Grilled Broccolini with creamy burrata cheese, toasted hazelnuts and lemony basil oil- a tasty summer side dish perfect for outdoor dinners and gatherings. 

Grilled Broccolini with Burrata, Hazelnuts and Basil oil- a super tasty summer side dish perfect for outdoor dinners and gatherings

Here’s a delicious summer side dish that whips up quickly and easily. Broccolini is tossed with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and grilled. Make the flavorful Basil Oil ( it takes 5 minutes!) and then it’s just a matter of assembling the platter with burrata cheese and toasted hazelnuts.

Why you’ll love this!

  1. It’s just so darn easy! If you are already grilling, why not? You can always roast the broccolini if so inclined.
  2. It’s healthy! It’s a great way to get more cruciferous veggies into your diet!
  3. Good flavor and textures! Tender crisp broccolini, lightly charred with creamy burrata, herby basil oil, and toasty hazelnuts. Garlic, grilled lemons and chili flakes add a nice punch!

Ingredients in Grilled Broccolini

Ingredients in broccolini recipe

Ingredient Notes

  • Broccolini– if unfamiliar, it is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. You’ll know it by its long, thin stems, small florets, and delicate yellow blossoms.
  • Lemon– We’ll use it two ways here; first we will zest it, then cut it in half and grill it, squeezing it over the broccolini. Grilling the lemon intensifies its flavor- in a good way!
  • Garlic– I love using fresh garlic here, finely minced with a garlic press. But granulated garlic will work in a pinch.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper and red chili flakes: Aleppo chilies are nice here.
  • Basil Oil: optional but delightful step. I recommend making a double batch to use on other things. It only takes 5 minutes.
  • Burrata: another optional addition. I love the creaminess with the lemony, peppery, broccolini.
  • Toasted Hazelnuts: again, optional, but adds a nice earthy, toasty flavor, and good texture. You could sub-pinenuts, Marcona almonds, or bread crumbs.

How to Grill Broccolini

Prep the broccolini by cutting off any tough ends. Slice any thicker stems lengthwise so they all are roughly the same thickness.

Toss the broccolini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the garlic and lemon zest and toss again.

Grill over medium-high heat, along with the zested lemon, turning every two minutes. Grill until tender and lightly charred.

Grilled Broccolini with grilled lemon

At this point, you could squeeze with the grilled lemon and sprinkle with red chili flakes, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and be done!

Or to elevate, make the Basil Oil and serve it with burrata cheese.

Spoon the flavorful Basil oil on a platter or large plate.

Place the broccolini over the top. Cut the burrata cheese ball into 6-8 pieces and place them around the broccolini. Add the toasted hazelnuts and season with a little salt and pepper, chili flakes, and squeeze with the grilled lemon. Dot more basil oil around the plate.

Grilled Broccolini with burrata cheese, toasted hazelnuts and basil oil- a tasty summer side dish perfect for outdoor dinners and gatherings. 

This serves 4 to 6 people.

Broccolini Faqs

Can the broccolini be roasted?

Yes, feel free to roast the broccolini on a parchment-lined sheet pan @ 400F until tender. Use the same marinade.

Is Broccolini genetically modified?

Broccolini is not genetically modified; it is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese Broccoli, created in Japan in the early 1990s.

Is broccolini healthier than broccoli?

It’s debatable; broccolini has more Vitamin A than broccoli but offers up less protein. It has fewer carbs than broccoli, so it depends on what you are after.

Do broccoli and broccolini tast different?

Broccolini is more delicate in flavor, sweeter and milder compared to broccoli.

Grilled Broccolini with burrata cheese, toasted hazelnuts and basil oil- a tasty summer side dish perfect for outdoor dinners and gatherings. 

Enjoy the Broccolini and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Sylvia ❤️

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broccolini with burrata, hazelnuts and basil oil.

Grilled Broccolini Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 8
  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: grill
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Grilled Broccolini with Burrata, Hazelnuts and Basil oil- a tasty summer side dish perfect for outdoor dinners and gatherings. 


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 ounces broccolini, tough ends trimmed
  • 23 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • lemon zest from one lemon
  • 12 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes or use Aleppo
  • Optional serving idea: burrata cheese, basil oil (recipe below) toasted hazelnuts, halved.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to med-high.
  2. Trim off the tough ends of the broccolini and place in a large bowl or baking dish. Cut any thick stemmed pieces, in half lengthwise so all the stems are roughly the same size, about ⅓ inch thick.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the garlic and lemon zest, toss again, making sure to coat the tips well.  Cut the zested lemon in half.
  4. Place the lemon halves on the edges of the grill, open side down, and grill the broccolini in a single layer turning every few minutes until tender-crisp, closing the lid between turnings. Small ones will take 4-5 minutes; thicker ones will take longer.  Test one on the stem end, for your desired doneness. You want to pull them while they are still bright green.
  5. You could serve simply like this- squeeze with a little grilled lemon, and sprinkle with red chili flakes.
  6. Or make the Basil Oil (below) spread some on a platter,  then top with the grilled broccolini. Cut the burrata into 8 pieces and place around the broccolini. Add the toasted hazelnuts (I like to cut them in half) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili flakes, squeeze with the grilled lemon, and drizzle with a little more basil oil.

Notes

Basil Oil: Place ½ cup basil (packed) in a food processor, add ½ cup olive oil and one fat garlic clove. Blend until finely chopped but not overly smooth. Add salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Add chili flakes if you like. Keep in a jar in the fridge for 4 days.

 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 ounces
  • Calories: 131
  • Sugar: 2.1 g
  • Sodium: 332.7 mg
  • Fat: 10.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8.3 g
  • Fiber: 3.1 g
  • Protein: 3.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Another quick and easy masterpiece from Sylvia, it takes broccoli to a whole new level!
    A great accompaniment to scrambled or hard boiled eggs for a fast and nourishing mid-week meal. Many thanks Sylvia 👍






  2. This is so good. I didn’t have hazelnuts so I used toasted walnuts and it was still fabulous. I want to grill every veggie and use this recipe!






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