Romanesco Broccoli Recipe

Have you ever seen Romanesco broccoli before? It's a pretty unique vegetable, with a striking appearance that is almost too beautiful to eat. But trust me, this broccoli is delicious, and it's definitely worth giving a try. In this recipe, I'll show you how to cook it quickly in a skillet so that it comes out perfectly tender and flavorful. So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!

If you are lucky to have this precious vegetable around, do yourself a favor and grab one. You will be rewarded as you enjoy it in this delicious and straightforward Romanesco Broccoli Recipe.

Romanesco plant

Broccoli romanesco is often considered a gourmet vegetable and its use is still very limited. Like the cauliflower, romanesco belongs to the species Brassica oleracea, like cabbage romanesco, also belongs to the Brassica family.

Romanescos can be green, violet, or orange in color and romanesco has a whole pyramid shape. romanesco is an edible flower.

The romanesco broccoli is a variety of broccoli with striking, fractal-like patterns in its florets. The head usually has what looks like small pinecone structures or miniature Christmas trees.

When the vegetable grows to full size, it turns green and acquires thin stems. It is considered closer to cauliflower than broccoli in taste, with a nutty flavor.

It makes its appearance during the fall season, making it one of the most straightforward seasonal fall season recipes we often make during this time of the year.

If you wonder if broccoli and cauliflower come from the same plant, the answer is no. All the Cruciferous family members come from different plants, although they look very similar. BUT...  along with Brussels sprouts, collard greens, and other cruciferous vegetables — they all come from the same plant species, the brassica oleracea.

Romanesco taste is closer to that of cauliflower with a crunchier texture; in fact, sometimes it is called romanesco broccoli, and in some places, they call it romanesque cauliflower.

Ingredients

• Broccoli romanesco
• Minced Garlic cloves or garlic powder
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt

Optional: pepperoncini flakes and lemon zest.

Check our post on steaming broccoli and cauliflower to learn how to make the best of your vegetables' nutritional value.

Instructions

This romanesco broccoli recipe is put together in minutes given the cooking method. Stir-frying is the best way to enjoy this delicious romanesco stir fry, an easy and healthy comfort food.

By sautéeing this veggie we bring up all the flavors quickly and simply. You also get to absorb all the nutrients better as the stir-frying time and exposure to heat are minimal.

Prepare romanesco

• Clean your broccoli under running water.
• Cut the inside stem of the broccoli and the inside of the floret’s branches, keeping the edible flower bud. Cut them one by one, so you keep the shapes of the romanesco florets. Broccoli Alla Romana
• Dry. After either steaming or boiling the florets, continue by drying them. Let them dry with or dry them up with a tablecloth.

Cook romanesco

• Stir fry. Add oil to a skillet and toss the minced garlic on medium-high heat for 30 seconds, until golden and add the broccoli florets.
• Season. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes to the romanesco stir fry, just right before serving. If you lie, you could also sprinkle some lemon zest on top. Serve warm.

You can also top the romanesco stir fry with toasted sesame seeds to make it look even prettier.

Storing

Keep leftover cooked romanesco in the fridge closed in an airtight container for up to three days.

A Roman dish

We had this dish the first day we arrived in Rome. The Jewish Ghetto hosts a variety of Jewish-Roman restaurants with food to die for! Alessandro, our Roman friend, took us there to experience firsthand some of this community's signature dishes and the secrets to mastering their cooking.

We went to a Jewish restaurant and had a variety of terrific small dishes. I loved the double deep-fried artichokes and the Broccoli Romani in Padella.

Then, we decided to reproduce the Broccoli Romanesco recipe to avoid frying artichokes and keep the waistline while still possible. Make sure to try them on your next visit to Rome. They are wonderful.

Romano broccoli and fractals

This beautiful vegetable has some characteristics that make it very interesting from a mathematical point of view. First of all, it has a shape with a fractal appearance, repeating itself on different scales.

Its florets reproduce in miniature; the shape of the largest floret and the smaller flowers is precisely the same. I find it very interesting that the number of these elements is always a number that belongs to the Fibonacci sequence, a series in which each number is the sum of the previous two.

This cruciferous vegetable is highly nutritious and, as Science Says, is amongst the 3 of the Healthiest Foods You Can Eat. It has a lot of beneficial, healthy properties and very few calories.

How to cook romanesco broccoli

To cook romanesco, you can choose between many methods. It is crucial to avoid overcooking this beauty; the best romanesco should be minimally cooked and keep its firmer texture. Otherwise, you will miss the opportunity to experiment with its texture and amaze your guests with its eye-catching color.

Steaming, sautéing, boiling, or roasting your broccoli? I prefer steaming.

Steaming

If steaming: In a saucepan, set two fingers of water to boiling and put a metal or bamboo colander on top of the saucepan.

Place the romanesco florets on top of the colander and put a lid on top; leave them for 2 minutes.

Boiling

If Boiling, put 4 cups of water to boil. When the water bubbles with big bubbles, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and take them out after 30 seconds. Just blanch them.

Roasting

To roast romanesco, you can spread the romanesco florets in a lined baking sheet with parchment paper and then drizzle with olive, oil and your preferred seasonings, such as ground garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Roasted romanesco takes 15-20 minutes in the oven at 400º F (200 ºC).

More simple recipes

Tasty roasted vegetables have a big place in our kitchen. We love roasting cauliflower with a spicy tahini sauce, and the famous Catalonian Escalivada, which features red peppers and eggplants.

If you like cruciferous veggies, we recommend you to check out our Cauliflower Wings, which make a breath party or game day vegan and a healthy alternative.

These healthy roasted Brussels sprouts and Grilled Cauliflower Steaks are also big favorites on our table.

We are big fans of roasted pumpkin and butternut squash, as they can be eaten quickly with minimal seasoning and deliver a big flavor!

• Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti
• Roman-Style Artichokes
• 5 minutes Vegan Pesto

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

Recipe

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Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

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