As simple as they come, roasted broccolini is nothing but broccolini, olive oil, and a little kosher salt and black pepper. Here’s how to tell them apart. Broccoli is a cruciferous leafy green that is low in calories and high in water content. Your email address will not be published. But people get the two mixed up all the time—for good reason. Not surprisingly, broccolini works well in stir-fries but it's also great sautéed, grilled and roasted. Compared to the bitter flavor of regular broccoli, Broccolini is more mild, with a sweet, earthy taste. Pictured Recipe: Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet. Although it tastes very similar to broccoli and can be prepared in the same way, broccolini is usually a bit sweeter and the stalks are more tender, which means they cook faster. It looks almost identical to broccoli, but is much smaller and more delicate. Broccolini was developed as a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli in Japan. You can use it to make a pesto and throw it into a bowl of spaghetti or in your spaghetti squash for a spaghetti squash lasagna. It can be roasted, sautéed, broiled, boiled and grilled. Broccolini is a hybrid cross between Chinese broccoli and traditional broccoli. Broccolini vs. broccoli, broccoli rabe vs. Chinese broccoli… what is the difference between all of these broccoli off-shoots? It looks almost identical to broccoli, but is much smaller and more delicate. It has longer stalks with loose crown florets. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. It's celebrated in Italian cuisine, but people everywhere can have (or grow) an appreciation for it. Also known as Chinese kale, “jie lan” in Mandarin, and “gai lan” or “kai lan” in Cantonese, Chinese broccoli is a leafy green vegetable and member of the kale family, along with collard greens and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Here are some more details about the health attributes of this hybrid veggie. A good source of dietary fiber, a single cup of broccoli also contains around 43 milligrams of calcium, 92 micrograms of vitamin K, 288 milligrams of potassium, and 81 milligrams of vitamin C. Broccoli also contains thiamine, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and folate. Broccolini requires less prep time as you don’t have to peel the stem. This quick broccolini dish is delicious, good for you, and full of garlicky, lemony flavor." It has small florets, long stalks, and a few small leaves — all of which are edible. Broccolini, however, is far more versatile to cook with, and is soft enough to even purée into a sauce or dip. In the grocery store, broccoli rabe stalks are bundled together much like you find fresh herbs. If you plan to sauté your broccolini, blanching it first will help tenderize it. The fiber in broccolini also works as a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the good bacteria in your digestive tract and helps to keep your digestive system balanced and healthy. Because the thin stalks are tender enough, you can cook and eat them as well, and at the same cook time rate as the florets. Though broccoli and broccolini … While they look similar, they are not the same vegetable. Broccolini is instead a natural hybrid, a cross between Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale and broccoli. Quick to prepare and memorable to eat, the Asian flare on this dish is perfect for impressing company. Broccolini is a crunchy vegetable and tastes a little bitter. Broccolini is not some form of baby broccoli as the name might suggest. It looks a lot like Chinese broccoli—the stalks are long and lean—but instead of big leaves, it has florets more like common broccoli. Broccoli is a cruciferous leafy green that is low in calories and high in water content. Have it cooked alongside dinner, or eat it raw with some dip as part of a crudité plate. Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what makes broccolini distinct from broccoli and the rest of the whole big broccoli family. While broccolini sounds Italian, it's actually rooted in Chinese cuisine. Don't worry, we'll set you straight on broccoli rabe versus broccolini. Broccolini also has the phytochemical sulforaphane, an anti-cancer antioxidant that protects your skin and helps lower inflammation. Many times, broccolini is mistaken with broccoli as broccolini have longer stems but looks similar to broccoli. And while broccoli rabe is common on Italian dinner tables, it's often confused with Chinese broccoli—which is more closely related to broccolini. It’s a combination that will make your taste buds sit up and take notice for sure. That makes it a bit quicker to cook. Your email address will not be published. Considered a cruciferous vegetable like Brussels sprouts, kale and (of course) broccoli, broccoli rabe is a dark green vegetable in the turnip family. Visually, you’ll know broccolini by its florets reminiscent of broccoli, which sit atop the longer stems and leaves that are more characteristic of Chinese broccoli. Broccoli Rabe. ). While Chinese broccoli and broccolini are all in the same botanical family as broccoli original, broccoli rabe (pronounced “rob”) is a member of the turnip family. It can be … Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Though broccoli and broccolini have very similar flavors, broccolini is slightly sweeter and could be compared to asparagus. Broccolini contains potassium as well, important for heart and kidney health. Though it appears to have the same small buds often seen on broccoli florets, broccoli rabe is nevertheless a more bitter vegetable that subsequently retains its stronger flavor when included in heavily sauced meals or when prepared with meats (as it often is in Italian cuisine). To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Nutritionally-speaking, broccolini and broccoli are comparable; both are a great source of vitamins A, C, and K. Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. While broccoli’s flowering head and leafy greens can be eaten, the whole plant is not edible. Broccolini vs. Broccolini was developed as a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli in Japan. If all that sounds good and you’re now ready to try broccolini for dinner, here are some basic recipes to help get you started, and to show just how widely you can flavor and prepare this versatile veggie. If you get broccolini and broccoli rabe mixed up, you are not alone. Bring home some broccolini, have a martini, and flavor this veggie to your own tastes and spice preference for a delightful vegetable dish. The only time you don’t need a good amount of fiber each day is if you’re about to go in for a medical procedure or you have an inflammatory disorder of the bowel that requires a low-fiber rest period. You’ve heard of broccolini but aren’t clear on what it is or how to cook it? Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (also called gai lan or Chinese kale). Eating broccoli contributes to your immune system, reduces cholesterol, strengthens your bones, and helps lower the risk of certain cancers. Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (also called gai lan or Chinese kale). To tenderize broccoli rabe and cut back on its bitter edge, you can blanch it (cook it briefly in boiling water, then transfer it to an ice bath) before you cook it further. Broccoli rabe is very versatile. Pictured Recipe: Broccoli Rabe with Cannellini Beans. Indole-3-carbinol forms when these vegetables are cut, cooked, or chewed, and is also used for cancer prevention. It’s an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink-style recipe, so don’t be afraid to use whatever you’ve got and make it your own. It can be enjoyed as a salad, in risotto or on top of pizza. A lot of the skin products and beautifiers in your bathroom cabinet contain vitamin A because of its use in protecting and maintaining skin health, for example. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Steam it, sauté it in olive oil, roast it as a side dish, or include it in a stir-fried main course—you can prepare broccolini any way you would normally prepare traditional broccoli, and more. Broccolini is high in fiber and vitamins C and A. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Iowa teacher, 38, dies days after testing positive for COVID-19: 'There's a lot of sadness'. Broccoli rabe's uses and flavors are closer to turnip and mustard greens. The enzyme indole-3-carbinol has a hand in liver detoxification and helps to maintain hormone balance in the body. Broccoli. Often found in stir-fries and Asian recipes, and high in vitamin C and vitamin A, Chinese broccoli was originally introduced by the Portuguese to China, where its hardy nature allows it to grow year-round. Get a pound and a half of broccoli, some cremini mushrooms, a sweet onion, and some white wine or vermouth, and make this saucy dish with a dash of pepper and Parmesan. Once you’ve met the broccolini, then you might want to get more adventurous with some of the other recipes below. Sometimes referred to as "baby broccoli," it's actually a hybrid vegetable. Because of its bitterness, broccoli rabe stands up well to strong flavors like soy sauce, anchovies, garlic and hard cheeses. Simple Broccolini "Broccolini is more tender than broccoli and has a milder flavor," explains JUMAHA. We’re drawing clear lines between various members of the broccoli family, explaining the health benefits of this thin, green vegetable, and suggesting some tasty recipes you can prepare right away in case you want to try broccolini for yourself. Both being cruciferous vegetables, both broccoli rabe and broccolini have plenty of nutrients to support overall good health, including vitamins C, E and K. Cruciferous vegetables contain carotenoids and glucosinolates, which may help protect our bodies from different types of cancers. The flavor and texture are somewhere between the two vegetables; broccolini is sweet and mild with a tender-crisp texture if it's not overcooked. Broccolini has a mild “greens” flavor and the entire plant can be eaten. Broccoli: What Is Broccolini? Broccolini’s cook time is shorter than that of regular broccoli, but it’s still a closer relative to broccoli as a fellow brassica family member (along with Brussels sprouts and cabbage) than broccoli rabe is to either of them. This might be the recipe you choose first, just so you can interview this skinny vegetable and get a feel for how it cooks, tastes, and fares in your kitchen. And while it can be eaten raw, Broccolini is best when cooked. "I love the mix of textures; the crunchy stems and the softer florets that soak up sauce are a great combination. The popular broccoli you found year-round in grocery stores has a tree-like head and short stems. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. Another simple recipe, this one a sauté with garlic and olive oil that will flavor your broccolini but also soften it up for easy eating and digesting. All parts of broccoli rabe—stems, florets and leaves—are edible. It's sometimes spelled raab and also goes by a few different names: rapini, rapa, rappi, rappone and turnip broccoli. Along with vitamin A, the vitamin C content in broccolini also has properties that guard against infection, reduce inflammation, and even contribute to anti-aging efforts in the body.