Did you know there are several types of broccoli? Beyond the familiar green crowns, a whole world of broccoli relatives includes slender broccolini, leafy Chinese broccoli, bitter broccoli rabe, and spiraled Romanesco. Here’s how they compare and the best ways to cook each one.
If you want to sound fancy at your next dinner party, call broccoli by its scientific name, Brassica oleracea. It’s a cruciferous vegetable in the cabbage family, along with cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop, so it tastes its best from fall through early spring, when the heads are sweet and tender.
Types of Broccoli at a Glance
| Type | Looks Like | Flavor | Best Ways to Cook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | Large green heads on thick stalks | Grassy, mildly bitter | Steam, roast, stir-fry, eat raw |
| Chinese broccoli | Leafy greens on thick stems, small florets | Slightly bitter, robust | Stir-fry, blanch with oyster sauce |
| Broccolini | Long, thin stems with small florets | Mild, sweet | Roast, grill, sauté |
| Broccoli rabe | Leafy stems with small buds | Bold, bitter, peppery | Blanch, then sauté with garlic |
| Romanesco | Lime-green, spiraled, pointed florets | Mild, nutty | Roast, steam, eat raw |
| Purple sprouting broccoli | Slender stems with purple florets | Sweet, tender | Steam, roast, grill |
Broccoli
Calabrese, Destiny, and Belstar are a few of the common varieties of broccoli, and the one you see in the produce section is likely one of them. It has large, tightly packed green florets on a thick stalk. The stems are edible too: peel the tough outer layer and slice them to cook with the florets. Learn how to cook broccoli five easy ways.
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan)
Picture kale-like leaves on a thick, juicy stem with a few small florets. That’s Chinese broccoli, also called gai lan or kai lan. It’s popular in Chinese cooking, where it’s often stir-fried with garlic or blanched and drizzled with oyster sauce. It has a slightly bitter, more robust flavor than regular broccoli, with tender leaves and crisp stems.
Broccolini
Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has long, slender stalks and small florets, a bit like asparagus, and a milder, sweeter taste than broccoli. The whole stem is tender, so there’s no need to peel it. It’s delicious roasted, grilled, or sautéed, like in this broccolini and shiitake mushroom stir-fry.
Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
Although it looks like a leafy type of broccoli, broccoli rabe (also spelled raab, and called rapini) is more closely related to turnips. It has leafy stems with small buds and a bold, bitter, peppery flavor. Italian cooks love it sautéed with garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes, or tossed with pasta and sausage. Briefly blanching it before sautéing helps mellow the bitterness.
Romanesco
Romanesco is the showstopper of the bunch, with lime-green, pointed florets that spiral in a natural fractal pattern. It’s closely related to cauliflower and has a firm, crunchy texture with a mild, nutty flavor. Roast or steam it, or serve it raw on a crudité platter to show off its shape.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Instead of one large head, sprouting broccoli grows many slender stems topped with small florets. The purple variety turns green when cooked and has a sweet, tender texture similar to broccolini. Look for it at farmers’ markets in late winter and spring.
Broccoli vs. Broccolini
Broccoli has larger, rounder heads and thicker stalks, while broccolini has long, thin stems and small florets. Broccolini tastes milder and sweeter than broccoli. Broccoli is great both cooked and raw, but broccolini is usually best cooked, since its stems become tender and sweet.
Broccoli Rabe vs. Broccolini
They’re often confused, but broccolini is mild and sweet, while broccoli rabe is leafier and much more bitter. Use broccolini when you want a simple, sweet side dish, and broccoli rabe when you want a bold, peppery flavor to stand up to garlic, sausage, or pasta.
Ways to Cook Broccoli
Broccoli, whichever variety you choose, can be steamed, roasted, broiled, pan-fried, grilled, or eaten raw in a broccoli salad or broccoli slaw. Broccolini and broccoli rabe are especially tasty grilled or roasted until slightly charred. Add broccoli to a classic stir-fry like beef and broccoli, toss it with pasta in chicken broccoli pasta, or pulse it into broccoli rice.
Popular Broccoli Recipes
How to Select Broccoli
Look for bright or deep green heads with tight, compact florets and firm stems. Yellowing florets, soft stems, or limp or cracked stalks mean it’s past its prime.
How to Store Broccoli
Don’t rinse broccoli until you’re ready to use it. Store it in a loose plastic bag in the crisper drawer, or wrap it in damp paper towels. If it starts to feel bendy, trim the bottom of the stalk and stand it upright in a jar of water in the refrigerator overnight to perk it up. Fresh broccoli keeps for about one week.
To freeze broccoli, cut it into florets and blanch in boiling water for about 3 minutes, then plunge into an ice bath. Dry well in a salad spinner, spread on a sheet pan to freeze, then transfer to a sealed bag. Frozen broccoli keeps for about 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Broccoli stems are sweet and tender once you peel off the tough outer layer. Slice them and cook them with the florets. The leaves are also edible and can be cooked like kale or collard greens.
Romanesco is part of the same species as broccoli and cauliflower and is often called Romanesco broccoli or Romanesco cauliflower. Its flavor and texture are closest to cauliflower, with a mild, nutty taste.
Broccolini is a mild, sweet cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Broccoli rabe is a leafy relative of turnips with a strong, bitter flavor.
Fresh broccoli keeps for about one week in the refrigerator. Store it unwashed in a loose bag or wrapped in damp paper towels.
Bill Yarborough says
This is perhaps an odd question, but I have started taking a blood thinner medication and have been told to limit the amount of broccoli I eat to avoid the effects of excess Vitamin K. I like broccoli, grow it every year, and eat it often, fresh or frozen! Is there a variety of broccoli that I can grow that is low in Vitamin K?
Jessica Gavin says
Great question, Bill! I looked on the USDA food data central and broccoli, broccolini, broccoli read, and gai lan have similar levels. Do you know how much vitamin K you’re allowed to eat?
Haven says
broccoli is pretty good. thanks for the informative article jessica
skunk says
thanku this was very helpful i appreciate your broccoli knowledge.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome!
Bill Geils says
Jessica hi, I enjoy all your informative food information. I put broccoli in my tuna noodle casserole yum, I also have it in my turkey meatloaf, both dishes have peas and carrots too.