What is Broccoli Rabe? (And How Should You Cook It?) (2024)

FAQs

What is broccoli rabe? ›

Broccoli rabe, known in Italian as rapini, is a green vegetable that looks like leafy broccoli but is more closely related to the turnip. Grown throughout the world, including California, and often featured in Italian food, the entire vegetable is edible and used as a cooking green.

How Do You Reduce the Bitter Taste of Broccoli Rabe? The easiest way to rid broccoli rabe of some of its bitter flavor is by blanching it first. Just a quick dip in boiling water extracts enough of the bitterness and jumpstarts the cooking.

Broccoli rabe is a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which contribute to good vision and better immunity, respectively. It's also rich in potassium, which is important for regulating blood pressure, and magnesium, which your body uses to produce energy.

Despite the name (or names), it tastes nothing like broccoli. Broccoli rabe's uses and flavors are closer to turnip and mustard greens. As far as appearance goes, broccoli rabe is leafy with thin stems and smaller florets that aren't as big and plentiful as those of broccoli.

Store broccoli rabe in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

When broccoli rabe is cut or chewed and its cells are damaged, two components stored mainly in its florets—the enzyme myrosinase and a bitter-tasting substrate of the enzyme called glucosinolate—combine.

The stalks, leaves, and blossoms of the plant are all edible—you'll just want to trim off the base of the stem, as it can be woody. If you end up with thick-stemmed broccoli rabe despite your best efforts otherwise, simply shave or peel a bit of the stem like you would with beefy asparagus stalks.

Broccoli rabe is leafier, thinner, and less floral than broccoli. The stems are long and tender and bush out in leafy clusters with small flowering heads, like broccolini. But, where broccolini is sweet and mild, broccoli rabe is bold and bitter. The flavor is almost like that of mustard greens mixed with horseradish.

The best way to clean your broccoli is to use vinegar and cold water, Dr Deborah said.

PRO-TIP: Broccoli rabe freezes really well and should be frozen after blanching and before sautéing. If you plan on freezing it, immediately immerse the blanched broccoli rabe in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and retain its beautiful green color.

Why is broccoli rabe so good? ›

My go-to fave is broccoli rabe. It's loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, and also packs in minerals like calcium, folate, and iron, just to name a few.

Broccoli rabe is very low in sodium. Broccoli rabe, as part of a low sodium diet, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Controls Diabetes

Broccoli rabe can lower blood sugar because fiber can control the release of insulin and glucose in the body. Broccoli rabe sprouts may improve insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients.

It also has generous amounts of immune-boosting vitamins A (21 percent) and C (13 percent), iron (5 percent) and lutein, which is beneficial for eyesight. It also works to cleanse the body: 33.2 micrograms (8 percent) of folate help with liver function, and 1 gram of fiber promotes digestion.

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Broccoli rabe is from the brassica rapa family, making it more closely related to turnips than to broccoli or broccolini.

Broccoli rabe contains 50% more gastrointestinal health boosting fiber than kale. I told you, you may just be sporting a broccoli rabe bag this summer. Orange veggies are awesome, but greens are a good way too to get in the uber antioxidant, Vitamin A, also.