Broccoli With Sizzled Nuts and Dates
Updated Sept. 10, 2025
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4tablespoons olive oil
- ½cup raw assorted nuts and seeds, like pecans, pepitas or cashews (or a combination), roughly chopped
- Kosher salt
- 2teaspoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns
- 3medjool dates, pitted and torn (or ⅓ cup dried fruit, chopped if large)
- 1tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1large head broccoli (about 1½ pounds)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
234 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 482 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
To a medium skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the assorted nuts and seeds. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the nuts and seeds look golden and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Season generously with salt, then add the pepper and dates. Cook, stirring frequently, until the dates are plump and the pepper is aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside.
- Step 3
Heat the broiler to high and place a rimmed sheet pan on the oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler.
- Step 4
Trim the dry end off the broccoli and peel the stem. Cut broccoli stem in half lengthwise, then pull it apart to break the head in half. Cut into individual florets, each with a long spear of stem attached. Wash broccoli, then dry thoroughly in a salad spinner. (If you don’t have a salad spinner, bundle the broccoli in a large kitchen towel and spin it around outside.)
- Step 5
In a large mixing bowl, toss broccoli with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, rubbing it well with your hands to coat evenly and thoroughly. Season with kosher salt. Arrange broccoli on the heated sheet pan, then broil until crisp-tender and charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it, as different broilers have different power levels.)
- Step 6
Transfer the broccoli to a platter, spoon over the nut and date mixture, and serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
Fine idea, except why bother with the broiler? Put the cruciforms back in the still-hot pan, and stir around while they blacken. I add a little water at the end and put a lit on to get a little steam cooking if needed. Add the other ingredients for some more heat just before serving. One pan, no waiting.
I prefer to roast the broccoli at @425* for about 20 minutes to deepen the flavor while remaining crunchy. Also provides a larger margin of error to avoid over charring.
This nut-date topping is fantastic. I used pecans and pistachios, charred the broccoli and served it over farro. Delicious!
This was really good. I realized (as others have commented) that the nut mixture would work well with broccoli just roasted instead of broiled and I'll do that next time just because I'm more used to cooking broccoli that way. For me, seasoning with a little salt was almost too much. On the other hand I only used a little bit of pepper and it wasn't enough. Also, I amost overcooked the nuts - have to be careful there. I made this with figs because I forgot to by dates. Still good!
Change out the dates to slim slices of red pepper and red onion to keep the sweet vibe with less calories. Healthier, too.
The delicious topping is also excellent on roasted Brussels sprouts.