59 Ways to Use the Broccoli You Grow in Your Garden

by Erin Marissa Russell

When you grow your own broccoli, you’re getting larger-than-life homegrown flavor and the assurance of knowing just where your food comes from and exactly which pesticides and other treatments were used to grow it. However, you may be wondering how on earth your family will eat the pile of fresh broccoli your garden is producing. Wonder no more—we’ve put together this handy list of recommendations for ways to cook the broccoli you grow in your garden that your family is sure to love.

Don’t expect to see plain steamed broccoli or broccoli and rice casserole on the following list, though. We assume you’re familiar with the most common ways to serve this tasty brassica vegetable, so for this article, we’ve featured preparations that are more on the unusual side that we think will help you think outside the box when it comes to serving up the broccoli you’ve grown in your garden. Bon appetit!

Recreate Your Favorite Restaurant Menus for Crowdpleasing Broccoli Dishes

Becoming an excellent chef (without going to culinary school) has only one downside—learning to cook well really takes a lot of the charm out of eating out. When you hear someone perusing a menu so they can decide what to order say, “I could make that at home,” the statement is often not the sign of a bargain hunter as some might assume. Instead, it may be the sign of an accomplished home chef who is spoiled to their own high-quality cooking.

It’s likely that no matter how much you hone your culinary skills, you’ll still choose to dine in restaurants some of the time just for the convenience, ambience, to sample a favorite dish, or for the opportunity to socialize with friends on a night out. However, the recipes below that feature broccoli served up in the style of some favorite restaurant specialties will show you just how simple food that’s worthy of a special night can be to prepare at home—and just how delicious.

Just the Taste’s Easy Beef and Broccoli

Taste of Home’s Lemon Risotto With Broccoli

Williams Sonoma’s Pan Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

Ina Garten’s Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan

Wishful Chef’s Roasted Broccoli with Maple Syrup Glaze and Garlic

Food Republic’s Easy Broccoli Pappardelle

Williams Sonoma’s Mushroom and Broccoli Pilaf

The Spruce Eats’ Traditional French Broccoli Gratin

Taste of Home’s Broccoli Veggie Pasta Primavera

Giada de Laurentiis’ Broccoli Puree

Lets Dish Recipes’ Roasted Broccoli with Breadcrumbs

Melissa Clark’s Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp

Feature an Unexpected Broccoli Dish at Breakfast and Brunch

On the breakfast table or at a brunch party, diners aren’t likely to expect a serving of crisp green broccoli to appear on their plates. That said, we see no reason for this precedent to remain the case. Kicking your day off by getting a head start on meeting your veggie requirement is just one benefit of serving up this delicious veggie early in the day. You’ll also be starting your body off right by giving it all the nutrition of flavorful homegrown broccoli as food fuel immediately, from your very first meal.

After all, broccoli eaten whole is a better source of nutrients than getting those nutrients from a multivitamin or supplement because an important phytochemical broccoli contains isn’t deployed to your cells as easily when taken as a supplement. So while it may not have been the first way that crossed your mind to get your homegrown broccoli on the table and out of the garden, breakfast and brunch dishes made with broccoli are a natural choice nutritionally. Check out the tasty ways listed below to say good morning to a bowl of broccoli.

Williams Sonoma’s Broccoli and Pancetta Frittata

COOKTORIA’S Breakfast Broccoli Bake

Flavor the Moments’ Overnight Cheesy Broccoli Strata

Pip and Ebby’s Eggs with Broccoli and Tomatoes

Genius Kitchen’s Broccoli Scrambled Eggs

Skinny Taste’s Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets

Sweet Peas and Saffron’s Broccoli Cheddar Breakfast Quesadillas

The Kitchen Girl’s Sheet Pan Baked Eggs, Brussels Sprouts, and Broccoli

Popsugar’s Broccoli Slaw Breakfast

Steamy Kitchen’s Broccoli Potato and Bacon Hash

NDTV Food’s Broccoli Bake

Let the Neighborhood Deli Lead the Way With These Classic Broccoli Recipes

An excellent neighborhood deli is enough to entice you to move in nearby, once you’ve sampled the fresh-tasting salads, simmering soups, and other offerings behind the glass case. Broccoli is a perfect partner for many deli favorites, so let your favorite local deli counter lead the way when you’re looking for preparation inspiration.

