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.

---

Etymology

Origin of broccoli rabe

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

Example Sentences

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

Ear-shaped orecchiette—Puglia’s best-known regional specialty—is often paired with broccoli rabe or a basic tomato sauce, while floppy strascinati goes with meat-rich, long-simmered sauces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

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

Translating to "little ears," orecchiette are most likely to be found hanging out with sausage and broccoli rabe in a shallow bowl.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2022

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

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times