/ Updated Sep 20, 2021 / by Carolyn Gratzer Cope / 2 Comments / This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
This easy broccolini recipe with gremolata will brighten up your plate and your palate. It's special enough to serve as a holiday side dish, but it also makes a great weeknight dinner with a poached egg or some white beans on top.
Why we love this recipe
With just a few ingredients and a few minutes, this recipe packs a flavor punch. Gremolata is an Italian condiment traditionally made from parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. It's often called a "sauce," but it's more like a savory sprinkle.
Our broccolini recipe with gremolata is:
- Vibrant and flavorful
- Quick and easy enough for a weeknight
- Special enough for a holiday
- A vegan nutritional powerhouse, but you'll hardly notice
What you'll need
Here's a glance at what you'll need to make this broccolini recipe. It's not much!
- Broccoliniis a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli, with long, crisp-tender stems and delicate florets. It’s mildly flavored and an absolute dream to cook with.
- I've pictured curly parsley here because that's what we got in our farm box, but I prefer to make this recipe with flat-leaf Italian parsley. (That said, it's very flexible —so use what you've got.)
- A good-quality olive oil is nice here, since you won't be cooking with it, and the flavors will come through. The olive oil is not part of the sauce, but drizzling a little bit on top (along with some lemon juice) really rounds out the dish.
How to make it
Here's all you need to do to make this easy broccolini recipe with gremolata. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get the full instructions in the recipe card below.
- First you'll cook the broccolini until crisp-tender. If you like, you can shock it in a bowl of ice water for a minute after cooking. This helps preserve the bright green color.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Use a microplane to grate lemon zest and garlic onto the parsley, then mix it all together.
- Spoon the gremolata over the broccolini and serve. That's it!
Expert tips and FAQs
What is broccolini?
It's a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. This is a powerhouse combination. It's got long stems that easily cook up to crisp-tender, along with delicate florets. The flavor is mild and wonderful.
What is gremolata?
It often gets called a sauce, but really it's more of a savory sprinkle. This Italian condiment is traditionally made from finely chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, and garlic. It's uncooked, so it's bright, fresh, and vibrant.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Yes! It's great served hot or at room temperature, so you can easily make it earlier in the day on serving day.
What can I do with leftover gremolata?
It's best on the day it's made, but you can store leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge and use them the next day. This is one flexible condiment. It's great on: lamb, fish, chicken, steak, eggs, beans, tomatoes...you name it.
What is the difference between chimichurri and gremolata?
Chimichurri is another great herb-heavy condiment for protein and veggies. It's richer, with olive oil as its base, and tends to include vinegar and oregano, too. Gremolata is drier and features lemon rather than vinegar. Chimichurri originates in Argentina and Uruguay, while gremolata is Italian.
How to serve it
This recipe makes an excellent side dish at the holidays or on a weeknight. Or turn it into a complete meal by adding:
- Canned white beans
- A poached or fried egg
- Some leftover chicken or steak
More great recipes
- Got broccolini? Make this frittata or this bowl.
- Looking for flexible veggie side dishes that are special enough for a holiday? A few other favorites are green beans, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, kale, and cauliflower.
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Yield: 4
Easy Broccolini Recipe with Gremolata
This simple, vibrant, and flavorful recipe works equally well as a holiday side dish and a simple dinner (just add a poached egg or some white beans). A microplane makes quick work of the garlic and lemon zest.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccolini, ends trimmed
- 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
- 2 lemons
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In abraiseror12-inch lidded pan, bring ½-inch of water to a boil with a good pinch of salt. Add broccolini and cook until tender but crisp and vibrant green, about 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water if you like to stop cooking and preserve bright color. (You don't have to do this, but it's a cool and reliable trick.) Arrange broccolini on a platter.
- While the broccolini cooks, finely chop the parsley. Using a microplane, grate the garlic and then the zest of both lemons onto the parsley. Sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon salt overtop and then mix it all together well.
- Spoon gremolata over broccolini, drizzle with olive oil and the juice from ½ a lemon and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Gremolata is a flexible recipe. Once you get to know it, you can substitute other herbs or citrus if you like.
- Gremolata is best used on the day it's made, but you can store leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge to use the next day if you like. It's great on lamb, fish, chicken, beans, steak — you name it.
- This recipe is great hot or at room temperature. You can make it earlier in the day if you like.
- Leftover broccolini can be stored tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a a week.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 106Total Fat: 4.4gCarbohydrates: 18.6gFiber: 6.4gProtein: 4.9g
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About Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope, founder and publisher of Umami Girl. Join me in savoring life, one recipe at a time. I'm a professional recipe developer with training from the French Culinary Institute (now ICE) and a lifetime of studying, appreciating, and sharing food. More about me.
