Ultimate Spring Broccolini with Green Apple Reduction
When I tell you I’m obsessed with this broccolini recipe… I 1000% mean it. I’ve been talking about it non-stop to anyone asking what’s been on my plate lately. And, a few times, I’ve brought it up unprovoked - meaning, I’m thinking about it even when I don’t realize I’m thinking about it. THAT is when you know you have something good.
Have you had broccolini perfectly cooked before? It is stunningly tender, slightly sweet, and perfectly earthy, making it so easy to season and pair with anything to make it savory, elevated with sweetness, or both - which is exactly what this recipe does with this broccolini.
I was inspired to make this recipe after experiencing something similar at a local restaurant here in Minneapolis, called Dario. They’re known for their freshly made extruded and filled kinds of pasta, and I’ll be honest - I went to the restaurant thinking I’d only have pasta. But the waiter convinced me to have a few courses, and one of those was their broccolini.
I immediately fell in love with the broccolini. It was sweet from the sauce they doused it in, yet peppery from the seasonings and garlic. I knew then that I had to concoct my own version to have at home again and again. Now, I’ve perfected my version of this broccolini recipe, and it’s TOO good to keep to myself, so now it’s time to share this with you.
It’s the ideal small plates recipe to make if you’re hosting guests, or if you just want to have something a little more elegant as a broccolini side dish on any Wednesday evening.
Guess What…
There’s a secret ingredient.
Can you guess what it is?
You probably already know what it is since the title of this blog post reveals the secret that makes this broccolini stand out against the crowd.
It’s… GREEN APPLES.
Yes, you read that right. Green apples. It’s the ingredient that takes this recipe from great to “OMG, I can’t live without this!”
It’s almost ironic that this pairing goes so well together because these two ingredients: broccolini and green apples, harvest at completely different times of the year. Broccolini is a spring harvest vegetable, where green apples are in the fall. This made me wonder to myself, “Is this a spring plate or a fall plate?” and honestly, it can be both! Although apples are a little bit easier to find in your local grocery store at all times of the year, so I’d be more inclined to call this a spring plate.
To use the green apples, we’ll be making a fruit reduction sauce to pour over the sauteed and perfectly seasoned broccolini.
To Make The Green Apple Reduction:
What you need:
Supplies:
A cutting board
A chef’s knife
A vegetable peeler
A large saute pan
A wooden spoon
A strainer
Ingredients:
4 cups green apples (about 2 large green apples)
½ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dry white wine
Start by grabbing your cutting board, knife, vegetable peeler, and a few green apples. Give the apples a good rinse, then peel off the skins for a smoother texture in the final dish. Once they’re all peeled, chop the apples into roughly ½-inch pieces.
Now, let’s get going on the fruit reduction: Grab a large sauté pan and set it over medium heat. Pour in the water and sugar, and stir them together until the sugar completely dissolves. You’re looking for a clear liquid to start things off.
Next, add your apples to the pan. As things heat up, you’ll start to see a few bubbles forming around the edges. That’s when you should set a timer for 5 to 8 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on how firm or soft you want your fruit to be. I usually aim for somewhere in the middle since I often use the leftover fruit for muffins or a crumble.
Once your fruit is cooked to your liking, go ahead and strain it. This will separate the fruit from all the juice you just made which will become the reduction. Set aside a quarter of your green apples for your finished dish - the rest can be stored away for something else!
Now, pour the juice back into the pan and stir in your white wine. Let it come to a simmer. You’ll know it’s ready when you see bubbles across the entire surface. At that point, lower the heat and keep it on a gentle simmer, stirring every so often.
After about five minutes, the juice will start to transform. It thickens up and darkens slightly in color. That means you’ve got yourself a reduction! Here’s a little trick: take it off the heat just before it reaches your desired thickness because it’ll continue to thicken as it cools.
Once it's done, transfer your reduction to a mason jar or any glass container. Set it aside until you’re ready to drizzle it over your broccolini.
If you have leftover fruit reduction, it stores very nicely! Keep it in the fridge in that same mason jar or container for up to two to three weeks, or freeze it for up to six months. When you're ready to use it again, just warm it up a bit and it'll return to that pourable, glossy texture.
Super easy, right? Next up - we get to sautee the broccolini!
To Make The Sauteed Broccolini:
What you need:
Supplies:
The same large saute pan used for the fruit reduction
A cutting board
A chef’s knife
Tongs
Ingredients:
Olive oil
18 ounces broccolini
2 teaspoons garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 garlic cloves
1 lime
1 handful of basil
1 handful of cilantro
One of the things I love about broccolini is how little prep it actually needs. Unless there are any tough ends or extra-large pieces to trim down, it’s usually good to go straight from the package. So simple!
