Spicy Pickled Broccoli
Spicy, savory, and a hundred percent satisfying.
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Broccoli generally goes either one of two ways—a limp steamed plate of dieting sadness or a comfort food treat swimming in a luscious cheese sauce. Here, a middle ground is reached with this recipe for Spicy Pickled Broccoli. Broccoli is pickled in an ultra-satisfying, umami-rich brine, hiding the perfect bit of spice.
Spicy Pickled Broccoli is the perfect veggie recipe to have on standby. The brine is packed full of aromatic notes of garlic, ginger, and sesame, making for a broccoli recipe that’s far from bland.
The marinating brine is simmered on the stove, just enough to dissolve the sugar.
After the marinade is cooled, the broccoli is boiled and then dunked into an ice bath. The ice bath is crucial for preserving the texture of the broccoli and preventing the florets from breaking apart.
Dry the broccoli and then transfer it to the bowl of marinade.
This recipe for Spicy Pickled Broccoli needs a minimum of one hour of marinating before serving, but you can marinate it for longer.
This is a great side dish to have with seafood and poultry. It’s also a great topping for salads or a base for a pasta salad.
Its versatility means it can straddle both the lunch and dinner parts of the day, delivering a bright, crisp, and slightly spicy bite to each meal!
Spicy Pickled Broccoli
Yield(s): Makes about 4 servings
10m prep time
8m cook time
2h inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a small saucepan combine vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer cooking for 1 to 3 minutes, just enough to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook broccoli for a few minutes until tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Strain the pot and transfer the broccoli immediately into the ice bath, stopping the florets from cooking further.
- Let the broccoli sit in the ice bath for 5 minutes before removing them from the bowl. Dry the broccoli with paper towels and transfer dried broccoli into the bowl with the marinade. Toss to combine.
- Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. Transfer into mason jars. It can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Cooking On The Weekends.