For too long, Broccolini has been relegated to the side of the plate – a green flourish while something else took the credit. Consider this its overdue promotion.
Part of the appeal is how little it asks of you. A hot pan, a squeeze of lemon, five minutes and you’re left with something genuinely worth returning to: mild, sweet, with a peppery edge that keeps it from ever tasting one-note. Broccolini works just as well in a speedy midweek dinner as it does as the hero of a special occasion feast.
Then there’s the practicality of it. Tender stem to delicate floret, the entire thing is edible – no peeling, no discarding half the bunch. It’s a small, everyday luxury: the kind that costs little but lends a meal a sense of occasion. And it earns its place nutritionally too, with 2.5 serves of veg per bunch and a good measure of folate, fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants.
Its story is a relatively recent one in Australia – barely known here before Perfection Fresh introduced it in 1999. Farmers from Queensland to Tasmania grow broccolini year-round, ensuring it’s rarely, if ever, out of season.
Worth noting: Broccolini is often mistaken for baby broccoli, but the two aren’t the same. It’s a distinct variety – longer-stemmed, sweeter, more tender – so look for the Broccolini name on the tag to be sure you’ve got the genuine article.
What follows is a recipe collection built around a vegetable finally given its due.
Is there a more perfect match to Broccolini than a smoky romesco sauce with chopped almonds for texture.
The deep umami flavours in the dish highlight the delicate sweetness of the Broccolini.
These crostini pack a flavour punch with Broccolini on a bed of creamy burrata and drizzled with piquant harissa oil.
The subtle nuttiness of Broccolini is highlighted in this dish with the light creaminess of the tahini and the hazelnut butter.
Grilled broccolini with peas, goat’s curd and mint
Charred broccolini with kingfish, miso and sesame
Roast flounder, broccolini, almonds, capers, beurre noisette
