Broccolini with Tahini Sauce (Inspired by Ottolenghi)

This roasted broccolini recipe, inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, is one of our favorite vegetarian side dishes. Broccolini is roasted until crispy then served with a creamy tahini yogurt sauce and charred lemons. It's a quick and delicious side dish that's ready in just 25 minutes!

For more delicious broccoli recipes, also try our best roasted broccoli, roasted broccoli soup with lemon tahini cream, and grilled broccoli caesar salad.

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Roasting broccoli or broccolini is by far our favorite way to enjoy it. The oven brings out incredible flavors and the florets become all golden and crunchy.

Inspired by Ottolenghi, this recipe takes simple roasted broccolini to the next level. A savory-sweet tahini yogurt sauce is drizzled on top with a squeeze of charred lemon juice to make everything pop.

It's a healthy and delicious side dish that's easy enough for weeknights yet elegant enough to serve to company, too!

Ingredients for Ottolenghi's broccolini

Here's everything you'll need to make this savory-sweet side dish:

• Broccolini – broccolini is commonly sold as broccolette or baby broccoli. You can also substitute it for broccoli or even rapini.
• Olive oil
• Lemon – either char the lemons in a pan or roast them with the broccolini for a little sweetness and lots of flavor.
• Chili flakes – add more or less chili flakes depending on your desired heat level.
• Sea salt – a good quality sea salt makes a big difference in taste, and it's healthier, too!
• Greek yogurt – plain greek yogurt is what we used, or opt for a dairy-free alternative if needed.
• Tahini – tahini (also called tahina) is a paste made from sesame seeds with a rich, nutty taste.
• Maple syrup
• Garlic
• Sea salt – to enhance all the flavors and make the dish pop!
• Sesame seeds – a mix of black and white sesame seeds, for garnish.

How to make this Ottolenghi-inspired broccolini with tahini sauce

This is a quick, easy, and delicious side dish recipe. Here's how we make it in a few simple steps:

1. While your oven preheats, prepare the broccoli by laying it on your baking sheet and drizzling it with olive oil. Make sure the florets are well coated. Top with lemon slices, and a sprinkle of chili flakes and salt.
2. Pop it in the hot oven until the florets look crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
3. While it cooks, make the sauce by mixing together the yogurt, tahini, maple syrup, garlic, and sea salt. Thin it with water (1 teaspoon at a time) until it's a pourable consistency.
4. To serve, arrange the broccolini on a plate, squeeze with roasted lemon juice, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and that's it!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Tips for making perfect roasted broccolini

• For crispy broccolini, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This is important any time you're roasting veggies. If you pack them too closely together, they'll steam instead of roast and turn out soggy.
• Don't skimp on the oil! It helps make the florets more crispy and brings out the flavor.
• The same goes for salt. It adds a lot of flavor. Opt for a good quality sea salt because it's much healthier than table salt.
• We like to char the lemons in a pan first because we find they get better color and flavor. To save time, skip this step and simply roast them with the broccolini (per the recipe instructions).

FAQS

What to serve with tahini broccolini

This quick and easy side vegetarian dish goes with just about any main, but especially with other middle eastern dishes like sticky harissa honey glazed chicken, roasted eggplant with creamy harissa and pistachios, and najib's special Lebanese cauliflower.

Favorite side dishes

• Garlic Parmesan Zucchini
• Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan
• Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower with Tahini Yogurt
• Curried Lime Cauliflower Bites with Curry Yogurt
• Garlic Herb Carrot Fries

This recipe is part of our Best Spring Side Dishes series.