Fried Purple Broccoli Marinara

Print Recipe

The crunchies of broccoli on top of a smooth tomato sauce. This purple broccoli recipe is to die for.

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine European, Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword broccoli parmigiana, crispy broccoli, purple broccoli, purple broccoli and tomato sauce, purple broccoli recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Servings

Calories 745

Ingredients

1 Batch Homemade Marinara Sauce about 2 (400ml) jars worth if you are using store-bought variety
300 g Purple Sprouting Broccoli tenderstem broccoli will also work
200 g Breadcrumbs
15 g Fresh Parsley finely chopped
vegetable oil for frying about 200ml's worth depending on the size of your pan

Corn Flour Slurry

1 Cup Plain Flour around 120g
1 Cup Corn Flour around 100g
1 1/2 Cups Water

Instructions

If you are making your marinara from scratch, prepare it now. Follow the recipe here and leave your sauce simmering away whilst you prep the broccoli.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the cornflour slurry until thick and gloopy.
Pour the breadcrumbs into a large shallow tray.
Take a broccoli floret and dunk into the cornflour slurry. Coat the piece entirely before removing and placing into the breadcrumbs. Completely cover the floret in the breadcrumbs. Remove and place the breaded floret onto a clean baking tray. Repeat this process until all of your broccoli pieces are coated.
Heat a large saute pan or saucepan over a medium high heat. Pour in enough vegetable oil to coat about 1/2 of the thickness of an individual broccoli floret. Toss a leftover breadcrumb into the oil and wait for it to start violently spit and bubble. This is when your oil is hot enough to begin frying.
Place about 3-4 florets (don't try and crowd your pan) into the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes until golden and crispy on the underside. (Whilst cooking occasionally baste the florets with hot oil. This will help them get super crunchy.) Turn and repeat on the opposite side until evenly golden brown. Remove the finished florets and place onto a wire rack. Season immediately with a generous helping of salt. Repeat the frying process until all of your florets are cooked.
When your broccoli and sauce are both cooked. Combine them onto the plate you wish to serve them on. Pour a thick bed of the tomato sauce and then arrange the crispy florets on top. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley.
You can serve this dish just on its own as a side to accompany other dishes or mix the marinara with some spaghetti for a rich and delicious pasta dish.

Nutrition