Lemon Tree Dwelling’s Best Broccoli Slaw

The Pioneer Woman’s Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup

RecipeTin Eats’ Broccoli and Potato Soup

TheKitchn’s Broccoli Reuben Sandwich

The Blond Cook’s Broccoli Cheddar Potato Casserole

Damn Delicious’ Creamy Broccoli Mac and Cheese

How Sweet Eats’ Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Recipe Girl’s Broccoli with Hot Bacon Dressing

Spice Your Broccoli Up and Take Inspiration from Global Cuisines

While American food tends to serve broccoli with a plain Jane approach—salt, pepper, and oil, maybe some garlic or cheese—other cultures have their own traditional food pairings that can really jazz up your side dish repertoire. Picture broccoli kissed by golden garlic and savory toasted sesame seeds, folded into spicy, velvety curry dishes, or slow-cooked as part of a multilayered, rich Bolognese sauce and spooned over twirls of pasta.

There’s a reason tried and true favorites are part of the regular lineup, but the benefits of thinking outside your usual standby dishes are many. For one thing, your family is bound to get hungry when they see a new, exciting dish on the menu. Turning to food from other cuisines can teach you new preparation techniques or introduce you to unfamiliar ingredients and unexpected flavor pairings, expanding your culinary horizons.

Simply Recipes’ Potato and Broccoli Curry

Taste of Home’s Spinach ‘n’ Broccoli Enchiladas

Bon Appetit’s Broccoli Bolognese with Orecchiette

CookSmarts’ Asian-Spiced Broccoli Tacos

Mark’s Daily Nosh’s Mezzo Rigatoni Salata Broccoli Ricotta con Pinoli

New York Times’ Broccoli Walnut Pesto Pasta

Saveur’s Broccoli with Garlic and Hot Pepper (Broccoli Strascinati)

Thai-Style Beef and Broccoli Curry

From the Grapevine’s Garlic Sesame Broccoli

New York Times’ Roasted Broccoli with Almonds and Cardamom (Malai Broccoli)

EatingWell’s Roasted Broccoli with Garlicky Tahini Sauce

New York Times’ Broccoli and Scallions with Thai-Style Vinaigrette

Check Out These Unique Ways to Eat Broccoli

Speaking of the unexpected, the creators of the broccoli dishes listed below have a thing or two to say to thinking outside the box (or bowl, or plate) when it comes to eating that stash of broccoli from your garden. Take your pick among recipes ranging from Italian-inspired toasty, cheesy calzones stuffed with broccoli’s green goodness to classic roasted broccoli topped with crumbled Cheetos for a play on the traditional broccoli-and-cheese pairing. There are even ways to prepare the stems (other than the standby of slicing them thinly into salads) by whirring up a salsa verde or preparing a vinegary pickle. If none of the recipes we’ve suggested so far tickled your fancy, we’re sure you’ll find something to inspire you in these selections.

Martha Stewart’s Broccoli Calzones

Leanne Brown’s The Best Broccoli Sandwich Recipe

An Italian in My Kitchen’s Broccoli Potato Casserole

Fresh Fork Market’s Spaghetti Squash with Rustic Broccoli Pesto

Emily Bites’ Rustic Potato and Sausage Skillet

Washington Post’s Garlic-Infused Broccoli Soup with Ditalini

Better Homes and Gardens’ Roasted Broccoli with Olives

Saveur’s Broccoli with Cheetos

Vikalinka’s Roasted Parmesan Broccoli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Garlic, and Chillies

Lady & Pups’ Amazing Broccoli Steaks with Red Chili Sambal Romesco

Obsessed by Portia’s Crack Broccoli

Sweet Peas and Saffron’s Grilled Broccoli with Lemon & Parmesan

Genius Kitchen’s Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad

No. 2 Pencil’s One Pan Dinner Sausage Potatoes and Broccoli

New York Times’ Pickled Broccoli Stems

Mamaeco’s Broccoli Stalk Salsa Verde

As you’ve heard time and again (though maybe not often applied to broccoli), there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. If the broccoli crop your garden produces gives you more than your family can possibly eat, pass along your good fortune. Friends, family, and coworkers are bound to appreciate the gift of fresh, homegrown produce. When you run out of contacts to gift with baskets of your garden bounty, don’t overlook those less fortunate. Food pantries (from local nonprofits to soup kitchens and church food pantries) usually are more than glad to accept fruits and vegetables that those who donate have grown themselves.