Broccoli Greens Au Gratin

Did you know you can eat the leaves of the broccoli plant?

We figured it out when we started growing broccoli microgreens. I mean you can eat the whole plant as a baby, why not as a mature plant? (With some things this isn’t always the case, but we try them anyways!)

They actually sell more so than the broccoli heads themselves.

And you’ll never see them in stores!!

What are Broccoli Greens?

Broccoli greens are the leaves of the broccoli plant and they are edible!

Broccoli heads, which you’re used to seeing and eating, sprout at the top of the stalk.

The greens develop along the stalk. They are the first to grow while the head is developing.

We harvest the greens so that the plant can use more of it’s energy growing the head vs. the leaves.

And that makes it a more versatile veggie!!

These greens are super tasty!…And HUGE!!

They taste just like broccoli…but like the greens part…it’s weird…you’ll understand what I’m saying when you try them.

How Else Can You Use Broccoli Greens?

You can eat them raw, like my 5 year old does which is so funny because one leaf is the same size as she is!!

We love them as salad wraps. They are sturdy enough to make a little taco out of!

You can also use them in substitute for collard greens.

This Thanksgiving I was challenged (sort to say) to bring vegetables to the table.

No one eats vegetables at Thanksgiving!! What in the world??

So I had to come up with something and since they were coming from the farm, whatever I came up with had to knock some socks off!! (Also plant based friendly as I can’t have any dairy…challenge accepted!)

I had a big pile of broccoli greens just lying around and had been digging this homemade mozzarella sauce I had made…so I thought…why not put them together??

Greens and cheese go well right??

So right!!!

And as a result…

My family members at Thanksgiving said to me “Whatever that is over there…it’s DELICIOUS and I’m having more! What is that??!!”

Score!!! I impressed them with my unusual farm fresh veggies!!

Not only is this dish AMAZING, but it’s also super healthy and I know that’s the first thing you’re concerned with while eating holiday meals…health!!

How Healthy are the Broccoli Greens?

Broccoli is said to be almost a cure all for all the things. If I had to pick the most nutrient dense food, this would definitely be one of the top 5 for sure…anticancer, anti-inflammatory, great for digestion, etc. The list goes on!

In other words…eat as much broccoli (and the greens) as you can!!

Also, the cashews in this dish also provide a good bit of protein so you could even have this dish as your main course!

How to Make Broccoli Greens Au Gratin:

First you wash and chop all your broccoli greens…you don’t want to dry them. The moisture helps with the cooking process.

Then you’ll want to mix everything in a large bowl. This is so helpful because they are large and will need to mix. You won’t be able to get a full mix if you do it straight in the 8×8 baking dish.

Finally, add all the mixed ingredients to an 8×8 baking dish, top with the mozzarella cheese sauce and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Then serve warm! What a beautiful dish this makes!!

And you don’t have to eat it just for the holidays! It’s amazing as a winter meal. It’s savory, warm, and cozy and definitely hygge approved!!

Check out this post on how to eat more veggies during the holidays to stay healthy!!

Start your own garden with our Start Your Garden Workbook and get some broccoli greens to make this dish for yourself. Once you do I would LOVE to hear how you like it!! You can share pics with me on Facebook or Instagram or leave a comment below. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!

Broccoli Greens Au Gratin

Becky Tamez

Did you know you could eat the leaves of the broccoli plant? Well, you can! And they are delicious!! This cheesy broccoli greens recipe will knock your socks off!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 bunch Broccoli greens
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese* recipe included
• r3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese sauce* recipe included
• 1 1/4 cup Almond milk
• 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

The Parmesan Cheese

• 1/2 cup Slivered almonds
• 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1 tsp Maple Syrup

The Mozzarella Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup Cashews
• 1 cup Water
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp Arrowroot powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1 tsp Onion powder

Instructions

 

The Parmesan Cheese

• Add all ingredients except the maple syrup to a high speed blender. 
• Blend on high for 5-10 secs until chopped to a parmesan cheese texture.
• Slowly drizzle in the maple syrup, stirring the cheese blend to make a nice even coat and to not make one spot too wet. 

The Mozzarella Cheese Sauce

• Add the cashews, water, and garlic to a high speed blender. 
• Blend on high for 2 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. 

For the Broccoli Greens Au Gratin

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and chop all of your broccoli greens. You can squeeze dry but do not salad spin. You want some of the moisture in your greens. 
• In a large bowl, mix together the greens, the parmesan, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella sauce, garlic powder, milk, and salt, then transfer to an 8×8 baking dish.
• Top with remaining mozzarella sauce. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. The top should brown slightly but not over cook. 
• Serve warm.

Notes

*If you are not using a blender such as Vitamix to make the mozzarella sauce, I recommend soaking the cashews for about 4 hours to make them soften enough to cream.* 

Keyword greens