Charred Spicy Broccolini

Charred spicy broccolini is a vegetarian recipe of tender broccolini stems tossed in a spicy soy-garlic dressing and grilled to perfection. This tasty side dish recipe is perfect for grilling season because of its unique flavor and simple ingredients. This broccolini recipe is a great option to serve alongside a main course, but it also makes a great appetizer. 

What Is Broccolini?

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli, or gai lan. It is not a genetically modified vegetable but was bred in Japan in the early 1990s by the Sakata Seed Corporation. It was cultivated over many years to be a milder flavor alternative to broccoli, able to grow in warmer climates. Broccolini has longer stalks and smaller florets than regular broccoli, a grassy yet sweet flavor profile, and a crisp yet tender texture. It is also high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate, so this is a nutritious side dish in addition to being a delicious one.  

You can find broccolini in the produce section of your grocery store near the broccoli. It’s often sold under baby broccoli and comes in bags weighing 6 ounces (170 grams). Broccolini can be eaten raw, steamed, baked, or grilled, which is the best way to enjoy it.  

What Do I Need To Make This Charred Spicy Broccolini Recipe?

To make this recipe, you need fresh broccolini, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Calabrian red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper, the last two being to taste.

You also need a grill for cooking. I prefer a gas grill because it’s faster, but a charcoal grill adds amazing flavor to the dish.

How Do I Shop For And Prep The Broccolini?

Be sure the top of the broccolini is free of any black slime or brown florets. Choose bunches with thin stalks since thinner stalks are tender stalks.

Rinse and dry the delicate florets, then remove the broad leaves from the broccolini stalks. Use a chef knife to trim off 1/4 inch from the bottom of the stem. You can discard the trimmings or save them to use in a regular broccoli soup recipe. 

Arrange the florets in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Set the pan aside while you prepare the spicy soy-garlic dressing. Now is also a good time to fire up the grill. Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat or a charcoal grill to 400°F (200°C). You don’t need to oil the grill grates since we’re using an oil-based dressing in this recipe but do make sure they’re clean. 

Can I Replace or Omit The Chili Pepper Flakes?

The spicy soy-garlic dressing is stoopid-easy to make. 

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and chili flakes to a quart-size mason jar. Use an immersion blender to blend these ingredients until smooth or for 1-2 minutes at medium-high speed. You can also make this dressing in a blender if you don’t have an immersion blender. 

Calabrian chili peppers have a Scoville heat unit of around 32,500, which makes them ten times hotter than a jalapeño pepper. You can decrease the chili flakes you add to the dressing or omit them if you prefer a milder flavor. You can also replace the Calabrian chili pepper flakes with regular crushed red pepper flakes if that’s what you have.  

How Far Ahead Can I Make the Spicy Soy-Garlic Dressing?

The spicy soy-garlic dressing can be made two weeks ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. However, you will have to blend or shake it just before using it to emulsify it again. 

Pour the soy-garlic dressing over the broccolini on the sheet pan. Use your hands to coat the stalks completely in the soy-garlic dressing. 

How Long Does It Take To Char The Broccolini?

Use tongs to arrange the florets onto the hot grill once it reaches temperature. Grill the broccolini for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Flip the veggies and grill for another 3-4 minutes or until the top of the grilled broccolini is caramelized and dark in color. 

If you haven’t already, you can shred the parmesan cheese while the broccolini cooks. 

Can I Make This Recipe In The Oven or Air Fryer?

You can easily convert this grilled recipe to a broiled or air-fried recipe.

To Broil:

1. Preheat your broiler to 500° (260°C) and move the oven rack to the top position or 6 to 8 inches from the heating element.
2. Transfer the dressed broccolini to a clean sheet pan and broil the stalks, rotating them about halfway through, until charred and al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

To Air Fry:

• Preheat an air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
• Arrange the dressed broccolini in a single layer in the air fryer.
• Air fry the broccolini for 6-7 minutes or until al dente.

How Do I Serve Broccolini?

This simple grilled broccolini recipe is the perfect side dish to round out your meals. It’s also a good way to impress your family and friends by serving it as an appetizer before other meals. In just minutes, you can have this Charred Spicy Broccolini prepped, cooked, and on the dinner table, and after one taste, you’ll see why it’s one of my family’s favorite side dishes.

