Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

To accept the award for “Prettiest and Tastiest Side Dish,” please welcome to the stage: roasted tenderstem broccoli! With a medley of flavours (sweet, nutty, zingy, fresh, lemony), it pairs with pretty much anything, and elevates dinner from flat to fantastic.

Dishes like this are the reason you won’t find any bags of microwaveable vegetables in my house. Yes, they’re quick and easy — but so are sumptuous dishes like this roasted tenderstem broccoli, which takes just 15 minutes to cook and feels like an elevated, fine-dining-style side dish.

Tenderstem broccoli is such an underrated ingredient. It can be used anywhere you would use broccoli: in Italian dishes like broccolini pasta topped with crispy breadcrumbs, Asian-influenced sides (given the savoury-sweet-sour saucy treatment like roasted baby bok choy, it’s fantastic), or, as in this dish, roasted.

Whereas the stems of ordinary broccoli are woody and fibrous, there’s nothing of the sort here. It lives up to its name, remaining gorgeously tender.

Tossed with olive oil and roasted in a dish with sliced garlic, freshly cracked black pepper, and a sprinkle of salt, the tenderstem broccoli turns crispy at the edges, with a fresh, crunchy texture and divinely nutty flavour.

From there, you can do as you like. I’ve paired it with a wholegrain French mustard and lemon dressing; equal parts zesty and slightly spicy. A scattering of toasted hazelnuts, to mirror the natural nuttiness of the broccoli, finishes the plate.

It’s glorious served with pasta, grilled proteins, or even a full English roast dinner!

❓ What is Tenderstem Broccoli?

We all know (and love!) standard broccoli. The versatile vegetable is a regular addition in stir-fries like honey garlic noodles, delicious in healthy winter bowls like broccoli and kale salad, and a British-style roast dinner just isn’t complete without a side of broccoli.

Tenderstem broccoli is a hybrid between gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and standard Italian broccoli. It was created in the late 1990s by the Japanese enterprise Sakata Seed Company. Later, it would be trademarked in the U.S. as “Broccolini” and in the U.K. as “Tenderstem,” although it’s also known as broccoletti, Bimi, and baby broccoli.

True to its name, tenderstem broccoli has thin, long stems and small florets. While most people skip eating broccoli stems — a shame, because they’re entirely edible — the delicate stems of broccolini make for great eating!

According to Healthy Food, both tenderstem broccoli and ordinary broccoli are nutritional powerhouses, with broccoli having more vitamin C (thanks to its thick stems), and tenderstem boasting more vitamin A.

🥦 Ingredient Details and Notes

You only need 5 main ingredients for this simple, low-effort roasted tenderstem broccoli:

• Tenderstem broccoli, also known as broccolini, is at the forefront of this dish. Here in the U.K., it’s sold across all major supermarkets. You can also order tenderstem broccoli via Amazon. Alternatively, I often use purple tenderstem broccoli (harder to come by) or purple sprouting broccoli, as I’ve done for these photos!
• Olive oil adds really subtle grassy notes to the dish.
• Garlic is sliced, resulting in a mild, buttery flavour that’s unbelievably scrumptious with the freshness of the tenderstem broccoli.
• Salt and cracked black pepper are vital for seasoning.

Then, for the optional dressing, you’ll need just two ingredients:

• Fresh lemon paired with broccoli is a marriage made in heaven.
• French wholegrain mustard adds a peppery spiciness, nuttiness that complements the hazelnuts, and a complex tanginess that plays well with lemon. My favourite brands are Pommery Meaux Mustard and Maille.

Finally, I recommend finishing the dish with a scattering of toasted hazelnuts. They bring just the right amount of textural interest to the dish, and boast a wonderfully earthy, buttery, and rich flavour.

Adapting for Allergies and Dietary Requirements

I’ve made this roasted tenderstem broccoli vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, and gluten-free.

To make it nut-free, skip the toasted hazelnut finish.

Although this recipe is gluten-free, I recommend double-checking the ingredients list of your chosen wholegrain mustard brand. While most are gluten-free by default, some brands use malt vinegar or gluten-based thickeners, neither of which are GF-friendly.

Variations and Ingredient Substitutions

You can, of course, use ordinary broccoli in this recipe. However, you’ll have to add an extra five minutes of roasting time to ensure the greens are tender.

This is a rare recipe where I’ll actually give you the go-ahead for using garlic powder. Add the seasoning at the same time as your salt and pepper, then toss to coat.

Spice things up by adding crushed chilli flakes to your tenderstem broccoli while it roasts.

It’s incredibly simple to change the flavour profile of this dish by altering the dressing. Skip it entirely for a cleaner taste, or change it to something else — Genoese pesto, Asian sesame honey and soy, or pecorino and black pepper (cacio e pepe-style), to name but a few.

🧑‍🍳 How to Make Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

In just five simple steps, you can have the most scrumptious side dish on your dinner table. It’s an incredibly hands-off, undemanding recipe (although you’d never know it!).

Before you start, give your tenderstem broccoli a quick rinse. Then, trim off any slightly woody ends. Once that’s done, we can get onto the exciting part (with step-by-step photos from my kitchen):

❄️ Storing + Reheating Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

Fridge: Let the roasted tenderstem broccoli completely cool, then pack in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to three days.

Freezer: Roasted tenderstem broccoli is a great contender for freezing. Cool the dish completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to two months.

The mustard-lemon dressing is best made fresh, but can be frozen — it may separate slightly, but a quick stir should get it back to its original glory.

Reheating: If you’re reheating roasted tenderstem broccoli that’s been stored in the fridge, cook it in a preheated oven for five minutes, or until warmed through. Alternatively, cook for two minutes in a microwave.

When reheating roasted tenderstem broccoli from frozen, refrigerate it overnight to defrost or cook it directly from frozen in the oven or microwave.

🍳 My Serving Suggestions for Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

One of the main reasons I love this recipe so much (and I was so eager to share it with you!) is because it pairs with so many other recipes on Oh My Veg.

For example, why not serve it cold (surprisingly good) over healthy, wholesome bowls like arugula and spinach salad or orzo pesto pasta salad?

You can also add a pop of green to what we call “beige plates” in England — meals such as cauliflower pasta bake, garlic and herb mashed potatoes, or this classic vegan mushroom wellington.

And if it’s Sunday, you’re basically obligated to make it part of a traditional British Sunday roast alongside Yorkshire puddings, crispy roast potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts, mushroom gravy, and sage stuffing. Just tone down the lemon a tad.