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Grilled Broccolini is tender and delicious and grills fast and easy. Broccolini is so much better than broccoli on the grill and may just become your new go-to side dish for summer grill cookouts or holiday dinners!
This easy recipe is hands down one of our family favorite side dishes. You’ll find it on our dinner table several times a week. It takes very little prep (broccolini comes ready to grill direct from the market), making it quick and easy to prep, and the best part is that everyone in my family loves it.
Table of Contents
Whatever we’re grilling up for dinner, we just toss a bunch of broccolini on the side to cook while the meat is coming up to temperature. Done and done!
Ingredients
- Broccolini – It should be firm and a bright color. Avoid selecting if their is browning on the ends of the stalks or any flowering.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Parmesan – We like to shave it over the top after it’s done and it will slightly soften and add a nutty flavor.
- Lemon – Squeeze fresh lemon over the top when it’s done.
Broccolini vs Broccoli
Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, and is thinner and more uniform in size to broccoli. When it comes to grilling, I prefer broccolini 100x over grilling broccoli. While my kids like to eat broccoli raw, I don’t enjoy the bitter flavor.
When it comes to grilling, broccolini is where it’s at. It comes ready when you buy it. Broccoli needs to be trimmed (the long thick stems aren’t pleasant to eat, plus they’re so thick they don’t take to the grill well), leaving you with food waste. The florets on broccolini are small, and the stems are thin, uniform in size and don’t need to be trimmed, grill fast and easy, and taste delicious.
Health Benefits of Broccolini
Did I mention broccolini is also full of nutrition? This makes it a great option when you’re trying to look for something healthy to serve to your family.
- It’s rich in Vitamin C
- High in calcium
- High in fiber
- Great for bone health
- Helps to prevent heart disease
- And so much more!
Grilling will slightly caramelized the broccolini giving it great flavor. I love to grill lemon on the side to squeeze over the top of your broccolini when it’s done cooking. The sweet bright flavor of grilled lemon is fantastic over the caramelized broccolini. Top with some shaved parmesan, and you’re ready to rock your dinner.
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Recipe Steps
- Prepare grill for direct or one zone cooking. Target 500 degrees Fahrenheit. While the grill is coming to temperature, remove any leaves from the broccolini. Rinse and pat dry and place on a cookie sheet.
- Season broccolini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place over direct heat. Grill and rotate after you see adequate charring. Total cook time should be no more than 10 minutes. The key is to watch for desired char. Concurrently place the two lemon halves over direct heat and remove after 8 minutes or until you see char marks on the lemon.
- After removing broccolini and lemon from grill, place on a serving tray. Squeeze lemon over the brocollini, add red chili pepper flakes (optional), and shave parmesan cheese over the top.
Serving Ideas
- You can make it in advance and serve it cold (making it a great one to take to a holiday dinner or your next summer cookout)
- It’s crowd friendly (my kids devour this stuff).
- Super healthy and full of nutrients.
- Great for a casual weeknight dinner, or a side to an elegant meal.
- It’s incredibly easy to make and comes together fast!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We recommend grilling whole after removing the stems and some of the end of the stem. It keeps it from falling into the grill grates.
You only need to remove about 1-inch of the stem. The stem is very good when grilled or roasted.
Remove a small amount of the stem and remove the leaves. That’s it. Leave the rest untrimmed.
What To Serve With Grilled Broccolini
Explore any of our grilled recipes so you can make them at the same time.
- Smoked Beef Tenderloin
- Reverse Seared Ribeye Steaks
- Smoked Tri Tip
- Prime Rib
- Smoked Whole Chicken
- A side dish for your Thanksgiving Turkey
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Grilled Broccolini Recipe with Grilled Lemon and Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound broccolini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, Optional.
- shaved parmesan flakes, to top
- 1 lemon, Halved.
Instructions
- Prep: Prepare grill for direct or one zone cooking. While the grill is coming to temperature, remove any leaves from the broccolini. Rinse and pat dry and place on a cookie sheet.
- Season + Grill: Season broccolini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place over direct heat. Grill and rotate after you see adequate charring. Total cook time should be no more than 10 minutes. The key is to watch for desired char. Concurrently place the two lemon halves over direct heat and remove after 8 minutes or until you see char marks on the lemon.
- Serve: After removing broccolini and lemon from grill, place on a serving tray. Squeeze lemon over the brocollini, add red chili pepper flakes (optional), and shave parmesan cheese over the top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your recipe of ‘grilled-broccolini’ looks very amazing, I will try it. Thank you.