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January 24, 2020 By Hannah @ Eat, Drink and Save Money

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How to Cook Broccoli Stalks

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Life is full of polarizing issues. People are always divided on politics, the right diets, cruises, etc.  Eating broccoli stalks is one of these highly polarized issues. 

People either love to eat broccoli stalks or they can’t stand it. So much so that lots of people either only buy the florets or worse, they throw away the broccoli stem. 

first things first, yes- the stalk of the broccoli is edible

Gosh, it feels good to get that out of the way.

Just in case you need to hear it one more time, yes broccoli stalk is edible.

According to Google this is a pretty common question. I love thinking about a person googling, “is the stalk of broccoli edible?”

I’m not making fun of people who google that. Seriously, you don’t want to see my Google history because I ask a lot of stupid questions.

Instead, I’m applauding everyone who has ever Googled if broccoli stalks and stems are edible. Good for you for wanting to know. This post is for you! Get ready to learn all the ways to eat broccoli stalks. And I mean all the ways.

Why not toss the broccoli stalk?

I’m so glad you asked. 

If you don’t already know, I’m super passionate about food waste awareness. Americans throw away nearly 30% of all food produced. THIRTY PERCENT.

Whoah. Amiright? 

That number may sound huge, but let’s think about the broccoli for a minute. If you buy a head of broccoli and throw away the stalk, you are technically throwing away about 30% of the vegetable.

This isn’t just a waste of money, it’s a waste of resources and contributes to our greenhouse gas emissions. Landfills account for 14% of all methane emissions. With methane being 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, this is a big deal.

Just think- you can help fight climate change, save some money, and eat well just by cooking the entire piece of broccoli. 

If that’s not winning, I’m not sure what is.

Get more tips for combatting food waste here. 

Are broccoli stalks nutritious?

Just in case you need another reason to eat the broccoli stalk- the stalk is full of calcium, iron, and vitamin A. 

If you toss it in the trash you might as well be tossing out your daily vitamin too. 

how to cook broccoli stalks

11 Creative ways to use broccoli stalks

Ready to figure out what to do with broccoli stalks? Here are 11 creative ways to eat broccoli stems next time you decide to only eat the florets.

I polled my Instagram and Facebook followers to get these ideas. Some of them are super creative! 

  • Rice broccoli by putting it in a food processor until the consistency of rice
  • Make slaw using a cheese grater- add to salads
  • Spiralize and use as a sub for pasta
  • Roast them with the rest of the vegetable
  • Make broccoli hummus
  • Use as crudités by slicing thinly and adding toppings
  • Add to vegetable broth
  • Use in soups and stews
  • Pickle them
  • Add into pesto
  • Slice and eat raw

delicious recipes that use broccoli stalks

Like those ideas above, but need a recipe? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with 5 delicious recipes that use broccoli stalks.

broccoli broth

Broccoli Broth

Why toss those leaves and stalks when you can make them into a delicious broccoli broth? This recipe from Brooklyn Farm Girl is especially great for anyone who gardens and grows broccoli and has too many extra leaves on hand. Who knew that the leaves made such flavorful broth? 

Get the recipe here
Broccoli stalk salad

Broccoli stalk salad

Toss those leftover broccoli stalks with some other healthy ingredients and before you know it you have a salad! This recipe from Veggie Lexie will have you searching for broccoli with large stems just so you have an excuse to make this delicious salad. 

Get the recipe here
Pioneer woman stir fry broccoli stalks

The Pioneer Woman Stir Fried Broccoli Stems

When I asked my followers on Facebook and Instagram for their favorite broccoli stalk recipes, this one was recommended several times. I love that The Pioneer Woman did an entire episode on food waste! Is she great, or what!?

Get the recipe here
Creamy broccoli stalk and potato soup

Broccoli Stem Soup

This is my favorite way to use up my broccoli stalks. It also tends to be the easiest for me. I steam a bunch of stalks with potatoes and then blend them together with garlic. I’m not the only one who loves this. I’m a big fan of the cheesy recipe from Masala Herb too.

Get the dairy free recipe here
Get the cheesy recipe here
broccoli stalk recipes

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Meet Hannah

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While I love saving money, I also have expensive taste and a passion for the environment. I firmly believe that you can live frugally while enjoying the finer things in life such as travel and high end products. I like fine foods and quality ingredients, I also enjoy spending money on fancy local coffee and kombucha. It’s all about the experience! Join me as I balance a budget and preserve our Earth, while enjoying the finer things in life.

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