Broccoli is the one vegetable everyone agrees on in our house when it comes to side dishes. Green beans are a close second, but, given a choice, broccoli will always be first choice. But broccoli rice? Keep reading…

However…three out of four Irelands surveyed prefer just the broccoli crowns. Only one willingly eats the stalks.

That one person also prefers barely cooked broccoli−stalks and all. That person is wrong.

So, what to do with those unwanted stalks?

My normal reaction is to throw them out.

But that’s wasteful.

So, I was intrigued when I saw Katie Lee Biegel on The Kitchen using the stalks to make broccoli “rice.”

Hmmmmm….that had potential. Maybe she was on to something.

Simple to Make−Broccoli “Rice” with Garlic, Lemon and Chile Pepper

Get the recipe from: Katie Lee Biegel, Food Network

I’m a cooking show addict. There. I said it.

And one of my favorite cooking shows is The Kitchen on Food Network.

I love all the hosts. Their personalities are warm and engaging.

But, best of all? The majority of the recipes they feature are achievable for all levels of home cooks.

And here’s another confession. I may have a girl crush on Katie Lee Biegel.

Why? Because she takes things I don’t think I like and, dang it! she makes me like them!

Case in point is this broccoli rice recipe for using up those hated broccoli stalks. With just a little bit of effort, she showed me how to not be wasteful and to make a delicious and simple side dish using those stalks I would otherwise throw away or give to the dog.

Ingredients for Katie Lee Biegel’s Broccoli “Rice”

Five things to know about the Broccoli “Rice” with Garlic, Lemon and Chile Pepper Recipe:

  • This recipe does take a bit of time, but it’s worth it. The 25 minute total time is accurate, but you can easily slip this recipe in while working on your main course. You’re going to want a side dish anyway, right? Why not try something new!
  • This recipe is a pantry pull. There isn’t anything out of the ordinary on the ingredient list. It’s rare that we don’t have broccoli and lemon, and everything else is standard in our house. So, in addition to being a super Simple to Make recipe, I know I will likely have all the necessary ingredients on hand whenever I want to make this. Win-win!
  • Be sure you pulse the broccoli stalks so you get a rice consistency. Pulsing the stalks in the food processor and stopping occasionally to check the consistency ensures you’ll get to the rice stage. If you just turn on the food processor and walk away, you run the risk of ending up with rice puree. Not the consistency you want.
Pulse the broccoli stalks until they reach the consistency of rice.
  • Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat while you sauté the garlic. Garlic is finicky and the last thing you want to do is burn it. Keep the heat on medium-low for that first minute of cooking before you add the broccoli rice. Then you can turn the heat up to medium. No one likes the bitter taste of burned garlic!
Sauté the garlic and broccoli rice.
  • You can crank up the heat with additional crushed red pepper. This is the portion of the recipe you can play with if you enjoy a bit more spice. While the recipe calls for a pinch of red pepper flake, we usually add a bit more because we like spice in our house.
Top the cooked broccoli rice with freshly grated parmesan cheese.