As we have all heard, eating green foods is good for you (when we choose vegetables over St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes, that is). Broccoli is a respected member of the cabbage family that packs lots of fiber, vitamin K and potassium into each serving. It also tastes good, especially when paired with cheese—the ultimate healthy-but-not-healthy food combo.
Check out these 14 different ways to enjoy broccoli!
1. Broccoli Flatbread Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza? This super easy recipe only calls for four ingredients and is a good way to eat your greens while satisfying a pizza craving.
2. Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
From a healthy eating point of view, simple veggies are best. Roasted broccoli with a touch of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes makes a savory side dish that isn’t bland.
3. Cheesy Broccoli Spaghetti Squash Boats
Spaghetti squash is one of the best gourds because it’s a food that lends itself to be its own bowl. Radical. Stuff the squash halves with broccoli and cheese and you’re set.
4. Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Nothing says comfort food like soup, so warm up with this Panera copycat concoction. Evaporated milk makes this broccoli cheddar soup thick and creamy.
5. Cheesy Broccoli Tots
Eating your vegetables can be fun! Switch out your tater tots for broccoli tots bound with cheese, egg, and breadcrumbs. Nostalgia train, here we come.
6. Peanut Sesame Noodles with Broccoli
This savory dish stars an ingredient you already have in your pantry: peanut butter. The recipe makes four servings, so you can stretch this meat-free yet protein-forward meal for a few days. With broccoli involved, peanut sesame noodles are something to sing about.
7. Vegetable Lasagna
The best lasagna I have ever eaten was made by my grandmother, and I thought it was interesting that the main element wasn’t meat, but spinach. This recipe features three vegetables for a hearty meal. Cheese topping optional.
8. Omelet with Vegetables
If you want to incorporate vegetables into your breakfast, an omelet is the way to go. A microwave omelet is easy to make and is a great vehicle for fillings like vitamin C-packed broccoli.
9. Broccoli Stem and Feta Hummus
As an avid lover of baba ganoush, I think this spread made from broccoli looks like an interesting dip for pita chips and other vegetables. If you don’t use the broccoli stems in another recipe, making broccoli stem hummus is a good way to stretch your grocery dollars and limit food waste.
10. Egg and Cheese Bread Bowl
These little masterpieces are easy to make and well-rounded; an egg bread bowl with a side of fruit makes for a satisfying lunch. They’re also cute and compact, so throw a pic on Instagram while you’re at it #spoonfeed.
11. Broccoli Chickpea Burgers
If you like hummus—or the broccoli stem spread from earlier—give these vegan broccoli chickpea burgers a try. It’s a sneaky way to eat your greens, according to the blogger herself: “If you have kiddos (or a boyfriend) that hates broccoli…they would more than tolerate it in this burg.”
12. One Pan Tortellini Primavera
Primavera is the Italian and Spanish word for spring, and this one-pan recipe captures that freshness and simplicity. Throw in a few cherry tomatoes for an extra burst of fresh flavor in 20 minutes.
13. Broccoli and Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes are a great vehicle for lots of savory flavors. Pair a pork chop or steak with this side, which appears to be harder to make than it actually is.
#SpoonTip: bake your potato for the second time over a campfire, wrapping it in foil and placing it near the base of the fire. I did this on vacation in Colorado and it was fantastic!
14. Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup
A soup option that doesn’t feature cheese is this white bean soup. Martha Stewart’s soup is seasoned with black pepper and pine nuts, and all it takes to make it is steam, sautée, simmer and purée. Easy as…soup?
Fiber-rich broccoli is a good addition to a healthy diet, and you can enjoy it however you want. With these recipes, make broccoli the highlight of the meal or hide it in lasagna. No one will mind.