Skip to main content

Big Flavor Broccoli

4.9

(20)

Broccoli sauted with onions and lemon slices in a skillet and on a plate
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

Chances are you’re trimming off and discarding way too much of your broccoli stems. The stems are so flavorful, they should be their own vegetable.  

  

Like this Bon Appétit recipe? There are plenty more where this came from. Subscribe to the magazine here!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. broccoli (about 1 large or 2 medium heads)
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
1 small red onion, cut lengthwise into (½"-thick) slices
4 garlic cloves, sliced
6 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
Lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim only the very bottom, woody part of broccoli stem. Peel tough outer layer from stem, from the florets down to the end of the stalk. Starting from stem end, cut broccoli at a 45° angle into ¾"-thick slices until you reach the florets. Break florets apart with your hands into bite-size pieces (this avoids getting bitsy trimmings all over the place).

    Step 2

    Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large heatproof skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add broccoli; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until broccoli is bright green and lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet.

    Step 3

    Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add anchovies and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until broken down and garlic is beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 2 minutes.

    Step 4

    Return broccoli to skillet and toss to coat with oil. Transfer to oven and roast, tossing once, until broccoli is browned and tender, 20–25 minutes. Wrap handle of skillet with a towel before you forget it’s REALLY HOT.

    Step 5

    Scatter Parmesan over hot broccoli. Divide among plates. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Read More
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
All the cozy vibes of the classic gooey-cheesy dish, made into a 20-minute meal.
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.
Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.