Forget Steamed Veggies! The "Pine Nut" Secret to Restaurant-Style Broccolini at Home

Despite knowing very well that vegetables need to be in our daily food routine, many still stay away from those as much as possible, claiming they can’t stand the dull taste of a specific product. In many cases, this product turns out to be broccoli, though the secret to loving it is an actual skill to prepare it in a right way.

Once you try this broccolini recipe, you’ll likely become obsessed with the vegetable — and make your menu a little bit healthier.

Here’s what you need: 250 g of broccolini, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp of pine nuts, 1 tbsp of wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat, add the broccolini, and cook for 3 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a thin knife or fork into the thickest part of the stem — it should be tender, but the knife should still meet slight resistance. Remove the broccolini from the boiling water and place in a bowl of ice water.

Place a skillet over medium heat, let it heat up, add the pine nuts, and fry, stirring, for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Move the nuts to a separate dish, and return the skillet to the heat.

Drizzle a little olive oil into the pan and add the garlic, sliced into thin “petals.” Roast, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until the garlic releases a strong aroma without changing color, then add the broccolini, after draining the water from the vegetables and letting them dry. Cook, stirring, for another minute, pour in the wine vinegar, mix the contents of the pan thoroughly, and remove from the heat.

Place the broccolini on a plate, season with freshly ground black pepper, and garnish with toasted pine nuts.