broccoli rabe

American  

[brok-uh-lee rahb, brok-lee] / ˈbrɒk ə li ˌrɑb, ˈbrɒk li /

Also broccoli rab or broccoli raab

noun

1. a cruciferous plant, Brassica rapa rapa, of the mustard family, also classified by other names, especially B. rapa ruva, B. rapa rapifera, and B. ruvo.

2. the slightly bitter, dark green leaves and clustered flower buds of this plant, eaten as a raw or cooked vegetable.

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Etymology

Origin of broccoli rabe

First recorded in 1925–30; perhaps alteration of Italian broccoli di rapa “flowering tops of the turnip”; cf. broccoli ( def. ), rape ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Visitors to Puglia, a major producer of durum wheat, can try handmade pastas in a variety of shapes, paired with broccoli rabe, sea urchin and even a horse ragù.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

The broccoli rabe was turned into a kind of cruciferous pesto.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

This charred broccoli rabe is inspired by Spanish ajo blanco soup, also known as white gazpacho.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2023

Grilled swordfish teamed with a bed of quinoa, jump-started with charred broccoli rabe, arrives with a haunting chipotle dressing that lingers on the tongue and in the mind, even after the entree is dispatched.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

She found fresh whole wheat pasta and cooked it with turkey sausage and broccoli rabe.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times