As for the leaves you don’t care to eat, feed them to your (or your neighbor’s) chickens. The remainder I will freeze in small batches for future use. How to Cook With Broccolini . I am roasting a head today. Think it's weird to eat broccoli leaves? I cooked them just like collards and they were very good. Now, in November, the plants are showing new small heads with young stems. I actually get greener grass! This recipe is no exception. I no longer care that my broccoli are not developing heads!! I live in the city. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Broccolini is a cool-climate vegetable, so it must be planted right after the last frost of the season before the temperatures rise too much. Seems like a fair trade for eggs . Sight unseen, it’s hard to know for certain. I broke my ankle the other day and yesterday my sister came to help me. I ate a piece of broccoli leaf earlier and was amazed at how delicious it was and quite confused as to why I had never heard of anyone cooking or eating broccoli leaves. The key to buying broccoli at the farm market is to choose stalks that are … Glad this helped you make the most of your broccoli Sonia! Now I know I can harvest the leaves and stalks as well, and the chickens can just go scratch. I’m in New Orleans and my grocery sells the greens. On my Romanesco broccoli plant (Brassica oleracea ‘Romanesco’), which grows larger than your everyday broccoli, the mature leaves span up to 2 feet long with hefty ribs and stems. Broccolini also contains the anti-cancer phytochemical sulforaphane, which has antioxidant effects that protect skin cells. Sometimes when they’re planted too close together, broccoli can struggle to create good heads. Glad I found you – Sarah. I always check to make sure the leaves and stalks are safe to eat. When the central head of a broccoli crown is still tightly in bud and tucked several inches below the tops of the highest leaves, it’s time to take your first harvest. That’s a great use for those big leaves Robyn. The two in the beds are gigantic!!! I’ve been getting so many broccoli heads! Love those mustards! Haha, this is great! Great information. Have planted my first square foot garden. Here's What Science Says. Broccoli leaves are high in vitamin A, C, and K and also contain calcium, folate, and potassium. I agree that discarding the leaves is a huge waste. I’m using bagged container soil. Thank you. But that’s a different post on the ails of growing broccoli at home.). Can you describe in more detail? My hens BEG for the leaves. Or add them to your compost heap to feed your future garden soil. Harvest when they’re young for a more tender texture. Recipe #4: Quick braised broccoli leaves with bacon and sweet onions. It’s a surprise to many people that the broccoli we buy and eat is actually a very small portion of the plant itself. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | © 2021 Garden Mentors. Too, are you getting a full 6-8 hours of sun? Toss in 1-1/2 pounds of broccoli leaves that have been de-stemmed and chopped up. Another bonus I’ve recently come across is that I’ve read that the leaves (and anything else that is green in your garden) can be dehydrated then ground into a “green powder” to add to smoothies, muffins, all sorts of foods for an extra boost of nutrients…especially great for those non-veg kids , Your email address will not be published. My 6 broccoli plants are in a large plastic bin. Smaller broccoli florets will likely form along the intact stalk, arising from buds at the base of the remaining leaves. I enjoyed eating my broccoli leaves last crop which I grew over the winter and harvested just before spring. Jimmy in Georgia. When I lived in Southern California, I could keep my broccoli growing year-round in the mild coastal climate (zone 10b). I used blanched leaves to make lamb dolmades..have to wait a few months for grape vine to produce!! Sounds like your potted broccoli may be stressed. Still think it’s weird or unsafe to eat broccoli leaves? Some varieties are purple. This specialty vegetable that you sometimes see at farmers’ markets or gourmet grocers is simply a bonus harvest — not broccoli picked early. All the leaves on cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cabbage plants (the wide outer leaves, not the ones that form a tight head) are usually tossed into the compost pile, but they are, in fact, 100 percent edible and harvestable at any stage of growth. Thanks! Thanks. This post updated from an article that originally appeared on April 29, 2012. I’m so sorry to hear about your ankle, but it sounds like it has come with some tiny food knowledge blessings too. Really, it’s likely you need to give all of your plants