This Mexican broccoli recipe is a must try when you’re looking to try out a simple, healthy and delicious side dish that has Mexican inspired flavors. Fresh broccoli florets get teamed up with corn, tomatoes, jalapenos and garlic to make this gluten-free and vegan side dish that you can pair with pretty much anything.
It's really similar to my favorite corn Pico de Gallo, and a great salad to quickly whip up on a hot summer day.
I’ve recently tried my hands at quite a few Mexican recipes. My Elote casserole and Chamoy dip were both big hits, but I really wanted to try a veggie loaded, easy side dish that had the big, bold flavors you’d usually find in Mexican food.
And that’s when I gave this recipe a try, and I have to say, it has a beautiful dance of textures and flavors. While you won’t typically find this at Mexican restaurants, the ingredients that go into making this easy recipe have Mexican roots.
Quick Look: Mexican Broccoli
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 10 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 2.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Broccoli, onion, jalapeño, corn, lemon juice, garlic, tomato, cumin, salt, pepper, and oil.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Sauté onion and garlic in oil 🡢 add corn and cook for 3–5 minutes 🡢 add broccoli, tomato, jalapeño and seasonings 🡢 cook until the broccoli reaches your desired tenderness 🡢 finish with fresh lemon juice.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Serve as a side with Mexican-inspired meals like Tajin shrimp tacos or Huevos Rancheros, alongside rice and tacos, or use as a filling for burritos and quesadillas.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It is super versatile. With lots of healthy ingredients, this broccoli salad is a great meatless side dish that celebrates the best of Mexican cuisine.
- It is super easy to make, and comes together in under 15 minutes- just like my watermelon and Tajin salad. It really doesn’t get better than that!
Recipe Ingredients
Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is the hero ingredient for this easy Mexican broccoli recipe.
Jalapeno: To add that kick of heat, I used fresh jalapenos. You can skip this if you’re not too confident about the spice factor.
Onion: I also added an onion for a bit of that pungent flavor and crunch factor. This is one of my favorite ingredients to add to a side dish.
Corn: Fresh corn is also a big thing in most Mexican foods, so of course, I had to add it in too!
Garlic: I used some fresh garlic cloves, but if you can’t find it, you can use garlic powder too.
Tomatoes: Juicy, red tomatoes add some beautiful tanginess and fruitiness, along with a contrast in texture too.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice can add a nice bit of acidity to this roasted broccoli dish.
Oil: You’ll also need a fair bit of oil, ideally olive oil to roast the broccoli. I like using my lemon infused olive oil whenever I can.
Seasonings: I kept the seasonings simple and used some cumin powder, salt and pepper. You can also use store-bought or homemade Tajin seasoning to lend it an extra kick of heat.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- To make the dish more flavorful, you can also add some red pepper flakes or chili powder in addition to the seasonings you’re using.
- If you don’t have lemon juice, lime juice can also work as an alternative. I love using my lemon infused olive oil here to lend the Mexican broccoli salad an extra kick of citrusy deliciousness.
- You can also try a different version of this recipe by using cauliflower florets instead of broccoli crowns.
How to Make Mexican Broccoli
Step 1: Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic and sauté for a minute. Now add the chopped bell pepper and corn and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Next, add the broccoli, tomatoes, jalapenos and spices and cook on medium heat until the broccoli reaches the desired tenderness.
Step 3: Transfer to a large bowl and top with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve this as a side to any of your favorite Mexican foods.
💭Top Tip
If you have some corn leftover from this recipe, you can put it to use and whip up a delicious corn Pico de Gallo too!
Also Read: Cucumber and Tajin Salad
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- In addition to the broccoli and other ingredients, you can also add some red peppers, avocado and black beans into the Mexican broccoli dish.
- If you want the dish to be less spicy, you can remove the seeds from the jalapenos before you add them into the mix.
- In contrast, if you want some extra spice, you can use serrano peppers instead of jalapenos. You can also add some pickled jalapenos from your jar of Mexican pickled carrots to bring that salty, tangy flavor into the dish.
- You can also top this Mexican broccoli with some Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese if you don’t have dietary restrictions. If you don’t have either of these Mexican cheeses, some Parmesan cheese can do the trick too.
How to Serve Mexican Broccoli
I love serving it with a simple rice dish whenever I don't have my Mexican pickled vegetables at hand. Since this dish is essentially a salad, and I’ll be getting all the veggies in.
Believe it or not, but this easy Broccoli dish can actually be a great one to whip up on a Taco Tuesday. You can serve it alongside your favorite tacos, a side of Mexican chili oil and some avocado lime crema.
This veggie side can also be a super healthy burrito filling! You can spoon some of it on a corn tortilla, season with your favorite spices and top with Mexican sour cream sauce or a spicy hot sauce before you roll it up.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
You sure can! To do this, you’ll need to get everything ready in a sheet pan or a baking sheet, and cook the veggies in steps, starting with the veggies that take longer to cool.
When you’re doing this, also make sure to flip the veggies halfway through cooking to get that nice char on all the sides.
If you have any leftovers, you can refrigerate them for 2-3 days in an airtight container. The roasted broccoli dish can then be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.
More Mexican Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Mexican broccoli or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Mexican Broccoli
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño finely chopped
- ½ cup corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 broccoli cut into florets
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic and saute for a minute. Now add the chopped bell pepper and corn and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Next, add the broccoli, tomatoes, jalapenos and spices and cook on medium heat until the broccoli reaches the desired tenderness.
- Transfer to a large bowl and top with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve this as a side to any of your favorite Mexican foods.
Notes
- In addition to the broccoli and other ingredients, you can also add some red peppers, avocado and black beans into the Mexican broccoli dish.
- If you want the dish to be less spicy, you can remove the seeds from the jalapenos before you add them into the mix.
- In contrast, if you want some extra spice, you can use serrano peppers instead of jalapenos.
- You can also top this Mexican broccoli with some Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese if you don’t have dietary restrictions. If you don’t have either of these Mexican cheeses, some Parmesan cheese can do the trick too.
