This pickled broccoli recipe is quick, easy and bursting with sweet and spicy flavors. With just a handful of ingredients, this dish makes for a fantastic vegan side, appetizer “salad” or snack. 
I loved family dinner parties at my grandparents’ house.
My perception as a little girl, was that my grandparents were fancy.
No matter what the occasion, Christmas Eve or a typical weekend evening, the table was set much like that in the upstairs dining room in Downton Abbey. Everything was just so.
Okay, so my grandparents didn’t use a ruler to place the silverware, and they set it without a butler in sight.
However, the china sparkled, the silver shined, and there were always too many forks for me to know which to use and when. 
My grandfather always sat at the head of the table and carved the meat — a ceremony in and of itself, which he loved.
My grandfather was also the master of Root Beer Floats, though not at the fancy dinner parties. Those were reserved for sleepovers.
Inspiration for Spicy Quick Pickled Broccoli
While he carved, my grandmother would place platters and bowls of beautifully arranged food strategically down the center of the table — each one prettier than the next.
There were always many small dishes of sides. “Small plates,” if you will. (My grandmother was ahead of her time.) There were olives, mushrooms and my favorite, the pickled broccoli. Each one was always in a very pretty serving dish with an equally lovely serving utensil.
What’s in the Pickled Broccoli?
There are only a few ingredients in this recipe, and they all pack in a ton of flavor.
- rice vinegar
- sesame oil
- chili paste
- garlic
- touch of sugar
- broccoli
What does this Spicy Quickly Broccoli Taste like?
The pickled broccoli was delicious dish that was tangy, sweet and a bit spicy.
Though I wish it was, this isn’t my grandmother’s recipe. I don’t have it, so I did what I thought might be similar, and if my memory serves me well, this is pretty close.
I think once you learn how to pickle broccoli, it might just become your go-to vegetable side dish. 🙂
My grandmother, would have of course, served hers in a lovely crystal bowl, with a shiny fork to match.
Enjoy!
This pickled broccoli recipe is quick, easy and bursting with sweet and spicy flavors. With just a handful of ingredients, this dish makes for a fantastic vegan side, appetizer "salad" or snack.
*Please note that 1 hour of the prep time is inactive, marinating time.
- 1 pound fresh broccoli
- sprinkling of sea salt
- ¾ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoons chili paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
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Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
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Cut the broccoli into uniform spears. Rinse, drain, add them to a large bowl. Set aside.
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Place a steamer rack into a pot with the water level just below it. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil and then add the broccoli to the rack, sprinkle it with salt and cover. Turn the heat to low and steam just until the broccoli is tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
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Drain the broccoli and immediately add it to the bowl of ice water. Leave it for about 5 minutes, drain again, pat dry with a kitchen towel, and set aside. (The ice water "shocks" the broccoli, which stops the cooking process and helps keep the color bright.)
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the vinegar with the sesame oil, chili paste, garlic, and sugar. Pour this mixture into a heavy-duty zip-lock bag and add the broccoli. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible and place it in a bowl (in case it leaks), in the refrigerator.
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Let the broccoli marinate for about 1 hour, drain and serve.
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Christina says
What a lovely post, Valentina! I’m sure your grandmother would love that you tried to recreate her pickled broccoli. I love anything pickled, so I’d totally be into this side-dish, especially since it’s spicy!
valentina says
Thank you, Christina. My grandmother was a great cook 🙂
Mandy says
Picking up broccoli to make this up this weekend. It looks amazing!
valentina says
Awesome, Mandy! Hope you love it. 🙂
David says
You don’t use a ruler to create your place settings? Scandalous! 🙂 The broccoli looks wonderful! xo
valentina says
I love scandals. 😉
Judy @ ImBored-LetsGo says
This sounds delicious! I love the flavor profile!
valentina says
Thanks, Judy. Hope you try it. 🙂
Coco in the Kitchen says
*DROOL*
‘Nuf said.
valentina says
😀
Adrienne says
They were the best, weren’t they? Would you ever consider an upgrade and eventual reveal of the root-beer float?
valentina says
Adrienne, I have been thinking about the root-beer float a lot. I don’t think I’d even upgrade it b/c it was so perfect. (Grandpa’s vigorous stirring was my favorite part of the entire process.) xo V
Sam Colbey says
Bring this recipe back to stop food waste in these trying covid19 days ahead
valentina says
Excellent idea! Thanks. I’ll start promoting it again. Stay well! 🙂 ~Valentina
Alina says
sounds wonderful! how long will it keep after it is pickled?
valentina says
Hi Alina, Thanks for writing in. It will keep for about a week. It will still be okay to eat a good few days after that, but will taste the best within the first week. Enjoy and stay well! 🙂 ~Valentina
Anne says
This has become my go-to broccoli recipe for summer! Love it!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Anne! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I agree, it’s a nice cooling summer recipe. And thanks too, for being one of my readers. 🙂 ~Valentina