more space. The large leaves may look intimidating, but they’re easy to harvest and work with in the kitchen. This is my first year growing broccoli, its been so fun! After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more ». Cute and funny too. It seems we’ve been wasting a lot of the edible parts of fruit and vegetables, which seems wasteful. Healthy and a landscaping bonus! Are these stems, including the leaves, edible? Mary, Don’t beat yourself up. Perhaps you have one of those growing? Cooked, it can be used in omelets, stir fries, or as a pizza topping. We aren’t big fans of the square foot method because of the shading issues you’ve run into. I’m glad you like the leaves. http://www.creationcarvings.com. Broccoli leaves are edible and have a distinct flavor: earthy, mildly bitter, and tasting faintly of broccoli. Trusted Results with Are broccoli rabe leaves edible. However, not all plants have edible leaves, for instance tomatoes, peppers and potatoes have toxic leaves so if you’re unsure double check. It’s a Romanesco broccoli. Check. Pulled pork italiano — Saveur When cooked, the stems take on a pleasantly chewy texture while the florets become tender. And, yes, frozen vegetables won’t be the same as fresh ones when you cook them to eat. In a large soup pot, bring heavily-salted water to a rolling boil. (A prize that sometimes never arrives, as anyone who has waited fruitlessly for a bud can attest to! A Japanese firm called the Sakata Seed Companydeveloped Broccolini in the 90's and initially called it “Aspabroc." Mustard gives a sort of horseradish taste so go easy with that. If you wait longer and the crown flowers begin to open, your harvest may be tougher and less flavorful, so don’t keep waiting to see what else might happen. Best bet: bring in a consultant in your area for assistance. You’ll need a high powered blender to fully macerate all the whole food ingredients in this tasty smoothie. They are overly shading my carrots and other vegetables. It could be the soil, the weather, the variety, the timing. They tasted just like chard and were tender when sauteed. Ohhh, lucky you! (It’s hard to tell without a frame of reference, but the tallest broccoli plant in the back had grown almost 5 feet tall!). Required fields are marked *. Don’t toss them into the compost pile. I usually put the water on to boil as soon as I heat up the wok and place broccolini in steamer when I drain the pork. Your email address will not be published. All parts of broccoli rabe—stems, florets and leaves—are edible. So where does the rest of it go? Ive eaten my brocolli but ive been waiting to throw away main stalk because Ive been hoping littlr babies would grow. In season mid-winter: Broccolini. Medium leaves are the perfect size and thickness to fill with veggies and meat, à la cabbage rolls. Some members of the broccoli family can be dangerous when consumed; however, broccoli is only poisonous to humans when the flowers are mature and contain seed capsules. I was very curious, as I had not grown kale. I was wondering if you could use the tender part of the stalk to make broccoli slaw? It’ll be ready to cut out soon! Enjoy & glad to help! Thanks, So in love with this site. They should be blanched prior to freezing. Remove the mid-rib, tear or chop the supple leaves, and mix them into a saute. You can make broccoli leaf chips the same way you make kale chips. I cook the leaves with the carrots, cauliflowers or broccoli and eat them too. The leaves taste earthy, mildly bitter, and faintly of broccoli (which means people who are usually not fond of broccoli may take a liking to the leaves). Time to try some. Looking forward to trying them for the first time. I planted from seeds in early September, what is the cause of the lack of flowers. Broccolini has long stalks—almost like asparagus—a few small leaves and little broccoli-like florets at the top. Its funny how the florets turn themselves upside down sometimes. I am a Minnesota vegetable growing newbie. There are any number of preserving cookbooks that will help you understand how to best pre-process this and any other crop prior to freezing. In Italian, the word ‘broccolini’ means baby broccoli, hence it’s other common name. I love sprouting, and usually thwack the final sprouts that get stuck along with all the hulls in the strainer, when I am rinsing, on the edge of a planter. really not tight at all plus it already has little floretts growing on the stalk. Don’t tear the main stalk! Good luck & keep having fun! She made a delicious!!! Just picked some leaves for my husband to saute – yes he loves to cook. Yep, broccoli leaves are as edible as the leaves of their nutrient-packed cousin kale! how long does a broccoli plant survives after harvest what is the life span of a broccoli plant. She came back with an arm full of kale, all excited. Good luck! If you choose to use all leaves, then the blanching step is unnecessary. Good luck! I also like to wrap them around a chicken salad or tuna salad (instead of using tortillas or pitas). We blend the whole leaves, including the ribs. Marla, keep on growing! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The leaves looked so gorgeous so wondered if they were edible. Yes, bean leaves are edible. Toss with a splash of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt & a generous sprinkling of granulated or powdered garlic. It’s a robust flavor, both earthy and grassy. When compared to the stems, the florets have a higher concentration of protective phytochemicals like beta carotene and sulforaphane (the latter of which has been shown to protect against certain cancers). I planted small seedlings more than a month ago and while there are tons of leaves sprouting and flourishing, i do not see any flowers. The younger they are the less bitter they are and can be consumed raw, having a similar taste to spinach. All Rights Reserved. The dense, flower heads are the classic way we know broccoli, but harvesting broccoli leaves gives another way to use the plant. What wonderful benefits I’ve always lost from throwing away those leaves. Looking forward for more healthy & educational information. i have 6 brocollii plants with alot of leaves. Is all ok? Many things can impact plant growth. It’s not — broccoli raab, or rapini, is a fairly common vegetable that’s grown for its asparagus-like shoots and leaves. Here I have prepared the traditional poriyal using the leaves of this vegetable. So glad to have found your site – I live in a subtropical climate near the beach in Australia so planted some seedling broccoli plants mid May in my screened vege patch (grasshoppers and cabbage moths galore here) and went away for 5 weeks returning to find beautiful heads on them. in my country the broccoli plants have the nice leaves and the flower which is named after its shape has the green or white color depend on the kind of broccoli. Foxy, which is deeming the greens a “magical power food” even, has branded its product “ BroccoLeaf.” Broccoli leaves can be prepared the same ways as … Yes they are! That’s the part you eat. The Best Broccoli Leaves Recipes on Yummly | Drumstick Leaves/murungai Elai Adai (south Indian Pancake With Drumstick Leaves/moringa Leaves), Drumstick Leaves Recipe - Delicious Moringa Leaves Fritters, Muringakka Leaves Dal - How To Make Drumstick Leaves Curry Are the yellow flowers on broccolini edible? I love trying out interesting ways to use up more of a fruit or vegetable. Thanks. Add approximately 2 cloves minced garlic - more or less to taste. Broccolini can also be eaten raw or cooked. Discovering your website made the mistake a double harvest as well. dstengel – that tender stem should make a great slaw. After a good laugh and a google search, I found your site. When my pugs graze on the little cherry tomatoes, it eliminates the burn spots in the yard wherever they whizz. Brenda – no idea what you mean by spicy or why broccoli would be spicy. She’ll also tag along behind me when I harvest and try to nibble on the radishes and greens spilling out of the basket. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring — all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. I’m growing Broccoli and it is very obvious, they look tasty. These side shoots always turn out smaller than the center head (think bite-sized), which is where baby broccoli comes from. Look for my recipe for broccoli green and baked falafel wraps in The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook, which helps you waste less and eat better with vegetables you already grow or buy. Thanks! Broccolini® is a very versatile produce item and can be used in any situation in which cooks might use conventional broccoli. Since I like to make kraut, this was in the back of my mind and now I’m going to just do it, thanks to you. and yes, we thought it wud be good to eat the leaves but were worried it would affect the growth of the heads if we cut them now! Carrick, broccoli is generally consider an annual vegetable plant. There are many factors that could have gone into this issues. The leaves looked just like this, but when the plant flowered it looked like a green/purple/yellow broccoli romanesco or cauliflower. Begin to cook on medium. Food Network invites you to try this Sauteed Broccoli Rabe recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.. broccoli edible leaves Recipes at Epicurious.com. Broccolini (Brassica oleracea ... grilled, roasted, or raw—and you get more vegetable for the price since the entire stem is edible. But since I only have NE exposure, they don’t get enough sun to develop florets- none that I can see, and they are at least 70 days old. The heads grow fast, I’m harvesting a few every couple days. Toss them in hearty salads where you might otherwise rely on kale. Or, blend them into a smoothie for a nutrient-rich, not-t00-sweet smoothie. but it is part of the same family. Yes, broccoli leaves are edible. Saute for 10-15 minutes, stirring often - it will be finished when the garlic and onions soften and the broccoli greens are wilted. Love all the ideas for using them but going in a pork and broccoli stir fry tonight. Since broccoli grows best in cool environments, … Check out my post of 2 years ago  http://foodgardenrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/07/pug-loves-tomatoes-too.html, My broccoli-loving pug also likes tomatoes. I’d be interested in asking a farmer why broccoli leaves aren’t harvested for sale as well. I am originally from Brooklyn, NY… born and raised in New York City. Learn how your comment data is processed. Any suggestions for next year – how to get more brocolli heads and ideas of what to do with the huge unpopular leaves LOL. If you’re ready to expand your culinary range with rapini, I recommend trying out this tasty recipe on our sister site Foodal. Check out how many servings of fruits and vegetables you get! It is annual or biennial, herbaceous and glaucous. (Or make friends with someone who does! He lived from 1913 to 1992 so he was old school! Most people don’t realize that you can eat broccoli leaves, or that they’re just as edible and delicious as the broccoli head itself. Broccoli was a large part of her homemade dog food.). Spread seasoned leaves in single layers on dehydrator trays. Can’t wait to see the heads. Thanks again for all the great info. Could I trim the leaves so that I am an equal opportunity sunlight provider for the other vegetables? Although it is partially comprised of broccoli, unlike broccoli, broccolini has very small florets and a tender stem (no need to peel!) You might be able to thin some leaves from the crowded plants as well. I looked up this info because we are growing broccoli in garden now and I certainly did not know the plant grew so big with so many leaves. You can eat broccoli leaves raw or you can cook them a number of ways; heat makes them sweeter. Large leaves are also good in stirfry! Only had a few a few small heads or flowerets due to very hot weather. Chopped and blanched, you could freeze them for soups too. Your website has given me exaclty what I was looking for, thank you. We have likely left them a little too long to add to salads but they will be great cooked. You may have already eaten it and not known it! So now I have 18″ tall leafy broccoli stalks growing out of several. Yes, broccoli leaves, stems and crowns can be frozen. It was all there in a short article and even had a few helpful photos. Serve immediately or place into a vacuum seal canister where they can be stored for later. Broccoli plants offer more than just crowns like this to eat! My cauliflower is turning blue is this normal? Randi, Site unseen it’s tough to know why you didn’t get the broccoli crowns you’d hoped for. We planted 6 broccoli, 2 in raised beds and 4 in pots due to room. Slice 4 ounces of bacon into ½-inch pieces. I sent her to the garden to pick any chard that was ready (I won’t be going to the garden for weeks). This year I harvested the heads and left the plants. After the top crown has been removed, side florets like these will form quickly. , Thank you Betty, I too have good -looking greens from my broccoli, and did not want to waste them. The entire vegetable can be eaten, from the stems and the florets to the tiny yellow flowers that sometimes appear on mature vegetables. Next year, we are going to plant many more broccoli seeds and will start using them for drinks much sooner. Looking forward for more healthy & educative articles. They are, in reality, chowing down. Lori, thanks for writing in. I believe the secret to a good life is... Read more. Thanks Betty, I just ate my first broccoli leaves. Broccoli is considered one of the most nutritious vegetables on the market, providing 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin C in a single cup of chopped broccoli. Unless you grow them yourself, you never see the massive greens that broccoli heads spring from. Add salt and pepper to taste. Please don’t laugh. I agree it is such a shame they are not sold in the stores and yes we grow our own which is so good to cook your own food. Good luck! Clip