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Roast Tenderstem Broccoli With A Maple And Tahini Dressing

Roast tenderstem broccoli with dressing

Roast tenderstem broccoli is the best way to cook tenderstem broccoli in my book. Roasting the tenderstem broccoli in the oven blisters and blackens the green stems – giving wonderful bursts of umami goodness. In this recipe I’ve paired the salty broccoli spears with a sweet and lucious tahini dressing. It’s the perfect broccoli side to a plant-based meze.

Roast Tenderstem Broccoli Zoomed

Can we just settle this debate – in the battle of tenderstem broccoli vs broccoli, tenderstem wins hands down. These crisp yet tender spears are one of my favourite brassicas. Only losing the number one spot to the might purple sprouting broccoli.

Tenderstem broccoli is so versatile as a veggie. It has enough body and bite to work in salads and pastas. Or sliced thin and stir fried it can melt into the background of a delicious vegetable stir fry. There’s a million ways you could use these beauties and this recipe is an excellent way to enjoy them.

Roast Tenderstem Broccoli Profile

Roast tenderstem broccoli strengthens the broccoli flavour. After 10-15 minutes in the oven, a bite of these blackened spears will be hearty and rich. Meaning they are perfectly balanced by this wonderful sweet and creamy maple and tahini dressing. Honestly, this dressing is so good I could drink it, but I’ll save it for the broccoli.

Drizzled in thick tahini dressing and sprinkled with a good helping of kosher salt these tenderstem broccoli are an eye captivating thing of beauty. This recipe is best enjoyed outside, in the sun with a cool crisp glass of white wine.

spooning tahini over roast broccoli

What is tenderstem broccoli?

Tenderstem broccoli or broccolini as it is called in the US is a hybrid broccoli first produced in Japan. It is the result of a cross between a chinese kale and broccoli. The chinese kale (sometimes referred to as chinese broccoli) lent it’s long stems to the broccoli and so the tenderstem was born.

holding tenderstem broccoli over tray

Tenderstem broccoli has much the same flavour as traditional calabrese broccoli. However the smaller and thinner stems tend to be sweeter and thus are more appealing to eat.

How to make roast tenderstem broccoli

Making a delicious dish of roast broccoli is pretty darn easy. Just let the oven to the work for you. I’ve broken down the steps so that this tenderstem broccoli recipe is fool-proof!

How to roast tenderstem broccoli

Roasting broccoli in the oven is a wonderful way to strengthen the flavour of broccoli. Roasted tenderstem broccoli has a much deeper flavour, and if done correctly, still keeps a wonderful crunch.

how long to roast tenderstem broccoli: I recommend roasting your broccoli in a 180c (fan-oven) oven for 12-15 minutes. This will keep the broccoli crispy and not overcook it into a soft mess.

In order to roast your broccoli place your spears onto a large baking tray.

pouring oil over tenderstem broccoli

Cover with olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Mix well to coat the broccoli in the oil and spices.

tossing tenderstem broccoli

Place the coated tenderstem broccoli into the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes until blistered and blackened.

roast tenderstem broccoli on baking tray

How to make amazing tahini dressing

The tahini dressing we’re making is a delightfully smooth and sweet dressing. We want a sweet dressing to counteract the spicy and salty roast broccoli. The key to a good tahini dressing is the tahini – don’t scrimp on tahini. Buying a good brand of tahini will make bags of difference in the end dressing.

juicing lemon for tahini

To make the tahini dressing we want to first cream together our 80g of tahini with the juice of 1 lemon. Mixing these together seperately is essential. We want to almost “whip” the tahini so it becomes really light and fluffy.

Now we add all the spices and maple syrup and combine into the tahini sauce. The dressing will become lovely and rich and dark at this point.

maple syrup tahini

The final step is to add a little seasoning and then whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of water. This helps loosen the tahini dressing so it’s less thick and easier to pour.

pouring water in tahini

Other roast tenderstem broccoli ideas

chilli on chopping board

Roasting broccoli is addictive… No seriously, once you try find out how easy and delicious roast tenderstem broccoli is you’ll want to try lots of different flavour combos. I got you covered, here’s a few more ideas for roast broccoli and dressing pairings:

  • Orange and thyme roast tenderstem broccoli with a tahini dressing – Toss the broccoli with juice from one orange, a spring of thyme and the rest of the ingredients from the recipe. Roast as directed in the recipe. Use the same tahini dressing.
  • Chilli roast tenderstem broccoli with miso dressing – Toss the broccoli with 1 finely diced chilli and the rest of the ingredients from the recipe. Roast as directed in the recipe. Mix together 1 tablespoon of miso with, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.
  • Roast tenderstem broccoli with a sticky hoisin dressing – Use the same ingredients for the roast broccoli and follow the recipe as directed. To make the sticky hoisin dressing – mix together 1 tablespoon of hoisin, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and juice of 1 lime. Add to a small saucepan with 100ml of water and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. Bring to the boil and simmer until thickened and sticky.

When is tenderstem broccoli in season

Tenderstem broccoli produced in the UK is a summer crop. Broccoli is normally planted in the ground late march, or earlier if in commercial greenhouses. British tenderstem broccoli is normally on the shelves late june early july. The season runs into late autumn, around october. Most of the British tenderstem broccoli is produced in west-sussex and hampshire.

If you like the look of this tenderstem broccoli recipe, you’ll love

Enjoyed this wonderful broccoli recipe – you’ll enjoy these recipes too:

Roast Tenderstem Broccoli Zoomed

Roast Tenderstem Broccoli With A Maple And Tahini Dressing

This recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy a tenderstem broccoli. Sweet, salty and spicy, this recipe will not disappoint.
Roast tenderstem broccoli with dressing
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Course Side Dish

This meal is around 96% less polluting than the average UK meal.

Eating this recipe will save around 2.81 KG CO2e per person.

That’s equivalent to the emissions produced driving 23.21 KM in a modern car.

How do I calculate this?

Ingredients

Roast Tenderstem Broccoli

  • 400 g Tenderstem Broccoli
  • 2 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (can be substituted for 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes)
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Tahini Dressing

  • 80 g Tahini
  • 1 Medium Lemon (juiced)
  • 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Water

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 180c (fan-oven).
  • Tip the 400g of tenderstem broccoli into a large baking tray. Combine with the 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Mix well until the broccoli is evenly covered in the spices.
  • Place the broccoli into the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until the stems start to blister and blacken.
  • Whilst the broccoli is roasting in the oven make the tahini dressing. Whisk together the 80g of tahini and juice of one lemon until thick and creamy. Add the 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of sea salt and whisk until evenly combined.
  • Now add the 2-3 tablespoons of water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired dressing consistency. This isn't a hard and fast rule, so feel free to add as little or as much water as you like.
  • Once the broccoli has finished roasting place onto a large serving platter and drizzle generously with the tahini dressing. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds to finish. This roast broccoli goes excellently with basmati rice or a couscous salad.

Hi i'm Hugo

I started Lowly to help more people discover sustainable food. Planet-friendly food doesn’t have to be bland and boring. My recipes celebrate how diverse and flavourful it truly is.

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