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Close up of sliced and julienned broccoli stems on a wooden cutting board prepared for cooking.

8 Tasty Ways to Use Broccoli Stems

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 85
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large broccoli stems, woody ends trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic , minced

Method
 

  1. Remove the fibrous outer skin of the broccoli stems using a vegetable peeler or paring knife until the tender, pale green core is exposed.
  2. Slice the peeled stems into specific shapes: thin rounds for chips, julienne matchsticks for slaw, or 1/2-inch cubes for roasting.
  3. Method 1 (Slaw): Toss raw julienned stems with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt.
  4. Method 2 (Stir-fry): Heat olive oil in a wok and sauté stem matchsticks with garlic and soy sauce for 4 minutes.
  5. Method 3 (Soup): Simmer stem slices in vegetable stock until tender, then blend into a smooth puree.
  6. Method 4 (Pickles): Pack sliced stems into a jar with a boiling brine of vinegar, water, salt, and sugar.
  7. Method 5 (Pesto): Pulse blanched stems in a food processor with pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese.
  8. Method 6 (Chips): Toss paper-thin slices with oil and bake at 200C (400F) for 15 minutes or until crisp.
  9. Method 7 (Rice): Pulse raw stems in a food processor until the consistency of grains for a low-carb rice alternative.
  10. Method 8 (Roasted): Toss cubed stems with olive oil and salt; roast at 220C (425F) for 18 minutes until caramelized.