Start by giving your broccolini a quick rinse, along with the basil and cilantro you’ll use to finish the dish. Then, grab your cutting board, knife, garlic, and lime. Thinly slice the garlic, quarter the lime, and give the basil and cilantro a rough chop. These fresh toppings will add so much brightness and flavor to your final plate.
With your green apple reduction ready and waiting, it’s time to saute the broccolini - using the same pan as before to hold onto all that delicious flavor.
Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to the pan and bring it back up to medium heat. Once it’s hot, add in your broccolini. Give it a good toss so every piece gets nicely coated in the oil. You should hear a satisfying sizzle!
Next, sprinkle in your seasonings. Use your tongs to toss and turn the broccolini every few minutes, letting it cook for about 10 minutes total. You’re looking for a slight char on the edges and stems that are just tender but still have a bit of bite.
When the broccolini is nearly done, add in your chopped garlic. Toss it all together and let it cook for another 1 to 2 minutes - just enough time for the garlic to become fragrant without burning. Then, take the pan off the heat.
Almost done!!
To Finish Your Perfect Small Plate:
What you need:
Serving plates
To serve, divide the broccolini between your plates. Drizzle a generous spoonful of that warm green apple reduction over the top, letting it soak into all the nooks and crannies. Add a few of those reserved apple chunks to each plate for a fresh pop of texture and sweetness.
Finish everything off with a bright squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of chopped basil and cilantro. Give it a taste, and feel free to add a little extra salt or pepper if it needs a final touch.
And there you have it - sauteed broccolini with a green apple reduction. Bright, savory, and just a little sweet. So simple, and seriously delicious - you will not regret making this!
I KNOW you guys are going to love this one. So, if you make it, please leave a comment below, or tag me on Instagram! I can’t wait to hear what you all think. Happy cooking :)
Ultimate Spring Broccolini with Green Apple Reduction
Have you had broccolini perfectly cooked before? It is stunningly tender, slightly sweet, and perfectly earthy, making it so easy to season and pair with anything to make it savory, elevated with sweetness, or both - which is exactly what this recipe does with this broccolini.
Ingredients
- 4 C. fresh green apples, cleaned and cut into ½” cubes
- 1/2 C. filtered water
- 1/2 C. granulated sugar
- 1/2 C. dry white wine
- 2 T. Olive oil
- 18 oz. broccolini
- 2 t. garlic powder
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1/4 t. pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, quartered
- 1 handful of basil, roughly chopped
- 1 handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Using a large saute pan, set the stove to medium heat, then pour in the water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Place fruit in the pan. Once there are some simmering bubbles along the side of the pot, start your timer for 5-8 minutes. You will cook the fruit depending on the fruit firmness you want. I tend to use this cooked fruit for cobbler, cakes, and fruit fillings.
- Once you’re done cooking the fruit, strain it so the fruit and juice are separated.
- Return the juice to the pan. Add the white wine and allow the bubbles to start a simmer.
- Once it reaches the correct heat, there will be bubbles all over. At this point, lower the heat to low, simmer, and stir.
- This process takes about five minutes. The nectar will be thicker and darker in color. You have a reduction. Tip: take it off the heat a little bit before it’s at the thickness you want it to be, as your reduction will thicken more once it cools to room temperature.
- Store the reduction in a mason jar or glass container. Set it aside until you’re ready to use it for the broccolini.
- Set aside a quarter of the green apples for your finished dish. The remaining apples can be put in the fridge and used for other recipes like muffins or cobbler.
- Using the same pan as the fruit reduction sauce, heat a large drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
- Once the pan is warmed, add broccolini. Toss to coat the broccolini with the olive oil, then add the seasonings. Cook, flipping occasionally using tongs for about 10 minutes. The broccolini is done when it's beginning to char and the stems are slightly soft.
- Add the garlic. Toss to coat and cook for 1-2 more minutes until garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
- On your serving plates, divide the broccolini between them. Pour over a large spoonful of the green apple reduction and add a few green apple chunks to each plate.
- Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime juice, basil, and cilantro. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
To store:
If there's leftover fruit reduction sauce, you can keep it in your mason jar or glass container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, or freeze for up to six months. You can re-heat the stored reduction to get it back to pouring texture.
If there's leftover broccolini, store it in a sealed container in your fridge for up to five days.