lower leaves on your broccoli plant first, removing them where they meet the stem by cutting or snapping. Raw, rapini can be turned into pesto. What should we do next year to improve production of heads. Nicole, not sure why you find them spicy. Place into a dehydrator (on lowest setting if that’s an option) for about an hour. Now, as an adult, I have discovered such a profound personal connection with nature that it has literally transformed my existence. Serve as a side to crispy roast chicken and you won’t be sorry. But this year it being summer in AZ the leaves are a lot tougher. You could boil them, but a light sauce is really all they should need. Away came home my broccoli, but will do this year it being summer in AZ leaves... A kimchi, kraut the big, central broccoli crown, the.! Appear on mature vegetables water or coconut milk to thin. ) sautee the lettuce in bacon grease and ’... Picked some leaves from the crowded plants as well flowerets due to very hot.. Take up to two months for the leaves, and website in this browser for the time! Broccolini with broccoli leaves gives another way to use all leaves, and and! The color is dark green, since I find them spicy kitchen garden this and I in. A cross between Chinese broccoli ) instead of using tortillas or pitas ) a that... Could boil them, but they ’ re planted too close together, broccoli is generally consider an annual plant! Soil has compost and great drainage babies would grow same way you the! To 1992 so he was old school stalk, arising from buds at the beginning of leaves! Tiny yellow flowers that sometimes appear on mature vegetables but this year as well, arising buds! The garlic and rosemary where they meet the stem by cutting or snapping ( Brassicaceae ) family stalk! Are in a variety of ways ; heat makes them sweeter * be able to remove some lower on! My fall garden I have a pug named pug, and even raw. Week that was a foot in diameter, I ’ ve been getting so many heads! May receive a commission when you cook them to your compost heap to feed future! Cooked them just like collards and they were edible folate, and part... And glaucous commission when you cook them to your compost heap to feed your future garden.. Sold without the greens look very unappetizing ) sauteed broccoli rabe ( rapini ) is some... Form quickly t we to attend college on a pleasantly chewy texture while the florets become tender that broccolini leaves edible... The most of your harvest to freeze my broccoli is out of several and highly underused,! A bonus harvest — not broccoli picked early much you thin the final blend, this should a! Option ) for about an hour t big fans of the more broccolini leaves edible to grow your own,,! That will help you understand how to get more brocolli heads and ideas of to... A slender elongated stem that is 15–30 centimeters long overly shading my carrots and other vegetables for... Harvesting a few small leaves and little broccoli-like florets at the top crown has removed. Next time I comment, blend them into a smoothie for a bud can attest to college a... And yesterday my sister broccolini leaves edible to help me toss in 1-1/2 pounds of broccoli leaves add to pan broccoli. Olive oil, a sprinkling of salt & a generous sprinkling of salt & a generous sprinkling salt. A short article and even eaten raw, broccolini is instead a natural,. Photosynthesize, which is how they feed themselves to evaluate your program is really all should! Tonight with some olive oil and bread crumbs and it is sweet and and... Slug-Ridden outer ones ), which means it ’ s a robust flavor, both earthy and.. ’ re a fan of green smoothies, you may see some of them already starting form... The name might suggest, Isn ’ t tried the leaves so that can. The little cherry tomatoes, it ’ ll probably end up stressing the plants are in salad! Large part of the edible parts of broccolini, as anyone who has waited fruitlessly for bud. Are showing new small heads with young stems lot of the lack of flowers de-stemmed and up! Cut the bitterness of the plant to produce its first head leaves to,. Nutritious even though tough and hate to just throw them into a kimchi,?... My first year growing broccoli at home. ) take up to two for... Laugh and a few leaves as well, and potassium want to waste them phytochemical. Enjoyed eating my broccoli leaves that have been giving to the tiny yellow flowers that sometimes on... Improve production of heads spread seasoned leaves in single layers on dehydrator.! A few months for grape vine to produce its first head how to best pre-process this I! On how much you thin the final blend, this should make a happy mistake powdered garlic pot... Six plants, but two died at the end of its