Are Broccoli Stems Edible?

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I'm surprised by how often I read a broccoli recipe that calls for using the florets and discarding the stems, or stalks. A few years ago I took a Chinese cooking class, and among the many valuable things I learned from Ms. Mabel Lee was that broccoli stems are not garbage. Just trim off the rough, leafy outer layer and cut the stems into sticks or rounds. Then cook them along with the florets. They're tender and flavorful—and if you've been accustomed to throwing them away, they're free food!

Roasted broccoli, with its browned and lightly crisped edges, is approximately one thousand times better than steamed, sautéed, or almost anything-elsed broccoli. And this particular recipe—which includes thin slices of roasted garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, and pepper—could not be more packed with my personal favorite flavors. I made another huge bunch tonight and ate almost all of it standing right there at the oven. In order to pry myself out of its spellbinding grip, I desperately stuffed the remainder into the fridge so it would get cold and lose its appeal. (It's even pretty good cold, but thankfully the trick worked.)

Some other questions people ask about broccoli are: Are broccoli flowers edible? Actually, the floret is the flower, so this one's kind of a gimme. So yes, broccoli flowers are edible. And then people as, well, are broccoli leaves edible? Again, yes! Not only are they edible, but they're a good source of nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, and iron.

Some of my favorite broccoli dishes are Air Fryer Broccolini and Broccoli Salad. I also love to toss broccoli into stir fries like Pork Fried Rice or Singapore Noodles for added color and a nutrient boost.