Broccoli is available all year long at supermarkets, but when growing it does best in cool weather.

When selecting broccoli, look for thick heads of compact, tiny bud clusters that are evenly dark green (or with purplish tint) in color. The broccoli should have a fresh aroma and a firm but tender stalk. Avoid heads that have yellowing florets, a strong odor, or open buds. Also, avoid heads that show signs of wilting of the florets or stalks.

The leaf, stalk and florets can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw, it is eaten on its own accompanied by a dip or cut up and added to salads. When cooked, it can be eaten as a side dish, alone or topped with a sauce, such as au gratin, hollandaise, or Mornay. It is often added to other dishes, such as stir fries, pasta, quiches, omelets, soups, and stews.

Broccoli should be left unwashed when storing. Store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, leaving the bag open or use a perforated plastic bag. This will avoid excess moisture, which causes mold to grow. Store up to 5 days.

Broccoli can be blanched and then frozen and kept in the freezer for up to 1 year. Broccoli is very sensitive to ethylene, which is a gas given off by some fruits and vegetables. The gas speeds up the ripening process so broccoli should not be stored with ethylene producing fruits and vegetables, such as, apples, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit, mango, peaches, pears, tomato, and white sapote.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI

Generally referred to as broccoli. The is probably the most familiar and most commonly found broccoli. It consists of dark green clusters of buds, known as florets, which grow on branching arms that connect to a thick leafy stalk. It is also referred to as Calabrese.

PURPLE BROCCOLI

Purple broccoli is very similar to sprouting broccoli except that its florets have a purplish color to them and the heads of purple broccoli are typically smaller. It has the same taste as sprouting broccoli.

BROCCOLINI

A variety of vegetable that is a cross between broccoli and Chinese Kale. It has an appearance similar to asparagus or gai lan, with smaller broccoli buds on top. Eaten raw, it is a tender, less fibrous stalk, that is crunchy and flavorful. This vegetable can be used in the same manner as traditional broccoli, served in salads or as an appetizer with a dip. However, it is very adaptable to stir-fried vegetable dishes, or sautéed in olive oil to provide a deliciously flavored vegetable complement to a meal. It is also known as baby broccoli.

BROCCOFLOWER

A vegetable that is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Its appearance is the same as cauliflower except that is a light, bright green in color. It has a slightly sweeter taste than regular cauliflower when eaten raw and when cooked, the taste is similar to broccoli. It can be served or cooked in the same way that you would regular cauliflower.

CHINESE BROCCOLI

A vegetable consisting of green clusters of flowering buds, known as florets, which grow on a thick, leafy stalk. It is a variety of broccoli that is similar to regular broccoli, but milder in taste and grows on a longer stalk. The stalks and leaves are most often cooked separately, cooking the stalks first until tender, and the leaves until wilted. It is ideal to use in raw salads, steamed as a side dish, or as an ingredient in stir-fries, and added to other cooked dishes.

Chinese Broccoli is also known as Gai Lan, Gailan, Gai Laan, Gai Larn, Gai Lon, Gai Lum, Kai Lan, Lai Laarn, Kairan, Chinese Kale, or white flowering broccoli.

ROMANESCO BROCCOLI

A cross between broccoli and cauliflower, this bright green vegetable grows in a head consisting of many small, spiral florets. Each floret forms a peak. It has a unique and delicate flavor. It is available in the fall, September through November.

BROCCOLI SPROUTS

Broccoli seeds that have germinated, requiring only water and a cool place to grow, which are then harvested as a food.

Similar to other sprouts, broccoli sprouts are a popular addition to salads and sandwiches, providing a crispy ingredient. Sprouts can also be sautéed or stir-fried, but are very delicate and can only be heated for 20 to 30 seconds before wilting.

Sprouts should be kept refrigerated for only a few days before they become wilted or too moist and slimy for use.

BROCCOLI RAAB

A green leafed vegetable or cooking green, often used in Italian cooking, that is related to both the broccoli and turnip family of vegetables. The shoots of the flower buds and the stems of the Broccoli-raab are typically added as an ingredient to pasta or chicken dishes, or mixed into soups and salads, or served as a vegetable dish garnished with cheese and garlic.

This vegetable can also be added to other foods with strong flavors such as sausages, seasoned meats, olives, or hot peppers to add a tangy or spicy enhancement to the flavors.

The stems of the raab are bitter tasting so the leaves and the florets, which look like broccoli floret, are most often considered the most desirable parts for cooking. The leaves have a peppery, radish-like flavor that becomes milder when blanched and cooked. This vegetable is also referred to as broccoli rabe, broccoli de rape, brocoletti di rape, brocoletto, rapini, and rape.

Nutritional Information

Broccoli (pieces, steamed) 1.00 cup 43.68 calories Nutrient Amount DV (%) Nutrient Density Healthy Food Rating vitamin C 123.40 mg 205.7 84.8 excellent vitamin A 2280.72 IU 45.6 18.8 excellent folate 93.91 mcg 23.5 9.7 excellent dietary fiber 4.68 g 18.7 7.7 excellent manganese 0.34 mg 17.0 7.0 very good tryptophan 0.05 g 15.6 6.4 very good potassium 505.44 mg 14.4 6.0 very good vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.22 mg 11.0 4.5 very good vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.18 mg 10.6 4.4 very good phosphorus 102.80 mg 10.3 4.2 very good magnesium 39.00 mg 9.8 4.0 very good protein 4.66 g 9.3 3.8 very good omega 3 fatty acids 0.20 g 8.0 3.3 good vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 0.79 mg 7.9 3.3 good iron 1.37 mg 7.6 3.1 good calcium 74.72 mg 7.5 3.1 good vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.09 mg 6.0 2.5 good vitamin B3 (niacin) 0.94 mg 4.7 1.9 good zinc 0.62 mg 4.1 1.7 good vitamin E 0.75 mg 3.8 1.5 good