broccolini with quick cashew sauce
For a recipe to make you love broccolini (if you don't already), look no further. If broccoli with cheese had an evolved older sibling, it would be broccolini with quick cashew sauce. The broccolini is sauteed, for minimal broccoli smell and maximum al dente crisp, then served with deeply savory creamy cashew sauce (which blends up in 5 minutes or less).
This nostalgic, savory dish is both easy to make and delightful to eat. You see that platter of broccolini with quick cashew sauce? I ate that all while typing up this recipe. That's how good it is! And I could feel good about it, knowing it's crafted from healthful ingredients.
As always, you can half or double this recipe, depending on your needs!
1 large or 2 small bunches of broccolini
0.75 tsp cc special (or other seasoned salt)
2 Tbsp butter or heat-tolerant oil/cooking fat
0.5 c cashews
0.5 c very hot water
1.5 tsp veggie umami (or 3/4 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper)
- Rinse broccolini and trim any dried bits off the stalk. For thicker stalks, I like to slice them down the middle long ways so they are closer in size to smaller stalks (promotes more even cooking).
- Heat 2 Tbsp cooking fat over medium/medium-high. Add broccolini and sprinkle with 0.75 tsp cc special (or other seasoned salt). Saute for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While broccolini cooks, make the quick cashew sauce. Boil about 1 c water. Turn off heat.
- Add 0.5 c cashews and 1.5 tsp veggie umami (or 3/4 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper) to blender or immersion blender cup. Top with 0.5 c very hot water. Blend until smooth. It will look weird and chunky at first, but have faith and keep blending. Add a little more hot water, if needed.
- Once broccolini is cooked as desired, serve with creamy cashew sauce.
We love this dish topped with flaky sea salt (or sugo salt) or crunchy nuts and seeds. Crispy fried onions would also be yummy, if you have same of those lying around from the holidays.
