Broccoli Recipes for Kids

Broccoli is one of the easiest vegetables for kids to learn to cook because it works in soups, casseroles, side dishes, stir-fries, pasta, and healthy snacks. Whether you're introducing broccoli for the first time or looking for new family meal ideas, these easy broccoli recipes include simple dishes children can help prepare while building everyday kitchen skills.

Start Here: Cook More with Broccoli

Looking for a simple side dish? Try Roasted Broccoli with Bacon.
Need a comforting family dinner? Make Cream of Broccoli Soup or Broccoli and Rice Soup.
Want a complete meal? Serve Beef and Broccoli over rice or noodles.
Teaching kids to cook vegetables? Pair these recipes with our How to Cook Vegetables lesson and learn more on the Broccoli Facts page.

Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials

Teaching kids to cook? Save time with ready-made lesson plans used by parents and teachers. Browse teaching materials →

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Why Cook with Broccoli?

Broccoli is an excellent vegetable for beginning cooks because it's affordable, nutritious, and works in dozens of recipes. Kids can practice washing vegetables, cutting florets with kitchen scissors or a kid-safe knife, measuring ingredients, stirring soups, seasoning vegetables, and roasting or steaming fresh produce. Broccoli also pairs well with cheese, chicken, beef, pasta, potatoes, rice, and many other everyday ingredients, making it easy to include in family meals.

Broccoli Cooking Tips

Fresh or frozen broccoli both work well in most recipes.
Cut florets into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Roasting brings out broccoli's natural sweetness and creates crispy edges.
Don't throw away the stems. Peel the tough outside and slice the tender centers for soups, stir-fries, or roasting.
Broccoli is delicious with garlic, lemon, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, butter, and herbs.

Featured Broccoli Recipes

Try broccoli in soups, casseroles, skillet meals, baked snacks, egg dishes, and easy family dinners. Start with one of these featured broccoli recipes or continue down the page for the complete recipes.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Make a cheesy broccoli and potato soup that can be served smooth, chunky, or partly blended.

Roasted Broccoli

Roast broccoli with bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar for a flavorful vegetable side dish.

Beef and Broccoli

Combine tender beef, broccoli, and a simple savory sauce for an easy meal served over rice or noodles.

Broccoli and Rice Soup

Turn broccoli, seasoned rice, cream cheese, and soup into a warm family dinner.

Broccoli Balls

Make bite-sized baked broccoli snacks that work as an appetizer, lunchbox addition, or side dish.

Broccoli Casseroles

Browse cheesy broccoli casseroles made with chicken, rice, vegetables, and other family-friendly ingredients.

Broccoli Salad

Toss fresh broccoli with bacon, cheese, seeds, onion, and a creamy dressing for an easy cold side dish.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Wrap a creamy chicken and broccoli filling in dough for an easy lunch or family dinner.

Broccoli Bacon Frittata

Bake broccoli, bacon, and eggs together for a simple breakfast, brunch, lunch, or breakfast-for-dinner recipe.

Broccoli Tart or Quiche

Add broccoli to a savory egg filling for an easy baked breakfast, brunch, or light dinner.

Vegetable Lasagna

Layer broccoli with vegetables, cheese, and pasta for a hearty meatless family dinner.

Shrimp Broccoli Penne Pasta

Combine shrimp, broccoli, penne pasta, and a creamy sauce for an easy weeknight meal.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This homemade cream of broccoli soup is cheesy, comforting, and easy to adapt for different textures. Blend the entire pot for a smooth soup or puree only half so some of the broccoli and potatoes remain chunky. This is also a useful beginner recipe for practicing how vegetables, broth, milk, and cheese come together to make a homemade cream soup.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, grated or finely chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 cups chicken broth
1 to 2 bunches fresh broccoli, cut into florets, or 1 bag frozen broccoli
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cubed potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Pour in the chicken broth. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to soften.
Add the broccoli and continue simmering until the broccoli and potatoes are tender.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk and shredded cheddar cheese.
Continue stirring gently until the cheese has melted and the soup is heated through. Do not allow the milk to boil rapidly.
For a smooth soup, carefully puree the soup with an immersion blender or blend it in small batches.
For a chunkier soup, blend only half of the soup and stir it back into the pot.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Choose Your Soup Texture

Smooth: Blend the entire soup until creamy.
Partly blended: Puree half and leave the remaining broccoli and potatoes chunky.
Chunky: Skip blending and serve the soup as it is.

Kid Chef Tip

Children can wash the broccoli, break the florets into smaller pieces, measure the broth and milk, and sprinkle in the cheese. An adult should handle the hot pot and any blending.

Use the Broccoli Stems

Don't throw away fresh broccoli stems. Peel away the tough outer layer, chop the tender center into small pieces, and cook it with the potatoes and florets for extra flavor and less food waste.

Roasted Broccoli with Bacon

Roasting transforms broccoli into a flavorful side dish with crispy edges and tender centers. Bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar add rich flavor, making this recipe a great way to introduce broccoli to reluctant vegetable eaters.

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
2 heads broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
5 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Wash and thoroughly dry the broccoli florets.
Combine the broccoli, bacon, garlic, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Toss until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the mixture into a single layer on the baking sheet.
Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the broccoli browns evenly.
Serve immediately while the broccoli is lightly crisp around the edges.

