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Mediterranean Gluten-free Easy

Charred Broccolini with Herb Yogurt

Blistered in a dry skillet, piled onto cool yogurt whipped with dill, mint and lemon zest.

4.6 (512 reviews) · 20 min total · Serves 4
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Charred broccolini spears fanned over a swoosh of herb yogurt on a ceramic plate

Recipe facts

Servings

4

4 servings

Scale quantities from 1 to 24 servings

Prep

10 min

Cook

10 min

Total

20 min

Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Dietary
Gluten-free
Category
Vegetarian

Overview

About this recipe

Charred Broccolini with Herb Yogurt is a easy vegetarian recipe from our Mediterranean files, built from 9 ingredients and 6 steps and timed at 20 minutes from board to table. Blistered in a dry skillet, piled onto cool yogurt whipped with dill, mint and lemon zest.

As written it yields 4 servings, and the ingredient list rescales with the servings control below so the shopping quantities always match what you are actually cooking. It is logged as gluten-free in our catalog, with 10 minutes of hands-on prep and 10 minutes of cooking — useful to know if you are slotting it into a busy evening.

Worth cooking

Why you'll love it

  • Genuinely quick

    Start to finish in 20 minutes, prep included.

  • Easy to follow

    6 numbered steps and 9 ingredients, nothing hidden.

  • Gluten-free as written

    And the substitutions section covers the common swaps if you need to shift it further.

  • Scales cleanly

    Written for 4, adjustable from 1 to 24 servings with quantities recalculated for you.

  • Tested and re-tested

    Rated 4.6 across 512 cooks in our recipe box.

  • Mediterranean flavours

    Filed under vegetarian — see the variations below for other directions.

From the recipe box

Charred Broccolini with Herb Yogurt

Yield
4 servings
Prep
10 min
Cook
10 min
Total
20 min

Shopping list

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered · scaled for 4 servings

Nutrition total for 4 servings

Calories
872
Protein
44 g
Carbohydrates
64 g
Fat
52 g
Fibre
20 g

Catalog values are per serving estimates, multiplied here for the selected servings.

Step by step

Method

  1. Whip the yogurt with the dill, mint, garlic, lemon zest and half the juice, then season and spread over a platter.

  2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly.

  3. Add the broccolini dry, in a single layer, and leave it for 3 minutes to blister and blacken.

  4. Add the olive oil and salt, toss, and cook 4 minutes more until the stems are just tender.

  5. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice off the heat.

  6. Pile the broccolini over the herb yogurt, scatter with almonds and finish with olive oil.

Cook's note

Crowd the pan on purpose but resist stirring. The first three untouched minutes are what make the char.

Swaps that work

Ingredient substitutions

5 swaps matched to this ingredient list, with quantities shown for 4 servings. The ratios stay the same at any scale.

  • Dairy 1:1

    Instead of 1 cup (250 g) thick Greek yogurt

    Thick coconut or cashew yogurt

    Dairy-free and equally cooling. Choose an unsweetened one, and add a squeeze of lemon to restore the sharpness.

  • Oils 1:1

    Instead of 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more to finish

    Avocado or light rapeseed oil

    Higher smoke point for hard searing and roasting, but you lose the peppery finish — save a little olive oil to drizzle at the end.

  • Acids 1:1 for lime; vinegar at 2/3 the volume

    Instead of Zest and juice of 1 lemon

    Lime, or 1 tsp white wine vinegar per tablespoon of juice

    Lime is brighter and slightly more floral. Vinegar has no zest oils, so add a strip of orange peel for aroma.

  • Nuts 1:1 by volume

    Instead of 2 tbsp toasted almonds, crushed

    Toasted pecans, pepitas or sunflower seeds

    Seeds keep it nut-free for allergies. Toast them 2 minutes less than nuts — they scorch quickly.

