Give Bland Broccoli A Flavor Upgrade And Make It Chinese-Style

A side of broccoli will increase the fiber content of your meal but it can be bland and boring when boiled and served as is. While roasting this verdant veggie brings out its nuttiness, there's an easier way to give it a flavor upgrade with the addition of savory soy sauce. This earthy condiment gives this dark-green brassica a yummy Chinese-style vibe, making it tempting and moreish.

Soy sauce is made with fermented soy beans, wheat, water, and salt. Over time, this punchy black elixir develops a complex flavor that's salty, savory and almost sweet due to the presence of glutamic acid. This incredible amino acid (also found in Parmesan cheese and mushrooms) is what gives foods a satisfying taste and pronounced roundedness. The simplest way to elevate your broccoli is to cook it as normal and top it with a light sprinkling of soy sauce. That said, stir frying your broccoli in soy sauce with a squeeze of honey and a few chili flakes is a fancier move. Scatter over some sesame seeds and you'll have a wonderfully salty, sweet, spicy, and crunchy side to serve with pan-seared salmon or baked chicken. There are several varieties of soy sauce that each come with their own perks, which will affect the flavor of your finished dish. Light soy is best for making a dressing for a broccoli-forward salad while rich dark soy is ideal for glazing roasted vegetables.

Tossing cooked broccoli florets or broccolini through a soy marinade (that can be prepared in advance) is a super-easy way to boost its flavor. Combine your soy with Chinese-style ingredients, such as minced garlic, thin shards of ginger, chopped scallions, or chilis to make a lip-smacking dressing that gets better as it sits in the fridge. For a thicker finish, dollop in some peanut butter and thin the dressing out with a dash of water to evenly coat your florets. This recipe for Asian Peanut Broccoli Quinoa features many of these flavors, along with vinegar for tang, and brown sugar and honey for a hint of sweetness. However, there's plenty of bandwidth to experiment. The only rule is to avoid seasoning up your dish with extra salt as soy already has a concentrated saltiness to it.

In our ranking of 13 soy sauce brands, it was Wan Ja Shan that came in first place due to its bold flavors and complexity. However, if you have celiac disease and are looking for a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce, consider Japanese tamari which generally doesn't contain wheat. Prepared with the same soy beans, this condiment is equally as savory and salty but has a slightly thicker viscosity, which might actually work in your favor and cling more effectively to your broccoli florets.