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Sesame Orange Broccoli is a vibrant, flavorful side dish with stir fried broccoli with the sweetness of oranges and the nuttiness of sesame.
Sesame Orange Broccoli
Looking for something different to do with broccoli, then this easy stir-fried side dish is for you. The key ingredients in this dish are broccoli florets, fresh orange juice and zest, sesame seeds, and garlic, soy sauce, and ginger for a more Asian-inspired flavor profile. Sesame oil is also used to sauté the broccoli and give it a rich, aromatic taste. This dish pairs well with Asian grilled chicken, tofu, or fish, and is a great way to add a dose of healthy vegetables to any meal.
Ingredients
- Broccoli, cut into florets
- Orange Sesame Sauce: corn starch, fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce
- Aromatics: grated fresh ginger, garlic, scallion
- Sesame: sesame oil and sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional for heat)
How To Make Sesame Orange Broccoli
- Blanch the Broccoli: Blanching the broccoli helps to preserve its vibrant green color and crunch. This involves briefly submerging the broccoli florets in boiling water, then plunging them into ice-cold water to halt the cooking process.
- Prepare the Orange-Sesame Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, orange zest and cornstarch, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.
- Sauté the Broccoli: In a large non-stick wok or large deep skillet, heat some sesame oil over high heat, then add sesame oil, scallions, garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the blanched broccoli. Sauté until it begins to turn golden, then pour the orange-sesame sauce over the broccoli.
- Simmer and Serve: Let the broccoli simmer in the sauce for a few minutes until it is fully coated and the flavors are well infused. Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top and red pepper flakes (if using).
Sesame Orange Broccoli
Sesame Orange Broccoli is a vibrant, flavorful side dish that marries the crisp freshness of broccoli with the sweetness of oranges and the nuttiness of sesame seeds.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 3 /4 cup
Ingredients
- kosher salt
- 12 oz broccoli, cut into florets
- 1/2 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add broccoli and boil for 1 minutes.
- Drain and immediately place broccoli in a large bowl of ice water to stop it from cooking.
- In a small bowl add orange juice, soy sauce, orange zest and cornstarch, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.
- Heat a non-stick wok or large deep skillet over high heat.
- Add sesame oil, scallions, garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce and broccoli and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp tender. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Serve immediately.
Last Step:
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Makes 3 cups.
Nutrition
Serving: 3 /4 cup, Calories: 52 kcal, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 295 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 3 g
Easy to make and the perfect accompaniment alongside five spice roasted chicken quarters!
Another great recipe. It is an easy way to use up oranges that are not great for eating. The leftovers are fantastic cold or on top of a salad.
I had this in a skillet waiting to serve with Christmas dinner. It never made it to the table. Everyone started picking out pieces from the skillet until there was not one piece left to serve. Quite a hit with family!
Great side dish to go along with asian-inspired meat dishes.
Can the broccoli be substituted with asparagus?
Both I and another poster asked this question yesterday & they have vanished from the comments though they WERE both displayed.
I am not sure why the comments disappeared. But yes you can substitute if you wish!
The first time I made this, did exactly as written and had no leftovers. The second time, I doubled the sauce and added cooked chicken at the end. It was also excellent!
when you put the broccoli in the boiling water do you start the 1 minute at that time or wait till the water starts boiling again to start the 1 minute? Thanks
Count from when you first add it.
I just made this tonight and thought it was EXCELLENT! The broccoli was cooked and sauced to perfection. Gina, my girlfriend and I started WW a couple months ago and I think I’ve honestly made at least 30 of your recipes. They are ALL delicious, and I’ve lost twenty pounds. I just wanted to tell you that the time you take with this blog has made a real positive difference in my life; thank you!
Thank you so much. It means a lot to me to hear that! 🙂
Made this for Mother’s Day and the bowl was empty! 20 minutes in the oven at 375 (convect) made the broccoli perfect. I mixed up the sauce and didn’t bother to dirty another pan – just tossed it all in a bowl and served! Really nice hint of sweet from the orange, and Asian flair from the sesame oil.
I’m making this tonight and definitely looking forward to it. Can you tell me if there is still a way to save a PDF of a recipe after your website got a facelift? I save all my recipes in my Google Drive so I can access them anywhere I am (store or on vacation) and includes all my scanned in recipes from generations of family. I was able to do this easily prior to the website update which I believe was from the print area but I am not having any luck with it now. Thoughts? Thanks AND love all your recipes!
You should be able to print and select adobe as your printer which will prompt you to select a location to save it.
What can I use in replacement for corn starch?
Arrowroot is a good thickened. Whole 30 friendly if I remember correctly.
Another huge hit at my house! I made it into Orange Chicken and Broccoli by doubling the sauce and adding cut up chicken breasts and onion wedges. So delicious and lighter/tastier than greasy takeout. Thank you Gina!
I served this to my husband tonight and we both wanted to lick the bowl. It was delicious and only 1 SP
Made this tonight for supper and it was delicious! Trying to eat healthier but the same old stuff gets boring. Thanks for the recipe!
I'm looking forward to this! I'm slightly anemic and have been adding iron rich foods to my diet. I was surprised to find sesame seeds to be a good source of iron. What I am impressed with Gina, is that you need to combine iron with vitamin C for full absorption! That's what I noticed about this awesome recipe! Thank you so much for being Gina! I've been a huge fan for years!
Hi Gina!
I made this tonight with broccoli and sautéed eggplant – omg! Amazing. Thank you for always being a meal inspiration.
Great!
This recipe sounds so good! Looks pretty too!
Keep fresh ginger in the freezer. When needed grate into your recipe. No need to peel. Wash ginger root before freezing. Ginger will keep for a very long time this way.
Can you use the powder form of ginger rather than fresh (I never have fresh ginger on hand)and if so how much should I use?
It won't taste as good. I buy a small piece of ginger and keep it in my freezer! It lasts a while and it grates easy frozen.
Wow…great tip. I never thought of keeping it in the freezer! Thanks!
Thanks Gina for the "fresh ginger keep it in freezer" hint! I usually store fresh ginger in my refrigerator, but it goes moldy on me and I have to throw it out 🙁
That's a great tip!! I wish I had heard it earlier…so many pieces of ginger I could have saved 🙂
My pleasure!
Ginger is available by the jar.
I did this but I skipped the boiling part and did mine in the oven and it turned out crispy and wonderful
Julie – what temp did you use and for how long? Thanks!
Perfect!
What temp and for how long should the broccoli be roasted?
This actually looks like an amazing recipe for broccoli. Everyone knows that I'm not fond of steamed/overcooked broccoli, and it's hard finding something that I'll really like, let alone my fiancé and housemate. Shall be adding this recipe to the meal plan for next week, perhaps with some crispy tofu and egg noodles. Have you tried cooking this with other veggies too, such as cauliflower or capsicum?
It would be great with cauliflower too!
I've gotten so sick of plain steamed broccoli. I'll have to try this!
Lifestyle by Joules
My thoughts, too.
Does this recipe start with fresh or frozen broccoli?
Yes! I can't wait to try this!
I'm going to make this using extra firm tofu.
that sounds amazing 🙂
Yum..sounds great. I'll do that Thursday night. Tonight will be the broccoli though