Broccoli is among the most widely available of vegetables, and beloved in many cuisines around the world. This roundup of vegan broccoli recipes demonstrates how versatile and delicious this green vegetable can be.
In addition to stir-fries and other Asian-inspired dishes, this roundup incudes recipes for casseroles, pasta and noodle dishes, soups, salads, and more.
A bit about broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, related to cauliflower, kale, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga, and Brussels sprouts. Here’s little on the history of broccoli from the USDA:
“Broccoli has been growing for over 2,000 years and was a favorite vegetable of the Romans. It originally was grown in the eastern Mediterranean region.
Broccoli was not introduced to North American soil until the 1900s when Italian immigrants planted it in their family gardens in New York. In the late 1920s Italian immigrants in northern California began planting broccoli to sell commercially. Today, California produces over 90 percent of the United States broccoli crop.”
A good for you food: Not surprisingly, broccoli is a nourishing vegetable, high in fiber, and filled with vitamins and minerals. Its notably rich in Vitamins C and K as well as iron. Here’s a complete rundown on the nutrition profile of broccoli.
Raw or cooked? Broccoli can be eaten both raw and cooked, but most people find it more enjoyable when lightly steamed, sautéed, or stir-fried. It’s great roasted, too.
It has been shown that any of these methods of cooking make the nutrients more available, but keep the cooking to a minimum so the broccoli stays as bright green and tender-crisp as possible. Mushy broccoli isn’t very appealing. The exception to this is when it’s intended to be pureed, as for a soup, but even then, you need not overcook it.
Broccoli Stir-Fries & Asian inspirations
Easy Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry: You can’t get much simpler than this tasty stir-fry. For a super-easy weeknight meal, use one of three widely available bottled sauces — teriyaki, General Tso’s, or Korean BBQ. This is good with rice or noodles.
Easy Orange Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry: Here’s an easy and delectable tofu and broccoli stir-fry with two orange flavors — fresh juice and preserves (or marmalade). This recipe makes good use of baked tofu, which doesn’t need to be drained or pressed.
Vegan Orange “Chicken” and Broccoli: Vegan orange chicken (or chick’n, or “chicken” in quotes) transforms a Chinese restaurant favorite into a plant-based treat.
Orange-Flavored Stir-Fried Broccoli and Baby Corn: The secret to this incredibly easy and addictively tasty stir-fried broccoli recipe is the addition of orange preserves. It adds a subtle citrus note that makes this side dish irresistible.
Super-Easy Broccoli and Seitan Stir-Fry: Here’s a simple stir fry that highlights the unique flavor and texture of this plant-based high-protein food. You can think of this as a vegan “beef” and broccoli, or just enjoy it on its own merits.
Buddha’s Delight: Featuring seitan, vegetables, baby corn, and mushrooms, this Buddha’s Delight recipe replicates a Chinese restaurant menu favorite. It’s an easy and delicious vegan dish to copycat at home!
Stir-Fried Sweet and Sour Vegetables with Seitan, Tempeh, or Tofu: This luscious preparation has several steps, but is made easily and at a leisurely pace. Best of all, it results in a delicious, filling meal.
Thai-Inspired Easy Vegan Green Curry: You can have a fiery bowlful of easy vegan green curry using this recipe by Hannah Kaminsky, and the results will be fresher and more flavorful than takeout.
Thai Vegetable Stew with Coconut-Peanut Sauce: In this Thai-inspired stew, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and peppers are enveloped in a rich coconut peanut sauce. Served over Asian rice noodles, it’s a delectable one-dish meal.
Broccoli Casseroles and Stovetop Dishes
Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole: With plenty of broccoli and parsley, this plant-based green rice casserole is wholesome as well as somewhat addictive!
Cheesy Vegan Chick’n or Baked Tofu and Broccoli Skillet: A mild, creamy dish that never fails to please, this skillet is on the table in no time.
Hot and cold pasta & noodle dishes
Vegan Broccoli & Bacon Mac and Cheese: Macaroni and cheese is now a proud member of the vegan repertoire, and there are so many ways to vary it. One of the most luscious is this vegan broccoli and bacon mac and cheese.
Vegan Primavera Mac and Cheese: Robin Robertson, who contributed this irresistible recipe, shares this tip: “I like to use tricolor rotini in this lovely springtime casserole to mirror the gorgeous colors of the vegetables in the dish.”
Vegan Pasta Carbonara with Broccoli: Traditionally made with pancetta or salami, it’s easy to make vegan pasta carbonara with a simple swap-in of plant-based bacon or pepperoni. Plenty of broccoli gives this recipe a nice green vegetable boost.
Green Noodles (Pasta with Broccoli Sauce): Pasta with broccoli sauce, made even greener with peas, is a simple weeknight dish that offers comfort and veggies in one neat package.
Simple Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes: Here’s a simple and tasty pasta salad that can be enjoyed year round.
Family-Friendly Lunch Box Pasta Salad: Small, fun pasta shapes (such as wagon wheels or small shells) and colorful veggies make this naturally vegan lunch box pasta salad appealing to all ages.
Stir-Fried Soba Noodles with Tofu and Green Vegetables: Soba noodles with tofu, broccoli, green peas, mushrooms, and snow peas (or snap peas) add up to a quick, light dinner.
Sesame-Ginger Cold Rice Noodles with Vegetables: This simple dish of cold rice noodles is flavored with bottled or homemade sesame-ginger salad dressing and embellished with colorful vegetables.
Broccoli soups, salads, & pizza
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup: A longtime favorite in our family of broccoli enthusiasts, this vegan cream of broccoli soup gets its perfect texture from pureed white beans or tofu.
Vegan Peanut Soup with Broccoli and Apple: Luscious and nutty, with a touch of sweetness, creamy peanut butter gives this soup a rich flavor.
Fast and Easy Vegan Laksa Soup: This soup is made super easy courtesy of Indian simmer sauce. It features rice noodles in a coconut-curry base with broccoli, chickpeas or tofu, and tasty toppings.
Baked Tofu and Broccoli Salad with Mango and Chutney Dressing: This sturdy cool-weather salad has a double dose of mango (both the fruit and in the chutney dressing), for a feast of flavor, color, and texture.
Thai Pineapple Salad with Peanut Dressing: Inspired by the house salads served in North American Thai restaurants, this Thai pineapple salad with peanut dressing is the perfect side dish or first course to serve with Asian-style noodle, rice, or tofu dishes.
Roasted Vegetable and Vegan Sausage Pizza: Topped with plenty of roasted vegetables, this vegan sausage pizza is a treat for hearty appetites. Roasting the vegetables while the pizza bakes brings out their best flavor.
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