Broccolini vs Broccoli: What’s the Difference? | Cooking school
By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen
Layla Khoury-Hanold is a Food Network contributor.
Although their names and appearance are similar, broccoli, broccoli, and broccoli rabe are three distinct vegetables. Here, we break down their differences and share our favorite recipes with them.
Although these hardy greens have similar names and boast hard stems, green stems, and leafy flowers, they belong to different plant families and have slight differences.
Broccoli has a thick and crunchy stem with a head consisting of flowers arranged in tight clusters. It has an earthy flavor with a hint of bitterness. It’s a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw in salads or on a crisp plate, or grilled, steamed, blanched or sautéed for side dishes. But we really like to roast broccoli to draw out its earthy sweetness. Before cooking, be sure to cut off the hard outer shell of the stem. If cooking the stem with the flower, cut the stem into inch-thick slices to ensure that it cooks at the same rate as the flower.
Broccoli has become a side dish in this fan-favorite chicken stir fry recipe. Using both the flower and the stem helps to enlarge the dish and cut down on waste, and the stem adds a pleasing visual contrast and texture.
This recipe will make grilled broccoli your new favorite way to eat it. Thinly sliced flowers and stems are evenly layered on a baking tray, then placed in a superheated oven until the edges are crisp and the stems are tender.
The blanching-then-sear method is ideal for creating a lively broccoli soup that retains firmness with a balanced earthy sweetness amplified by the chili and garlic oil. File this under the side vegetables easy, easy to eat.
Broccolini has long, strong stalks and leafy flowers with small leaves. Broccolini is milder and sweeter than broccoli. Because its stalks are thinner, broccolini requires less preparation than broccoli (which tends to be more woody). Broccolini makes its own for roasting, baking, sautéing and steaming.
It only takes 5 minutes on high heat for grilled broccolini to reach their sweet spot. You can serve it whole, but chop it up and add it to a mix of white beans, sliced salami, and hot cherry peppers for a salad that’s just as good at home on the dinner table or picnic mat.
Shredded broccolini sautéed in butter adds a sweet sweetness that’s ideal for creamy risotto and sweet Italian sausage. Plus, it adds a splash of color and crunch.
The white scones with greens is a classic, but we especially love how the caramelized edges of the toasted broccolini create a bubbly, rich blend of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino Romano. A variety of fresh herbs pull it all together.
Broccoli rabe is the bitterest of the bunch, so treat it like you would other bitter vegetables (like mustard or turnip greens). Try blanching or steaming to soften the stems and leaves, or baking in the oven to soften the bitterness. Because of its slender shape, broccoli rabe cooks faster than broccoli and broccolini.
Cut broccoli into 1-inch pieces before dropping in salted boiling water to ensure even cooking results. After a quick blanching, pieces of broccoli are sautéed in a hot pan with olive oil and chili peppers, perfect for serving with meatballs or with spaghetti.
Broccoli sticky rice and sweet Italian sausage are the perfect combination of pasta. Here, the broccoli buns are blanched to retain their bright green color and crunchy texture, then chopped into bite-sized pieces before being finished in a dedicated drip pan for an enhanced savory punch or two. Orecchiette is a simple recipe.
With its quick-cooking properties, broccoli rabe has a unique flavor to simmer gently in a mixture of olive oil, garlic, broth, and red pepper. The result is a flavorful sandwich topping that really makes thin-sliced roast beef so popular. Make a double batch and use the yellow greens to top sandwiches, salads, and cereal bowls.