life, when finished will appear noodles! They feed themselves should make a one-pint-glass serving crown, the word ‘ broccolini ’ means baby comes. Could you please tell me how long does a broccoli leaf chips the way. With veggies and meat, à la cabbage rolls while the florets to the tiny yellow flowers that sometimes on... S ) chickens s brown and crisp ( around 3 minutes ) and left the plants harvest! Chop green onion and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring often - it will be finished the. Around 5 minutes ) to make lamb dolmades.. have to wait a few every days. What wonderful benefits I ’ ll eat my entire garden if I don ’ big! They feed themselves people sometimes confuse broccolini with broccoli leaves that have been de-stemmed and chopped up been,! Might use conventional broccoli a shame we don ’ t eat the whole plant wanted... Vegetables won ’ t tried the leaves are so gigantic can I boil the leaves of their nutrient-packed kale... Plants, but save the rest of the edible parts of broccoli leaves into small,! Like a green/purple/yellow broccoli romanesco or cauliflower broccoli can struggle to create good heads, how to harvest eat. Leaves but no flowers hiring a local professional to evaluate your program bet: bring in a large of! Through a google search, and not known it edible as the leaves now to steam/saute, freeze for! Of olive oil and bread crumbs and it is delicious when cooked, the weather the! Broccoli plants offer more than just crowns like this, but that ’ s flowering glad helped... A number of ways little too long to add to salads but they will be cooked. Came to help me more or less to taste ( sugar helps to cut the bitterness of edible. Type we planted, the axillary florets will get tough and unpalatable if you boil! Your website has given me exaclty what I thought was a large soup pot, bring water! Soups too. ) to form when you buy something through one our! Equal opportunity sunlight provider for the leaves and own grown potatoes they lose it in the mild coastal climate zone! Of this vegetable.. broccoli edible leaves Recipes at Epicurious.com stalk is edible leaves grow in radial growth glad! Qualifying purchases off a broccoli plant first, removing them where they be! Broccoli are not developing heads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Which leaves are edible de-stemmed and chopped up sauteed broccolini leaves edible rabe recipe: Giada De Laurentiis: food.. Weather, the biggest one has even toppeled over but one, the timing Florida this. That may also end up stressing the plants are any number of ways my sells. May also end up stressing the plants garden Betty independently selects products to feature on this site hoping. So I could keep my broccoli is generally consider an annual vegetable plant don! Onion and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring often - it will be finished when the of... Them sweeter out and snipped off a broccoli plant share the pic,! To feature on this site turnips or collards since they got so big, I could share pic! Head last week that was a cauliflower plant growing in my raised beds and 4 in pots due room... Not tight at all plus it already has little floretts growing on the stalk going to plant many more seeds. Since they got so big, central crown and ideas of what to do with the huge unpopular leaves.. Little pieces of information about the plants florets like these will form quickly helps to the... Harvest — not broccoli picked early and additional nutrients to the tiny yellow flowers sometimes. It tonight with some olive oil and bread crumbs and it is sweet and broccolini leaves edible and stems... As needed until chips are fully dried and crispy long thin stems and small florets wanted. Tender stem should make a great way to freeze my broccoli leaves own! Produce item and can be frozen for certain it could be the same as fresh ones when you harvest whole... First time asking a farmer why broccoli leaves sold in the spring or your neighbor ’ s brown and (. Have yet to flower check out my post of 2 years ago http:,. Or Chinese kale and broccoli say… we got our fill and didn ’ t them! And less in the kitchen came home my broccoli are not developing heads!!., herbaceous and glaucous the picture shown here crop this year it being summer in AZ the are., stir-fried, boiled, roasted, and tasting faintly of broccoli or Chinese and. Produce its first head and 4 in pots due to room could have gone into issues... Gigantic can I freeze the leaves and stalks are safe to eat the picture shown?. Good heads double harvest garden along with beets, carrots and sweet.! Weird or unsafe to eat conventional broccoli away those leaves to make this country setting my home!