Sweet and Spicy Roasted Broccoli Tacos

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Sweet and Spicy Roasted Broccoli Tacos are my family’s version of Alton Brown’s “Roast Broccoli Hero”. We layer roasted broccoli with spicy pickles, feta cheese, and one surprising ingredient: french fried onions. Slathered in an Asian chili mayo, these tacos are sweet, spicy, crunchy, and undeniably delicious.

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Once you try Sweet and Spicy Roasted Broccoli Tacos, you’ll be asking yourself where they’ve been all your life.

Ok so I will tell you, the recipe has a bizarre combo of ingredients. In addition to roasted broccoli, it includes items like bread and butter pickles marinated in a garlicky, gingery, sesame oily pickle brine, then topped with feta cheese, and–wait for it–crispy fried onions.

Yes. The same fried onions you put on top of green bean casserole.

I know what you’re thinking…

But oh my goodness gracious, this combo is EVERYTHING.

This majestic recipe comes from Alton Brown and his cookbook “EveryDayCook: A Cookbook”. I haven’t altered the recipe much, except I add a little more garlic, substitute one cheese for another, and I serve mine on a tortilla vs. a hoagie roll.

These tacos/sandwiches are the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

We eat these tacos at least once a week. We literally buy broccoli every week just to make them. They are that good.

So do yourself a favor, try them. Make them. You won’t be disappointed.

Why Do We Love These Sweet and Spicy Roasted Broccoli Tacos?

Here’s the first reason why we love these tacos:

It’s a fabulous way to eat a big serving of veggies!

I love broccoli, and it’s so darn good for you.

This little green superhero is chock full of vitamin C, antioxidants, calcium, and fiber, meaning that it’s great for supporting bone health, immunity, and digestion!

And lucky for you, these tacos are busting at the seams with this nutrient powerhouse.

The second reason why we’re obsessed with these tacos:

Tacos are such a fun and unique way to jazz up plain ‘ol broccoli!

These tacos help this healthy green veg move from the side of the plate to center stage!

The last reason we love these tacos:

They are so fast to make!

It takes about 15 minutes to prep, and 20 minutes to cook.

And bonus–the pickles are marinating while your broccoli roasts. So fast!

It’s a hearty, veggie-filled meal you can get on the table in about half hour. Who’s not into that?

A Word About Marinated Pickles:

At first glance, the ingredient combo of these tacos may throw you off a bit, but I’m here to tell you, it’s absolute perfection.

And all of that perfection is attributed to the marinated pickles.

In my opinion, this marinade is the star of the show, or at least a very close second to the broccoli.

We’re using bread and butter pickles here, so the brine is sweet. We spice up that brine by adding some classic Asian flair in the form of firey garlic and ginger.

Next, we pump up the heat even more with some Asian chili sauce. I like using the Huy Fong garlic-chili sauce, but you can use a chili sauce without added garlic.

Finally, to round out all that heat and sweet is our beloved roasty, toasty sesame oil. The sesame oil adds a nice nutty, toasted flavor to the party.

The pickles sit in this marinade for 20 minutes, and transform into sweet and spicy little coins of deliciousness.

But wait–you’re not done with that marinade.

You add a few tablespoons of that marinade to some mayo and you’ve got a slap-yo-mama tasty sauce to slather all over your broccoli.

This marinade is a miracle. A pickle miracle. And I’m here for it.

The Toppings On These Tacos:

So we have a lot of flavor and heat coming from the marinated pickles and the chili mayo at this point.

Now let’s get some salt up in here.

Feta is perfect in this application because it lends a lot of salt and tang to the flavor composition of the taco, thus creating a well-balanced bite.

Lucky for us, feta compliments broccoli so well at the same time. It’s like they’re best friends or something.

Awwww!!

Ok, so finally it’s time to wrap this up–hahaha get it?

Tortilla jokes.

BRING IN THE FRENCH’S FRIED ONIONS!

Not only do these crispy little guys bring more saltiness to the party, but more importantly they bring the CRUNCH.

Everything in the taco up to this point is pretty tender, so these onions not only lend a delicious flavor component, but they also give the texture a little more dimension and interest.

Modifications to the OG Recipe

It’s no secret that I am a HUGE “Good Eats” and Alton Brown fan. Have been for 20 years.

And how could you not be a fan? He’s revolutionized cooking!

I mean, the man turned a cardboard box into a smoker for crying out loud! Instructions here if you’re interested.

I wouldn’t be the cook I am today without “Good Eats”!

But although his “Roast Broccoli Hero” recipe is perfect as Mr. Brown has written it, I have substituted some of the more specialized ingredients with ingredients we have on hand day-to-day.

The original recipe calls for Ricotta Salata–which is just not at my grocery store and frankly I can’t even think of where to find it, so I use feta cheese.

The second adaptation is switching from a hoagie roll to a flour tortilla.

We just never seem to have sub rolls in the house and I always forget to grab them at the store.

But we always have flour tortillas, and those seem to have a longer shelf life than my sub rolls anyway.

Bonus? I get to eat more sandwich filling without all the bread getting in the way!

How to make Sweet and Spicy Roasted Broccoli Tacos:

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown’s, “Roast Broccoli Hero”, from EveryDayCook: A Cookbook.

Makes 4 6″Tacos

Ingredients:

• One large head of broccoli (about one pound/5Cups) chopped into small florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of sliced bread and butter pickles
• 1/2 cup of the bread and butter pickle brine
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons garlic chili sauce or your favorite ground chili sauce (ex: Sambal Oelek)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 4 oz of feta cheese, crumbled
• French Fried Onions
• 4- 6″ flour tortillas

Chili Mayo Sauce

• 5 tablespoons mayonaise
• 2 tablespoons pickle marinade

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425º.

Prepare the marinade:

Combine pickle brine, ginger, garlic, chili sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl.

Add the pickles and stir to coat in the marinade. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Roast the broccoli:

Spread the florets into an even layer on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Toss the broccoli and seasonings on the pan to evenly coat.

Roast at 425º until the florets are tender and browned, about 15-20 minutes.

To make the chili mayo:

In a separate small dish, combine the mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the pickle marinade. Stir until well combined. Set aside

Assembling The Tacos

Spread some of the chili mayo onto each tortilla.

Next add the marinated pickle slices. Divide evenly among the tortillas. You don’t want to short anyone a pickle!

Now pile on the broccoli.

Top with feta cheese and the french fried onions.

And if you have any of that extra chili mayo, drizzle that on the top too. You don’t want to waste that stuff.

Grab some napkins, and devour.

Variations:

Here are a couple of veggie subs that would be great in these tacos:

• Green Beans- Just season with salt, pepper and olive oil and roast until tender.
• Cauliflower- Season with salt and pepper as you would the broccoli and roast until tender.
• You can use frozen broccoli in the place of fresh. You’ll just need to reduce the roasting time, as it’s already partially cooked
• If you can find them, sweet thai chili pickles are great in this taco! We get ours at Hannaford Supermarkets if you have those in your area.

Tools and Ingredients You May Need:

Garlic Chili Sauce

My Favorite Sheet Pans

The Best Cutting Board I’ve Ever Owned

Other Delicious Dinners You May Like:

Easy Black Bean Burgers

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Dolsot Bibimbap (KoreanRice Bowl)

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