Broccoli Polonaise Recipe

Just the name — broccoli polonaise — sounds fancy and complicated. In fact, The Spruce Eats describes that a polonaise garnish really just means you're serving a vegetable dish with chopped boiled eggs, breadcrumbs, and parsley, which means this recipe couldn't be easier. Sure, there are a couple of steps involved, but it's the kind of recipe that even a beginner-level home chef can whip up, requiring less than 15 minutes to make. 

That's exactly why recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge loves it so much. "It's so simple to make and uses everyday ingredients," she says. Plus, it's just good for you — between the broccoli's vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and the egg's high-quality protein, you're whipping up a side dish that is healthy and tastes great. And while technically you could enjoy this dish as a light main course, Olayinka suggests serving it alongside grilled proteins like a salmon fillet, flank steak, or chicken breast.

Unless you were already familiar with the definition of a polonaise, you probably didn't realize that almost all of the ingredients are technically hinted at in the recipe's name. So, aside from broccoli (clearly the main ingredient), bread crumbs, eggs, and parsley (the elements that turn a dish into a polonaise), all you need is unsalted butter and a little bit of salt and pepper. Depending on what you keep stocked in your pantry and fridge, you may already have all the ingredients on hand.

Get started by clipping off (or simply tearing) the broccoli florets from the head and giving them a rinse. Place a steaming basket over a pot of hot water and add the broccoli to the basket. You'll want to steam the florets on medium-high heat for about seven minutes until they turn bright green and are tender. 

If you don't have a steamer basket, no worries. "The microwave is perfectly fine," says Olayinka. "Pop the broccoli in a bowl, add about a tablespoon of water, and cover it with a plate. Cook until it's bright green and tender — about three to five minutes." 

While the broccoli is steaming, take a few minutes to fry up your breadcrumbs. Luckily, there is no extra prep required, and plain, unseasoned, store-bought breadcrumbs work best here. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add in the butter, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Cook the breadcrumbs for about three minutes, moving them constantly with a spatula or spoon to prevent them from over-cooking. "The breadcrumbs will turn a darker brown," says Olayinka.

You'll also need to prep the parsley to have it ready to assemble your broccoli polonaise. It's not a very challenging step, but it is critical. You'll want to pick the parsley leaves off the stems (stems in this dish kind of ruin the experience, since they're tough to chew and don't have a great flavor), then chop the leaves into small pieces. It might be tempting to skip the parsley altogether, but Olayinka warns against it: "I find that parsley always brings a lightness, especially to cooked food." 

There are lots of different methods for cooking hard-boiled eggs, but most of them call for a pot of hot water, maybe a little salt, and the eggs themselves. So if you don't already have hard-boiled eggs ready to go, while your broccoli is steaming add the eggs to a pot, cover them with water, and bring it to a boil. Roughly 10 minutes in boiling water will cook the eggs all the way through. When they're done cooking, run them under cold water and peel the shells off before cutting the eggs into half-inch cubes. 

Just like that, all the elements of your broccoli polonaise are ready to assemble. This recipe serves three, so set aside three bowls (or plates) and divide the broccoli evenly between each dish. Follow suite with the fried breadcrumbs, the hard-boiled eggs, and the chopped parsley. You may be tempted to add a dressing or other toppings, but Olayinka says you should ignore the inclination and simply serve it as-is!