Spicy Charred Calabrian Chili Broccolini

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Very easy to bring together
• Broccolini are very delicious and easy to prepare
• Adds a little spice and liveliness to your vegetables!
• This dish goes with just about any protein you serve

What is broccolini?

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It is thinner, has more individual stalks, and tastes slightly sweeter than broccoli. It is sometimes referred to as "baby broccoli" but this is a misnomer. We actually prefer it to regular broccoli and it is one of the vegetables that we make the most.

Are Calabrian chili peppers Italian?

They are Italian from the southern province of Calabria. This is the “toe” of the Italian peninsula in a warm Mediterranean climate. Calabrian chilis are a variety of red pepper and have a nice bright flavor that is slightly fruity with a decent amount of heat. They are medium-hot on the Scoville scale, similar to cayenne pepper (hotter than jalapeños, but not as hot as habanero peppers).

Ingredients

This broccolini recipe only has 5 simple ingredients. Here is what you need to make this recipe:

• Broccolini: This tender sweet broccoli hybrid is one of our favorite vegetables. It is easy to find in the grocery store.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter gives the chili paste something to be saucy with and provides a rich, flavorful final dish.
• Calabrian Chili Paste: We use this one, but other brands are perfectly good as well. 
• Kosher Salt: Just a touch to taste and more to blanch the broccolini
• Lemon Zest: A little lemon zest thrown in there near the end of cooking brightens up the dish and provides a nice contrast to the buttery spiciness.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are a couple of common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

• Calabrian Chili Paste: Sambal Olek can be used in its place and is probably the best substitution here.
• Lemon Zest: Citrus has a definite place at the table here, but you could use orange, lime, or grapefruit zest instead of lemon.

How to Make Calabrian Chili Broccolini

This simple charred broccolini recipe starts with a quick blanching of the broccolini. Then into the pan with the butter and Calabrian chili paste and finished off with a touch of salt and lemon zest. Easy, just a few ingredients, and a bunch of flavor!

Equipment

Here is what you need to make this dish

• Large pot to blanch the broccolini
• Large bowl
• Large skillet or saute pan to cook the dish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Blanch and Shock the Broccolini

• In a large bowl, fill about ⅔ the way with ice water. In a large pot of boiling water that has been salted (about 2 tablespoon of salt for 6 quarts of water), add the broccolini for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove to the ice water to stop the cooking process. When cooled, about 3 minutes, remove the broccolini from the ice water and pat dry with a paper towel - especially the florets. Set aside at room temp until ready to sauté, or place in the fridge if making these in advance.

Sauté the Broccolini with the Sauce

• In a large skillet on high heat, add the butter and Calabrian chili paste. Once the butter is foaming, add the broccolini and cook, moving the broccolini around to coat with the sauce. Cook until the stalks of the broccolini are tender but firm (1-2 minutes) or to your liking with a nice char on the top of the broccolini florets. 

Finish with Kosher Salt and Lemon Zest

• Right before the broccoli is done, add the kosher salt and lemon zest. Stir well and cook for 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and serve! 

Variations

Here are a couple ways to change up this recipe:

• You could make the same dish with cauliflower with excellent results
• Make it a meal and add a variety of vegetables to the mix and just double the butter and chili paste. Mushrooms, onions, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and boiled small potatoes are all great candidates for this.
• Mix the broccolini into cooked pasta for a spicy and easy broccolini pasta dish.

Storage

How to store leftover broccolini:

• Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How to reheat leftover broccolini:

• Reheat this dish over medium-low heat in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.

Can you freeze leftover broccolini?

The texture suffers too much for this to be a recommendation, and since it is so easy to prepare, freezing isn't necessary.

Troubleshooting

Don’t skip the step of shocking the broccolini in a bowl of ice water. You don’t want to overcook it as you have to char it in the skillet as well, and shocking it in ice water stops the cooking process.

What to serve with Calabrian Chili Broccolini

This dish is great served with a variety of proteins. It works with almost anything, from a ribeye or filet mignon, to larger cuts of meat and roasts, to chicken dishes and a variety of seafood dishes like cod or a grilled salmon steak. There really isn’t anything it won’t complement and is one of our favorite additions to any meal.

What Wines To Drink with Calabrian Chili Broccolini

A somewhat spicy and flavorful dish like this is great with a lively white wine like pinot grigio or vermentino. But as always, if this dish is a complimentary one to a protein, it is best to match the wine to that main star of the dish!