There is so much more to vegetables than just steaming them. Why not make your “broccoli” a little more interesting by choosing tender broccolini, upping the flavor and texture by charring it, and setting it on top of a cloud-like pillow of whipped ricotta? Anyone would be happy to eat their veggies then!

Charring your broccolini (or really most vegetables) is a simple process of searing it on the stovetop, so you don’t need any special equipment. This method gives you a vegetable that’s tender, but also tinged with crispy edges and SO much flavor. And you can really up the ante by serving it over a bed of ricotta. But not just any ricotta — whipped ricotta, which you make by using an immersion blender (a hand mixer will work too) to incorporate some air to make it fluffy, while blending in some flavor add-ins like lemon juice and honey. This is a veggie side dish to write home about!

This recipe is featured in our online cooking class, Italian in the Midwest.

Click the link above to watch the step-by-step video of how to make this recipe!

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