  • Herbs 1:1 by volume

    Instead of 2 tbsp chopped dill

    Any other soft herb you have — chervil, chives, parsley or mint

    Soft herbs are interchangeable by volume. Keep them raw or added late so they stay bright.

Options

Make it your own

  • Add some heat

    A pinch of chilli flakes bloomed in the cooking fat, or a spoonful of chilli crisp at the table, lifts the dish without rewriting it.

  • Meat-free direction

    Roasted cauliflower, mushrooms or firm tofu can stand in for the protein — see the substitutions section for weights and timing.

  • Dairy-free version

    The dairy swaps below are all 1:1 or close to it. Expect a slightly leaner texture rather than a different dish.

  • Change the herb

    Soft herbs swap by volume. Keep the woody ones in the cooking and the tender ones for finishing.

  • Scale it for a crowd

    Doubling from 4 works, but use two pans rather than one — crowding steams what should brown.

At the table

Serving suggestions

  • Room temperature suits this better than fridge-cold — give it 20 minutes out before serving.
  • Bread with a real crust, for mopping or scooping.
  • A sharp green salad dressed only with lemon and oil keeps the plate light.
  • Add a protein — jammy eggs, roasted chickpeas, or leftover chicken — to make it a full meal.

Get it right

Success tips

  1. Read the method through once before you start and set out the ingredients — most mistakes happen mid-step.
  2. Weigh or measure to the list at your chosen serving size; the quantities above are already scaled for 4 as written.
  3. Let the pan get properly hot and then leave the food alone; the colour you want only forms on undisturbed contact.
  4. Taste and adjust salt and acid at the end. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar fixes more dishes than extra salt does.
  5. Cook's note: Crowd the pan on purpose but resist stirring. The first three untouched minutes are what make the char.

Keeping it

Storage & make-ahead

Fridge

Store components in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days. Keep dressings, herbs and anything crisp separate until you serve, or the texture goes limp overnight.

Freezer

Freezes well for up to 3 months in flat, airtight portions with plenty of liquid. Thaw overnight in the fridge; anything crisp or fresh is better added again at serving.

Reheating

Warm gently, covered, over low heat or in a 325°F (165°C) oven until hot through, loosening with a spoonful of stock or water. Re-season and add fresh herbs or acid at the end.

Make ahead

With 10 minutes of prep, most of the chopping, mixing and measuring can be done a day early and refrigerated. Leave the final 10 minutes of cooking, and any finishing herbs, acid or dairy, for the day you serve.

Kit

Equipment checklist

  • Heavy skillet, ideally cast iron
  • Balloon whisk or hand mixer
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Digital scale, mixing bowls, sharp knife and board
  • Large mixing bowl and a smaller one for dressings or seasonings
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping
  • Measuring cups and spoons, plus a ladle for serving

Questions

Frequently asked

Can I change the number of servings?

Yes. The recipe is written for 4 servings and the control in the recipe card rescales every ingredient quantity and the nutrition estimate from 1 to 24 servings. Cooking times change far less than quantities do, so use the visual and temperature cues in the method rather than the clock.

How far ahead can I make it?

Most of the 10 minutes of prep can be done a day ahead and refrigerated. Leave the 10 minutes of cooking and any fresh finishing — herbs, acid, dairy, crisp toppings — for serving day. The storage section above has the specifics.

What if I am missing an ingredient?

Check the substitutions section: each swap lists a workable ratio and what it changes about flavour, texture or timing. Salt, acid and fat are the elements worth keeping honest; almost everything else has a sensible stand-in.

Can I make a meat-free version?

Often, yes. The substitutions section gives a plausible stand-in with adjusted weights and timing. Expect a different dish rather than an identical one, and season more assertively — meat contributes salt and fat as well as flavour.

My timing came out differently — what happened?

Pan size, how full the pan is, and how cold the ingredients were all shift timing by several minutes. Trust the described look and feel at each step, and give the food room so it browns instead of steaming.