What can I make with broccoli?
Broccoli deserves better than being boiled as a side. These recipes make broccoli the centre of the plate, and the notes below cover roasting temperature, pan space, and seasoning order.
10 recipes with broccoli
Vegetable Stir Fry
Crisp-tender veggies in a glossy ginger-soy sauce.
Chinese15m2
Beef and Broccoli
Tender flank steak stir-fried with broccoli in a glossy soy sauce.
Chinese-American25m4Crispy Tofu Stir Fry
Golden tofu and broccoli in a garlic-soy glaze.
Chinese25m2
Pad See Ew
Wide rice noodles stir-fried with dark soy, egg, and Chinese broccoli.
Thai25m3
Cauliflower Rice Bowl
Riced cauliflower topped with protein and roasted veg.
American35m4
Mee goreng mamak
Heat oil in a pan at medium heat.
Malaysian4
Beef Sunday Roast
Cook the Broccoli and Carrots in a pan of boiling water until tender.
British4
Tofu, greens & cashew stir-fry
step 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick wok.
Vietnamese4
Broccoli & Stilton soup
Heat the rapeseed oil in a large saucepan and then add the onions.
British4
Drunken noodles (pad kee mao)
step 1 Prepare the noodles following pack instructions, then drain and set aside.
Thai4
How to get the most flavour out of broccoli
- 1Cut into even pieces so everything finishes at the same moment.
- 2Roast at 425F on a preheated sheet pan for caramelised edges, or sear hard in a skillet if you want it fast.
- 3Do not crowd the pan; steam is the enemy of browning. Use two trays if you have to.
- 4Season in layers: salt before cooking, then acid and fat after, so the broccoli tastes finished rather than plain.
What goes well with broccoli
Broccoli is at its best with olive oil, garlic, lemon, parmesan, chili flakes and flaky salt. Any two or three of those, plus broccoli, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing broccoli
Store broccoli unwashed - moisture is what causes rot. Leafy types last longest wrapped loosely in a towel inside a bag; roots prefer somewhere cool and dark, not the fridge door. Anything starting to soften is ideal for soups, stocks, and roasting.
Substituting broccoli
If you are out of broccoli, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Broccoli recipes: common questions
- What can I make with broccoli and not much else?
- Plenty. With broccoli plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest broccoli recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute broccoli?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover broccoli?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover broccoli without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.
- Are these broccoli recipes vegetarian-friendly?
- Many are, and the vegetarian and vegan collections filter the whole library down to recipes with no meat or no animal products at all. In the chat you can also say "vegan" or "no dairy" and every suggestion will respect it.