20 Broccoli Rabe Recipes to Make While The Veggie Is in Season
You and broccoli go wayyyy back. But what about its lesser-known cousin, broccoli rabe? First of all, it’s chewy, a little bitter and absolutely delicious. It’s packed with nutrients that dark green cruciferous veggies are famous for, like iron, potassium, calcium and all that good stuff. Plus, it’s versatile, stunning on a plate and available throughout the fall to play around with in the kitchen. Grab a big bunch at the farmers market or supermarket, and try one (or um, all) of these broccoli rabe recipes while it’s at peak deliciousness.
1. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
All you need is half an hour and a single skillet to execute this comforting weeknight gnocchi recipe. Top it off with lots of crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.
3. Broccoli Rabe with Chickpeas and Ricotta
Meatless Monday is looking pretty damn tasty with this trio of creamy, bitter and starchy ingredients. Pair it with seared Italian sausage or chicken.
4. Broccoli Rabe and Burrata with Lemon
The longer you cook broccoli rabe, the less bitter it gets, making this sautéed rabe the perfect complement to tart lemon dressing and creamy burrata.
5. One-Pan Sausage with Broccoli Rabe and White Beans
Sheet-pan meals are our love language. This is one of the easiest dinners you could ever make, and it’s a breeze to double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
6. Broccoli Rabe Pesto
Take advantage of the fall season and whip up a large batch of this pesto to spread onto sandwiches, stir into pastas and scoop onto vegetables.
7. Bacon-Wrapped Parmesan Broccoli Rabe
These pretty bundles are basically bouquets of bacon-wrapped greens that make any entree look (and taste) better. We'd make room for them on your Thanksgiving table if we were you.
9. Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe and Garlic-Sage Butter Sauce
All the flavors of fall in one savory, butter-coated dish. The bitter greens are just the foil for sweet potatoes and salty Parmesan sauce.
10. Broccoli Rabe and Black Bean Quesadillas
Treat the broccoli rabe like kale and massage it with olive oil to tenderize it before folding it into this healthy quesadilla.
12. Crispy Tofu Steaks with Broccoli Rabe and Romesco
Proof that tofu can be far from bland. The key to getting the crispiest tofu steaks possible is pressing as much liquid out of them as possible before pan-frying.
13. Broccoli Rabe Burrata Pizza
Even your picky kids will be able to get behind this veggie-packed pie, thanks to all that mozzarella, burrata and pepperoni on top.
14. Avocado Chicken Broccoli Rabe Summer Rolls
Complete with a sweet-and-spicy almond butter dipping sauce. Not only do the rolls boast broccoli rabe, but they're also packed with vermicelli, avocado, carrot and poached chicken breast.
15. Rigatoni Broccoli Rabe Bake
Broccoli rabe is arguably most at home in a cheesy pasta skillet. But this is far from your average baked ziti, since it's loaded with spicy chicken sausage, crispy pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese.
16. Broccoli Rabe and Farro Stuffed Mushrooms
These beauties contain about 100 calories and 7 grams of protein per serving. And since they're topped with nutritional yeast, aka plant-based Parmesan cheese, they're totally vegan.
17. Broccoli Rabe Crostini with Chipotle Sauce
The simple combo of crusty bread, sautéed broccoli rabe and spicy mayo goes a long way (especially when pureed chipotles in adobo are doing all the heavy lifting in the flavor department).
18. Healthy Baked Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
This hands-off dinner only requires five minutes of prep and a 40-minute roast in the oven to come together, so you'll probably want to work it into your fall dinner rotation like, right now.
19. Chickpea, Broccoli Rabe, Tomato and Cucumber Salad
You know those early fall nights that are still warm enough for eating alfresco? This dish is just the ticket. We'd wash it down with a glass or two of white wine...just sayin'.
20. Winter Squash Carbonara with Broccoli Rabe and Sage
Butternut squash + fresh sage + pancetta + nutmeg = an autumnal masterpiece. Can you believe it'll take you less than an hour to whip up?
RELATED: How to Cook Broccoli 5 Different Ways, from Blanching to Grilling
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.