Italian Broccoli Rabe

I finally perfected my Italian Broccoli Rabe, and I am so excited to share this easy and delicious recipe with you.

I grew up eating Broccoli Rabe, and I’ve made it a lot on my own throughout the years. However, it was not until recently that I was able to pin point a recipe that reminds me of how it tasted when my grandma made it.

What does Broccoli Rabe taste like?

One of the things that keeps people from making Broccoli Rabe is that it has a bitterness to it. I am happy to say, I found a way to reduce that bitterness and bring out the delicious flavor of this vegetable. Overall, I would describe Broccoli Rabe as a bitter green, but when made properly it should only have a slight bitter and nutty taste.

It is important to cut off and remove the bottom of the stems. Those are typically too tough to eat, but the rest of this vegetable can be cooked all together. The most common way to ensure you are bringing out the flavor is to cook with plenty of salt, olive oil, garlic and sometimes red pepper flakes.

Origins of Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli Rabe, also known as “Rapini”, is a dish that comes out of Southern Italy. In learning this, I realized that even though my grandmother made this often and very well, it was not something she necessarily grew up eating. She grew up in Pistoia, which is in the Tuscany region of Italy. When she married, she was taught by my grandpa’s mother (Nonna), to make meals that she made for him. My Nonna was from Sicily which is the southern most region in Italy. Sicily is also where one of the most popular brands of Broccoli Rabe, Andy Boy, got their seeds from. It turns out that this Broccoli Rabe dish came from my Nonna and was one of the many that she taught my grandma to make.

This Italian Broccoli Rabe recipe is something I needed to perfect on my own, as I never got the exact recipe from my grandmother. I would always ask my mom how to make it, but it never seemed to come out as good as hers either. After testing out a few different approaches, I finally perfected what I think is the closest to my grandma’s recipe as I can get. The secret to my recipe is the addition of Bone broth. I have two go-to Bone broths that I use. One is the Chicken Unsalted, by Pacific Foods. To add a bit more flavor, I use the Kettle and Fire Mushroom Chicken bone broth, which I absolutely love!

Shopping list for the Italian Broccoli Rabe

• 2 Bunches of Broccoli Rabe
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Bone Broth
• Salt, Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes

The result you are looking for is a tender, slightly bitter green. I tend to eat this right out of the pan, it is so good. Sometimes I just can’t wait to eat it! Mostly, though, it is a great side dish for any meal. This would be perfect to pair with my Eggplant Parmesan, Pan Seared Halibut or any pasta dish you make.

I hope you enjoy and share your thoughts in the comments!