Pin this recipe to your side dishes board, and let me know what you think of it in the comments section below. Don’t forget to share it with the people you care about, too!

Charred Spicy Broccolini

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 19 votes

Charred spicy broccolini is a vegetarian recipe of tender broccolini stems tossed in a spicy soy-garlic dressing and grilled to perfection.

You can easily convert this grilled recipe to a broiled or air-fried recipe. Instructions can be found in the recipe card.

Servings: 8

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Equipment

• gas or charcoal grill
• immersion or standard blender

Ingredients

  

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• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) broccolini

For the Soy-Garlic Dressing

• 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large lemon juiced (1/4 cup or 60 milliliters)
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
• 3 large cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) Calabrian chili pepper flakes or less if desired
• kosher salt as needed to taste
• black pepper as needed to taste
• 2 ounces (60 grams) parmesan cheese shredded (about 1/4 cup)

Instructions 

Prepare the Broccolini

• Rinse the broccolini under cold water. Lay them on a bed of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry.

  Remove the broad leaves from the broccolini stalks by cutting or pulling them off with your fingers.
• Use a chef knife to trim off 1/4 inch from the bottom of the stem.

  Arrange the florets in a single layer on a large sheet pan.

  Set the pan aside while you prepare the spicy soy-garlic dressing.

Preheat A Grill and Make the Soy-Garlic Dressing

• Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat or a charcoal grill to 400°F (200°C).

  Clean the grill grates to avoid excessive flare-ups. 
• Add the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and chili flakes to a quart-size mason jar.

  Use an immersion blender to blend these ingredients until smooth or for 1-2 minutes at medium-high speed.

Dress, Then Grill the Broccolini

• Pour the soy-garlic dressing over the broccolini on the sheet pan.

  Use your hands to toss the stalks completely in the soy-garlic dressing. 
• Use tongs to arrange the florets onto the hot grill once it reaches temperature.

  Grill the broccolini for 2-3 minutes on the first side.

  Flip the veggies and grill for another 3-4 minutes or until the top of the grilled broccolini is caramelized and dark in color. 
• Remove the broccolini from the grill and garnish with the shredded parmesan cheese.

  Taste a stalk and season the rest to your liking with kosher salt and/or black pepper.

  Serve the broccolini as a side dish to round out your meals or as an appetizer before other meals.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• You can decrease the chili flakes you add to the dressing or omit them if you prefer a milder flavor.
• Replace the Calabrian chili pepper flakes with regular crushed red pepper flakes if that's what you have.  

Broiled Broccolini:

1. Preheat your broiler to 500° (260°C) and move the oven rack to the top position or 6 to 8 inches from the heating element.
2. Transfer the dressed broccolini to a clean sheet pan and broil the stalks, rotating them about halfway through, until charred and al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Top with parmesan cheese and season to taste with kosher salt and/or black pepper. 

Air-Fried Broccolini:

1. Preheat an air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
2. Arrange the dressed broccolini in a single layer in the air fryer.
3. Air fry the broccolini for 6-7 minutes or until al dente.
4. Top with parmesan cheese and season to taste with kosher salt and/or black pepper. 

Tips and Techniques:

• Be sure the top of the broccolini is free of any black slime or brown florets.
• Choose bunches of broccolini with thin stalks since they are more tender.
• You can find broccolini in the produce section of your grocery store near the broccoli. It's sometimes sold under the name "baby broccoli".
• Discard the broccolini trimmings or save them to use in a regular broccoli soup recipe. 
• You can make the soy-garlic dressing in a blender if you don't have an immersion blender. Pour the oil into the blender while it's running to make the dressing easier.
• The spicy soy-garlic dressing can be made two weeks ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Blend or shake it just before using it to emulsify it again. 
• Charred broccolini serves well fresh from the grill, at room temperature, or cold. 

Storage Instructions:

• Store leftover broccolini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• To freeze grilled broccolini:
  1. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag.
  2. Freeze the broccolini for 2 months.
  3. Thaw frozen broccolini in the fridge, then reheat or enjoy it cold or at room temperature.
• Reheat broccolini in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or serve it cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 356mgPotassium: 50mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1742IUVitamin C: 86mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 1mg

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Keyword broccolini, grilled

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