Baby Broccoli (with Lemon Mustard Sauce)

Tender, sweet stalks of Sautéed Baby Broccoli, topped with lemony mustard sauce and fresh cherry tomatoes, is a healthy, delicious side.

What is broccolini (baby broccoli)?

Baby Broccoli (also known as Broccolini) is a green vegetable that is similar to regular broccoli but with long, thin stalks and smaller florets. It is tender, sweet and has a mild, somewhat mustardy flavor. Like its cousins broccoli and Chinese broccoli (gai lan), sweet baby broccoli is packed full of iron, calcium, and vitamin C.

For this recipe, we chose to sauté the Baby Broccoli to coax out its sweetness. We topped it with fresh cherry tomatoes, slivered almonds, and an easy Lemon Mustard Sauce, which perfectly complements its natural mustard flavor.

HINT: Like our String Beans with Crispy Prosciutto and No Mayo Coleslaw, it's a delicious and healthy side dish that only takes 20 minutes!

Ingredients

• BABY BROCCOLI: fresh baby broccoli (BROCCOLINI)
• GARLIC: fresh garlic cloves
• ALMONDS: we like slivered almonds for this recipe
• TOMATOES: we used fresh cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• LEMON: fresh squeezed lemon juice
• DIJON MUSTARD: we used Maille Walnut Dijon mustard, but any good Dijon mustard will work
• OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford

*see recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. COOK BABY BROCCOLI: In a large sauté pan, place broccoli along with ½ cup of water and bring water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 8 minutes over medium heat.
2. MAKE LEMON MUSTARD SAUCE: While broccolini is cooking, place oil in a sauce pan along with mustard and mix. Cook over low heat. Add juice from 1 lemon and 2 cloves of garlic (leave them whole).
3. ADD TOMATOES: Slice tomatoes in half and add to the mustard mixture and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
4. PLATE: Remove broccoli from pan and place on serving plate. Toss almonds into mustard and tomato mixture and combine until all coated. Pour mixture over broccoli and salt and pepper to taste.
5. SERVE: Serve Baby Broccoli with Roasted Spatchcock Chicken, Blackened Salmon, or Grilled Ribeye Steak.

Variations

• CHEESY: add freshly grated parmesan or goat cheese crumbles
• SPICY: add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or black pepper
• NUTS: no almonds? Try toasted pine nuts or walnut pieces
• MORE GREENS: can't find baby broccoli? This recipe works great with broccoli, broccoli rabe, or mustard greens.

Top tip

Use whole cloves of garlic when cooking broccolini for delicate garlic flavor. Chopped garlic burns easily and can make the broccolini taste burnt.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a sauté pan over medium heat or microwave, adding olive oil if necessary. Do not freeze.

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