Asian Roasted Broccoli Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants make broccoli so good? ›

How do restaurants make broccoli taste so good? As with everything made by chefs, they have unexpected (read: unhealthy) additions to their meals — mostly butter, oil and heaps of salt. An excellent tip for the perfect broccoli is the blanching step.

The tender, fuzzy “tree” tips of roasted broccoli florets are the most delicious, but they are also quick to burn. Make sure the florets are well-coated with olive oil to keep this from happening. Don't Crowd the Pan. If the florets are too close, they will steam instead of roast.

Wash AND dry your veggies.

After you wash your head of broccoli, make sure to dry it off before you toss it with the oil. A little moisture is ok, but if it's too wet when it goes in the oven, it won't get brown and crisp.

Steam It: Steaming is one of the best methods to cook frozen broccoli while preserving its texture. Use a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water. Cover and steam for 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender but still has a slight crunch.

It's best to start with as much boiling water as you can. Restaurants serve amazingly green and crunchy Chinese broccoli because they use huge amounts of boiling water.

Chinese restaurants often incorporate garlic, ginger, and soy sauce to add depth and flavor to the broccoli. You can also add a dash of sesame oil or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an added kick.

Some broccoli varieties are more bitter than others and bolt quicker, choose heat tolerant varieties or quick maturing varieties. Even if the head is small, pick your broccoli when the florets are tight, close together and bright green.

That winning combination of slightly-charred, crispy buds in the same bite as those tender, caramelized little stems is quite simply broccoli at its best. I love serving roasted broccoli on its own as a simple side dish, or adding it to everything from pastas to quiches, tacos, pizzas, pastas, soups, salads, and more.

Yes! Baked broccoli is super healthy and full of fiber, vitamin C, and even protein.

The truth is that more salt and fat do factor into better-tasting veggies. That said, making an enjoyable and relatively healthy vegetable dish that is delicious and satisfying is very much possible. There are plenty of ways to improve your at-home veggie game.

How do restaurants keep broccoli green? ›

Use one teaspoon salt per 1 cup of water. Salt provides a “barrier” against carbon dioxide, which prevents chlorophyll from changing color. Make sure that you have enough water in your pot so that all of the broccoli is floating in it.

However, one reason that vegetables always taste better at a restaurant is that chefs there don't hold back on using oil to boost flavor. They often use oodles of butter, oil, or bacon fat to coat veggies fried on the stove and give them an umami appeal.

Steaming broccoli is quick and easy, and it's considered one of the healthiest ways to prepare the vegetable. Instead of submerging the florets and stem into boiling water or roasting them in the oven, the broccoli is placed in a steamer basket over simmering water and covered with a lid.