots of lemon.

posted by hobsy on October 6th 2009 at 10:28am
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I love broccoli stems almost more than the flowerets when steamed or stir fried. Just peel (if the stems are tough) & slice into disks.

posted by addy on October 6th 2009 at 12:30pm
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Sounds like there are a lot of broccoli lovers out there.
Putting it in recipes like Chicken Divan is a good way to get some of this green leafy vegetable on your table and (hopefully) in kid's stomachs.

posted by Teacherteacher on October 6th 2009 at 2:17pm
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I never understood why people hated broccoli. I love it! I just put it in the microwave with salt, pepper, butter, (sometimes substitute oyster sauce for salt) and water to help steam cook it and that's it! Maybe people overcook their veggies?

posted by kpbittner on October 7th 2009 at 9:13am
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