Try These Variations

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Replace the bacon with diced ham.
Season with Italian herbs or garlic herb seasoning.

Kid Chef Tip

Kids can wash the broccoli, tear large florets into smaller pieces, measure the seasonings, and toss everything together before baking.

Beef and Broccoli

This easy beef and broccoli skillet dinner combines tender beef, broccoli, and a savory sauce for a family-friendly meal. Serve it over cooked rice or noodles for a quick weeknight dinner that introduces children to simple stir-fry cooking techniques.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
1 package frozen broccoli, thawed, or about 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 packet onion soup mix
1¼ cups water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Cooked rice or noodles, for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the beef until browned, then remove it from the skillet.
Whisk together the onion soup mix and water.
Pour the mixture into the skillet and stir in the broccoli, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and cook until the broccoli is almost tender.
Return the beef to the skillet and stir until heated through.
Serve over hot cooked rice or noodles.

Serve It With

Steamed white or brown rice
Whole wheat noodles
Fried rice
Vegetable egg rolls
Fresh fruit

Kid Chef Tip

Children can measure the sauce ingredients, stir the broccoli into the skillet, and help serve the finished meal over rice. An adult should handle cooking the beef.

Broccoli and Rice Soup

This creamy broccoli and rice soup is an easy comfort-food dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights. Rice, broccoli, cream cheese, and cream of chicken soup create a rich, satisfying meal that beginning cooks can prepare with just a few simple steps.

Ingredients

1 package chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni®, including the seasoning packet
5 cups water
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large head broccoli, chopped into small florets
Sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the Rice-A-Roni, seasoning packet, and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the chopped broccoli and continue cooking until it is tender.
In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup until smooth.
Add the soup mixture to the saucepan and stir until completely blended and heated through.
Serve hot with sliced almonds sprinkled on top, if desired.

Serve With

Homemade dinner rolls
Fresh fruit
Garden salad
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Crackers or breadsticks

Kid Chef Tip

Children can measure the water, stir the rice while it cooks, mix the cream cheese filling, chop broccoli with a kid-safe knife, and sprinkle almonds over each serving.

Recipe Variation

Turn this soup into a complete meal by adding cooked shredded chicken, diced ham, or leftover turkey during the last few minutes of cooking.

Everyday Ways to Use Broccoli

Broccoli can be added to familiar meals with very little extra preparation. Use fresh or frozen florets to bring more color and vegetables to these family favorites.

Simple Broccoli Add-Ins

Creamy Pasta: Stir chopped broccoli into Fettuccine Alfredo during the last few minutes of cooking.
Loaded Potato Skins: Top potato skins with steamed broccoli and shredded cheese before baking.
Fresh Salads: Toss small florets into a broccoli salad or mixed green salad.
Egg Dishes: Fold chopped broccoli into omelets or scrambled eggs.
Family Casseroles: Mix broccoli into chicken casseroles, ham casseroles, or rice bakes.
Hearty Soups: Stir chopped florets and peeled stems into ham and vegetable soup.
Green Smoothies: Blend a small amount of broccoli with sweet fruit in a green smoothie.
Stir-Fries: Add fresh or frozen florets to a simple stir-fry recipe.

Keep Learning About Vegetables

Use printable food facts, activities, and cooking lessons to help children learn where vegetables come from, how they grow, and how to prepare them in the kitchen.

Watch a Broccoli Recipe Demonstration

Watch how broccoli and potatoes can be combined into a cheesy vegetable mash. Kids can observe how the vegetables soften during cooking and how their texture changes when they are mashed together.

Try Your Own Broccoli Challenge

Prepare broccoli two different ways this week, such as roasting and making soup. Compare the color, texture, flavor, and which version your family enjoys most. It's a fun way for kids to discover how one ingredient can become completely different meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can kids eat broccoli raw?

Yes. Many children enjoy raw broccoli with ranch dressing, hummus, or another favorite dip. Cutting the florets into bite-sized pieces makes them easier to eat.

Is fresh or frozen broccoli better?

Both are excellent choices. Fresh broccoli works well for roasting, while frozen broccoli is convenient for soups, casseroles, and skillet meals.

How do you keep broccoli bright green?

Avoid overcooking it. Cook broccoli just until it becomes tender-crisp, then remove it from the heat.

What seasonings taste good with broccoli?

Garlic, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, butter, lemon juice, bacon, Italian seasoning, pepper, and herbs all pair well with broccoli.

Can broccoli be frozen?

Yes. Fresh broccoli should be blanched before freezing for best quality, while store-bought frozen broccoli is already prepared and ready to cook.

What are some healthy ways to cook broccoli?

Steaming, microwaving, roasting, air frying, and stir-frying with a small amount of oil are all good options. The best method is one that keeps the broccoli tender without overcooking it and helps your family enjoy eating it.

What meals go well with broccoli?

Broccoli pairs well with chicken, beef, pork, fish, pasta, potatoes, rice, casseroles, soups, and egg dishes.

How can kids help cook broccoli?

Children can wash broccoli, break florets into smaller pieces, measure ingredients, stir soups and casseroles, season vegetables, and help assemble many broccoli recipes with adult supervision.