Everyday Inspiralized Lemon-Garlic Broccoli Noodles with White Beans
Try this recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 240.548033751127 g
- Cholesterol 1.37500000058966 mg
- Fat 12.6534662551762 g
- Fiber 70.3640988443481 g
- Protein 38.3190950009846 g
- Saturated Fat 1.84347262556923 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2279g)
- Sodium 114.00378646876 mg
- Sugar 170.183934906779 g
- Trans Fat 4.04664862560126 g
- Calories 882 calories
Step-by-step
- Slice off the head of the broccoli, leaving as little stem on the florets as possible. Set aside the broccoli florets. Slice the bottom end off the broccoli stem so that it is evenly flat. Spiralize the broccoli stem, using Blade C.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once the oil heats, add in the broccoli florets, stems, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, shaking the skillet frequently, letting the broccoli cook.
- While the broccoli is cooking, place your pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Let toast until fragrant and the pine nuts slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the pine nuts – toss occasionally. When done, set aside.
- Add in the garlic and lemon juice and cook for 3-5 more minutes (covered) or until broccoli is tender but more easily pierced with a fork.
- Add beans. Warm for 1 minute.
- Transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl and top with pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
Operating without specialized kitchen machinery requires only a sharp chef's knife to julienne the thick broccoli stems into long, uniform strands that mimic conventional pasta. Broccoli stems contain high moisture levels, which dictates specific handling when preparing dishes ahead of time. Storing assembled dishes containing cooked brassicas for more than forty-eight hours in the refrigerator results in a sulfurous aroma and a waterlogged texture as cell walls break down further during chilling. Freezing is strongly discouraged because the high water content of both the broccoli noodles and the white beans turns to ice crystals that rupture the plant tissues, leaving behind a mushy residue upon thawing. Proper execution demands careful attention to processing steps and thermal management.
Storage and Reheating Strategy
Preparing components separately preserves textural integrity across multiple days. Blanching the spiralized stems for precisely thirty seconds before plunging them into ice water halts internal cooking and sets the vibrant green chlorophyll. Storing the blanched stems dry in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb excess condensation extends refrigerated storage up to three days without structural degradation. Reheating requires a hot skillet rather than a microwave; tossing the noodles over medium-high heat for ninety seconds evaporates residual surface moisture and prevents steaming. Incorporating the garlic and lemon juice exclusively during the final re-heating phase prevents the volatile citrus compounds from degrading and keeps the allium oils from turning bitter.Equipment and Alternative Techniques
Processing broccoli stems into long ribbons typically relies on a spiralizer fitted with a specific blade, yet a standard julienne peeler or a mandoline used with a careful hand yields nearly identical strands. Thinly slicing the garlic cloves to a uniform thickness of one millimeter ensures they brown evenly without burning when introduced to the hot olive oil. Toasting pine nuts demands constant agitation in a dry pan over medium heat for five minutes until natural oils release and the exterior turns golden brown. Swapping white beans for cannellini or Great Northern varieties maintains the structural balance, though rinsing canned beans thoroughly under cold running water removes excess sodium and starch that might otherwise cloud the final pan sauce.
