10 Interesting Ways You Never Thought To Cook With Broccoli

Remember how you used to hate broccoli as a kid? Well, those days are now over, or if they're not — if you're still pushing it around your plate as an adult — they soon will be. With all the tasty ways you can cook up this vitamin-packed veggie, there's no way you won't want to eat it. Between the bacon, the cheese, and the marinara, your broccoli is about to get a tasty makeover (thanks to these recipes below), and you're going to be salivating.

Who doesn't love a frittata? From the light, quiche-like consistency to the variety of meats and cheeses you can pack into it, this plate is a favorite. The best part is that you can eat it any time, not just at breakfast. And now your egg-based dish just got healthier thanks to broccoli frittata recipe from Real Simple. The simplicity of the garlic and broccoli make for an easy way to get started, by sauteing in olive oil in a pan for a few minutes. Pour your beaten eggs over the top and don't forget to sprinkle some fresh Gruyere on before baking it to perfection at 350° Fahrenheit.

After a long day of work, you just want something quick and hearty to eat. But instead of reaching for the pasta box, opt for something a bit greener, like a quick and easy broccoli recipe. Do as the SkinnyChef does and make your veggies into a saucy plate of pure comfort food that's actually good for you. Steam your broccoli and warm up your favorite marinara sauce (kudos if you make your own). Then pour the sauce over the veggies, but don't stop there. Nothing adds more to a saucy creation than some cheese. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella to get that melty, cheesy goodness flowing.

Broccoli dressed up in cheese and garlic? Yes, please. Damn Delicious knows how to amp up your normal veggies into something extraordinary with very little preparation. Simply place your broccoli on a roasting pan and cover it with oil to get it primed and ready. Chop up a few cloves of garlic and mix the pieces in with the broccoli, stirring a few times to ensure everything is combined perfectly. Then place the pan in the oven and allow it to roast for a tender plate of deliciousness. Later, add your Parmesan — sprinkle to your liking — and a squeeze of lemon to heighten the flavors.

Love that mac and cheese but feel kind of guilty about eating it? Yeah, I know the feeling, but guess what? You don't have to. Well, you can at least feel better by adding broccoli in there. MyRecipes provides a solid cheesy mac packed with all the things you're looking for: cheddar cheese, fresh garlic, broccoli, and chicken for plenty of protein. Get started by boiling your macaroni until it's al dente while browning the bacon and cooking the chicken in a pan over the stove. Throw everything together and put the pan in the broiler for about two minutes, browning the cheese on the top and edges. For the finished product, you can (and you will) sprinkle extra cheese on top.

Pizza always a favorite, and why wouldn't it be? It's cheesy, saucy, and allows you to eat with your hands without getting weird looks from people around you. And pizza can be really easy to make if you do it right. Here's a fantastic simple pizza recipe from Taste.com. This baby starts off with a solid foundation: Lebanese bread, a soft dough that's amazing on its own. But add ricotta, bacon, and broccoli to it, and you have one incredible meal with all the fixings. Steam your chopped broccoli while mixing garlic and oil into a bowl before slathering it on the bread. Top that with mozzarella, ricotta, bacon, and your steamed broccoli, baking for about 15 minutes at 450° Fahrenheit for a quick meal that's downright delicious.

Oh, fritters. Fried to perfection and stuffed with things like meat and cheese, fritters are not something to alter. Unless it's to make them a little healthier. With PaleOMG's yummy broccoli fritters recipe, it's pretty easy to do. Here's the deal: start off by shredding broccoli stems (or florets) before adding them to the other ingredients: almond meal, garlic, and eggs. Then make this mess into a ball. Place it on a hot skillet for a few minutes, then flip and flatten it, making sure both sides are nice and crispy before eating. And while these are good enough to devour on their own, the recipe suggests pairing it with a grass-fed beef burger. Yeah, that's a no-brainer.

So you're making dinner and you have your entree picked out and ready to go. You even have the wine you plan to serve with the meal. The only thing you're lacking is a proper side. Deciding on a side dish can be such a chore, but with sesame broccoli recipe from BBC GoodFood, it doesn't have to be. First, steam the broccoli so it's tender. Whip up an easy homemade paste of ginger, garlic, and coriander, and toss it in the frying pan. After a minute, throw in the steamed broccoli and then dump in the sesame seeds. The end result? A side dish offering an explosion of flavor that will take your mouth by surprise.

There are plenty of true-American ways to cook your broccoli: steam it, put cheese on it, squeeze some lemon. But what about changing it up a bit? It's time to get ethnic with your broccoli, and Bon Appetit knows just how to do it with this chicken meatball recipe with broccoli. For your chicken meatballs, start by combining ground chicken with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and chicken broth before molding them into balls by hand. Cook the meatballs in a large skillet before moving on to the Chinese broccoli, mastering the greens by adding red pepper flakes and cooking over the stove for a few minutes. Mix everything together in extra chicken broth and allow it to boil, before removing and enjoying an awesome weekday meal.

Ever wonder what it would be like to make broccoli pesto? Neither did I until I stumbled upon this broccoli pesto recipe from TheKitchn. Begin by sauteing broccoli, onion, and parsley in a frying pan. After that is cooked, make your way over to the blender for the next step. Add the veggies into the blender followed by some feta cheese and some water. Blend the mixture for a few minutes, allowing it to turn into a creamy puree. Later, pour it over your choice of entree, like chicken or a big bowl of pasta.

You know you love meatballs. They're a staple food that never goes out of style, but instead of meat, why not try mixing it up with veggies? Seriously! Take it from Oh My Veggies, and give these vegetarian meatballs a try. Grind up almonds in a food processor and then do the same to the broccoli. Later, mix everything — broccoli, almonds, cheese, garlic, and egg — together and shape your meatballs. Bake them at 350° Fahrenheit until browned on the outside. You'll have something just as addictive (if not more) than any other meatball you're used to.