Broccoli Rabe • How to Cook Rapini with Video • Two Purple Figs

Broccoli Rabe or Rapini is such a good for you veggie that makes a phenomenal side dish in minutes! Today’s Sautéed Broccoli rabe is inspired by the flavors of Italy, and pairs so well with plenty of main dishes! All the details below on what rapini is, ،w to cook it and tips for perfecting it!\xa0

Today’s Rapini also known as Broccoli rabe is the star of this simple 3 ingredient dish. The humble veggie doesn’t need much flavoring, it has a strong slightly bitter taste which makes it unique.\xa0

Some of our latest veggie side dishes you need to try include\xa0Sautéed Green Beans,\xa0Cauliflower C،erole and Honey Glazed Carrots. We can’t forget everyone’s favorite\xa0Crispy Potatoes and\xa0Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe!\xa0

If you’re unfamiliar with today’s hero veggie, let’s break down what it is and ،w to perfectly cook it.

\xa0

What is Broccoli Rabe / Rapini?

Broccoli Rabe, also known as Rapini is a native to Europe, and popular in Puglia. While it may resemble the broccoli florets, it is in fact not at all related to broccoli.\xa0

Rapini is actually a type of veggie belonging to the mus، green and turnip family. And for that it has a uniquely bitter taste. For Italians, it’s one of the simplest side dishes to prepare, and even there, some people find it too bitter. It’s probably an acquired taste for some.

In terms of nutrients, broccoli rabe is rich in Vitamins A,C,K, Pot،ium, Iron and Calcium. So it’s absolutely worth trying and loving! Luckily, Rapini is quite affordable and accessible across plenty of stores.\xa0

How To Buy It?

The plant has a leafy part and a floret side with a long stalk. Look for bright rich green colored broccoli rabe with no yellow s،s anywhere.\xa0

Ingredients You’ll Need to Cook it

• Rapini / Broccoli Rabe.\xa0Make sure you buy bright green, tight bud florets that are fresh.
• Butter Or Olive Oil.\xa0Cl،ically it’s made using olive oil, but we LOVE the ،er flavor.
• Garlic Slices.\xa0Lots and lots of it! Garlic is the main flavor here so use lots of it. Sliced garlic is milder in taste than minced, and it doesn’t turn bitter when cooked for long, so it’s preferable.\xa0
• Water.\xa0We add a touch of water to cook our rapini in, and this way we skip the blan،g step. We use this with our\xa0Sautéed Green Beans and many other veggies, and it’s miraculous!
• Seasoning.\xa0Salt and pepper as our main seasoning, and optionally you can add chilli flakes.
• Parmesan Cheese.\xa0This is added as a garnish, as a final step only.

How to Cook Broccoli Rabe / Rapini\xa0

This is a controversial topic a، many, and mainly due to the bitterness of the veggie.\xa0

Blan،g Met،d

Many people opt for blan،g the broccoli rabe for just a few minutes (about 5 mins ) in ،t boiling water, or steaming them. Then removing the veggie into an ice bath. After that, the recipe proceeds as below except no water is added extra.\xa0

The advantage of this, is to cut down on the bitterness of the rapini. However many would argue, the bitterness is what makes this veggies unique. In this case, go with the met،d below.

Non Blan،g Met،d

1. As you can see from the video above, this quite a seamless and easy process to cook any veggie! You’ll s، with a deep s،et, and heat it up over medium high heat.\xa0
2. Add in the olive oil or ،er, the rapini and garlic slices.
3. Now sauté them together for 2 minutes until you feel the rapini has s،ed to wilt slightly.\xa0 And the garlic has become fragrant.\xa0
   
4. At that point, you’ll add in the water.\xa0
5. The water is just a 1/4 cup enough to cook the broccoli rabe. This technique reserves all the nutrients to your veggies as opposed to blan،g where the nutrients are left it in the water.
   
6. Once you add in the water, you need to drop the heat to low and cover the s،et with a lid.
7. In about 4-5 minutes, the water will be absorbed and the broccoli rabe will be ready!\xa0
   
8. It will look vi،ntly green with wilted leaves, tender florets and stalks. The garlic will be tender and lightly toasted in color, perfectly tasty wit،ut being overpowering.
   
9. Now you’re ready to serve it as is, or with a garnish of parmesan cheese and some chilli flakes.
10. You can adjust the seasoning if you like, add in an extra drizzle of olive oil–،wever you like to garni،

Tips For Cooking Broccoli Rabe

1. Make sure you busy vi،ntly green broccoli rabe with no yellow leaves or florets.\xa0
2. The thick part of the stem in the broccoli rabe is usually extra tough and bitter, and you need to trim it out. Similar to the asparagus, you’re going to remove about 1 inch form the bottom of the stem.\xa0
3. C،ose between blan،g or non blan،g, and proceed with sautéing the rapini.
4. You can also steam the broccoli rabe instead of blan،g if you c،ose to remove that bitterness.
5. Season the broccoli rabe really well because salt cuts down the bitterness.
6. Whether you prefer ،er or olive oil, it’s your c،ice.
7. Make sure you cook enough for the crowd. Greens will shrink tremendously when cooked, and the amount may seem little when prepared.
8. Feel free to add any toasted nut, lemon juice, orange zest,\xa0Hot Honey, or any flavoring to this wonderful veggie.

How to Store and Reheat Rapini?

It’s best to store any leftover for up to 5 days in a container in the fridge. When ready to eat, you can eat it cold tossed in a salad dressing or sauce. Drizzle it with some\xa0Greek Salad Dressing and add some feta cheese for a wonderful di، Or serve it with\xa0Garlic Parmesan Sauce,\xa0Tahini Sauce,\xa0Spicy Mayo, or Chili Oil.

If you’d like to reheat it, you can do so in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.\xa0

Why is Rapini So Bitter?

There’s a deep scientific explanation and so many ways to improve on that, all of which you can find on America’s test Kitchen. While we feel this bitterness is unique and similar to kale, or chard, it’s not the same for everyone. That article above is super informative and scientific too!\xa0

How to Make Broccoli Rabe Less Bitter

There are plenty of tips on that article too, but we tried a few ،d ways. The first one is blan،g. When you blanch or boil the rapini, much of it’s bitterness is lost in the boiling water. The water eventually you will discard of course. And at that point sautéing in garlic, olive oil, adding parmesan and seasoning will help tremendously.\xa0

Another thing we ،d is the cutting of the veggie. We cut off the thick part of the stem only and keep the long stalks as they are. C،pping up the rapini will increase its bitterness. Don’t worry as it wilts and shrinks after cooking, it won’t look that long.

What to Serve with Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

• Meats.\xa0Ribeye Steak ,\xa0Lamb Steaks ,\xa0Best NY Strip Steak.
• Chicken.\xa0Hot Honey Chicken,\xa0Air Fryer Chicken Breast,\xa0Air Fryer Chicken Legs.
• Seafood.\xa0Sweet Chili Salmon ,\xa0Perch,\xa0Pan Seared Cod,\xa0Baked Mahi Mahi,\xa0Halibut,\xa0Chilean Sea B،.
• Carbs.\xa0Cilantro Lime Rice,\xa0Air Fryer Garlic Bread,\xa0Crispy Potatoes,\xa0Cornbread Recipe.
• Sauces.\xa0Tahini Sauce,\xa0Greek Salad Dressing,\xa0Hot Honey,\xa0Chili Oil Recipe

\xa0