Your Mother Won’t have Told You About these 10 Ways for Using Broccoli Stems
Are you guilty of throwing away the broccoli stems?
I know I was.
I learned the practice from my mother, who always chopped off the broccoli stems and tossed them out, never giving them a second thought.
I started using broccoli stems awhile back, but reading Chadwick Boyd’s article “Broccoli Stalks Are Your Best Friend To Keep Pennies In Your Pocket” reminded me again why tossing the broccoli stems are a thing of the past in my world.
Broccoli stems contain loads of Vitamin C and B, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber and are very low in calories, a single stem having around 32 calories. Also, according to Berkeley Wellness, they can even help fight certain cancers. And they taste fantastic.
WOW! We’ve been wasting all that goodness.
Now I am reducing food waste and saving money by using broccoli stems. And I’m selfishly keeping all that nutritional yumminess for myself.
Sorry compost pile, you’ll no longer benefit from my broccoli stems!
The trick to using broccoli stems is to remove the tough outer skin from the stalk. Once removed, you can use the stems anyway you would like.
Chadwick Boyd suggests continuing to peel the entire stem into thin slices with a peeler. I use a knife to peel and chop them into any form I want.
Sauteing, steaming, roasting, grilling and even raw are all great ways I’ve found to use up those tasty and nutritious broccoli stems.
And if your imagination fails you, soup is always a great answer. Just puree your broccoli stems up into broccoli soup. To help you get started using up your broccoli stems, I’ve compiled 10 tasty broccoli stem recipes guaranteed to inspire your taste buds.
Or use one or all of these 10 tasty broccoli stem recipes that I compiled for you.
1 Grilled Pork Street Tacos with Pickled Broccoli Stem Slaw and Blistered Tomatoes
Use up those stems in a tasty recipe from Boulder Locavore for Pickled Broccoli Stem Slaw and Blistered Tomatoes on Grilled Port Street Tacos.
2 Broccoli Stem and Brown Rice Stir Fry
If you don’t have time to peel the stems, try out The Full Helping’s Broccoli Stem and Rice Stir Fry recipe, which uses the whole unpeeled stem.
3 Broccoli Stem and Purple Potato Hash
Add broccoli stems to the start of your day with this yummy Broccoli Stem and Purple Potato Hash recipe from The Ranger’s Daughter.
4 Broccoli Stem Noodles With Sesame Ginger Dressing
If Asian food is the craving of the day, try out All Day I Dream About Food’s recipe for Broccoli Stem Noodles with Sesame Ginger Dressing.
5 Broccoli Caesar Salad Slaw
Whether you’re vegan or not, I’m sure you’ll love this Vegan Broccoli Caesar Salad Slaw recipe from Turnip The Oven.
6 Carrot and Broccoli Chips
Broccoli stems make great crispy, crunchy snacks when you turn them into chips using the Tasting Page’s recipe for Carrot and Broccoli Chips.
7 Broccoli Stems Soup with Salad Topper Crunch
If you have those in the household who are less than enthusiastic about broccoli stems, hide them away in this creamy Broccoli Stems Soup with Salad Topper Crunch from At the Immigrant’s Table.
8 Broccoli Kale Pesto
Pesto works on everything, especially when you add in broccoli stems using Delectably Mine’s Broccoli Kale Pesto recipe.
9 Broccoli Stem Fries and Chimichurri Tahini
Everyone loves fries so make them healthier by making What’s Cooking Good Looking’s recipe for Broccoli Stem Fries with a Chimichurri Tahini
10 Asian Crunchy Broccoli Stem Salad
One can never have too many salad recipes, especially like the delicious crunchy goodness of Tiny Urban Kitchen’s Asian Crunchy Broccoli Stem Salad.
And if these aren’t enough broccoli stem recipes for you, here are a few more:
Shaved Broccoli Stalk Feta Salad from Food Lust People Love
Shaved Broccoli Stalk Salad with Lime & Cotija from Epicurious
Broccoli Soup with Gorgonzola Toasts from GourmetTraveller
Broccoli Carpaccio with Broccoli Stalk Salad from My Recipes