Love Broccoli? Try This Supersimple 5-Ingredient Side

If you enjoy the assertive, slightly bitter flavor (and the affiliated health benefits) of brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale, there's another cruciferous vegetable that should be on your radar: broccoli rabe. Also known as rapini, this leafy brassica is a bit more bitter and nutty than broccoli. Texture wise, it's mostly stems and leaves, with a few florets in the mix.

Here, I've taken advantage of its leafy composition and roasted it at high heat so that the stems go tender while the leaves crisp up, like kale chips. Really, this complex vegetable is plenty tasty treated simply, tossed in olive oil and salt, but it's even more appealing when dressed up with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some grated parmesan cheese, as the recipe reflects. This flavor profile is also great with roasted broccoli florets or broccolini; just adjust the cook time accordingly, as both are thicker-stemmed and will take longer to coax into tenderness.

Roasted Broccoli Rabe With Lemon, Chili Flakes, and Parmesan

From Nicole Perry, POPSUGAR Food

Ingredients

1. 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
   2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
   Heaping 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
   Heaping 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
   Juice of 1/4 lemon
   Heaping 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the broccoli rabe with olive oil and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Spread in an even layer on 2 half-sheet pans — avoid piling pieces of broccoli rabe on top of each other, otherwise it'll steam rather than roast. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, or until stems are green and leaves are crisp.
4. Add the broccoli rabe back to the mixing bowl and toss with parmesan, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.

Information

Category

Side Dishes, Greens

Cuisine

North American

Yield

Serves 2-4