Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini Recipe

This is, without a doubt, the best charred broccolini recipe you will ever make.

I first had charred broccolini at one of those trendy, new-Southern restaurants that opened up downtown. You know the kind, where the mason jars are for cocktails instead of canning and the bill makes your eyes water just a little. The broccolini was delicious, smoky and crisp, but I knew it was missing something. It was good, but it didn’t have that little bit of magic that makes you think about a dish for days.

My husband, bless his heart, could tell I was scheming the whole drive home. I spent the next week tinkering in my kitchen. The charring part was easy, a hot oven and a preheated pan take care of that. But the sauce needed a soul. Lemon and garlic felt too predictable. Balsamic glaze was a little too 2005 for my taste.

Then, I remembered a tub of gochujang I had bought for a Korean-inspired barbecue night. It’s a fermented Korean chili paste that’s got this incredible savory, sweet, and spicy flavor. I thought about how beautifully rich brown butter is, all nutty and deep. What if I married that classic French technique with this powerhouse Korean ingredient? The result was pure fireworks. The nutty brown butter calmed the gochujang’s heat just enough, and a splash of vinegar and a hint of maple syrup tied it all together. It was the pop of flavor the broccolini was begging for, a perfect Southern-meets-global twist.

Skip to My Special Recipe!

Why This Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini Recipe Works

There’s a reason roasted vegetables have become a staple in modern cooking. That high-heat char brings out a natural sweetness and creates a texture that is simply irresistible. Broccolini, with its long, tender stems and delicate florets, is the perfect candidate for this treatment. It gets wonderfully crisp and caramelized in the oven, providing the perfect canvas for a bold sauce.

The concept of combining a rich fat with a spicy chili element is a classic pairing found in cuisines all over the world. It just works. In recent years, gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste, has become incredibly popular for its unique flavor profile. It’s not just about heat, it delivers a savory, slightly sweet, and deeply umami punch that is incredibly complex. Combining it with butter creates a sauce that is both familiar and exciting.

So, where does my twist come in? The magic of this particular Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini recipe lies in two key components that elevate it from great to truly unforgettable. First, we use brown butter. Browning the butter cooks the milk solids, creating a wonderfully nutty, toasty aroma and flavor that regular melted butter just can’t compete with. It’s a simple French technique that adds incredible depth.

The second, and my personal secret weapon, is the addition of toasted black sesame paste, also known as neri goma. While many recipes might use a sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish, incorporating the paste directly into the sauce is a game changer. It adds a profound, earthy nuttiness and a luxurious richness that beautifully complements the brown butter and balances the spicy kick of the gochujang. It makes the sauce darker, silkier, and introduces a flavor that will have your guests wondering what your secret is.

Ingredients for Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini

The beauty of this dish is its reliance on a handful of powerhouse ingredients. Each one plays a crucial role in building layers of flavor. While the list might look like it has a few specialty items, they are becoming much easier to find and are absolutely worth seeking out for the incredible taste they deliver. Quality really matters here, especially with the butter and the flavor pastes.

My special twist, the toasted black sesame paste (neri goma), is what truly sets this recipe apart. It’s different from tahini, which is made from raw or lightly toasted white sesame seeds. Black sesame paste has a much deeper, richer, and more intense nutty flavor. It adds a background note of earthy bitterness that cuts through the richness of the butter and rounds out the sauce beautifully. You can typically find it at Asian markets or online, and a little jar goes a long way.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make my Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini:

• 1 lb broccolini, ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral high-heat oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter: I recommend using a good quality European-style butter if you can find it. It has a higher fat content, which means more milk solids to toast for a richer brown butter flavor.
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste): Gochujang comes in different heat levels, so feel free to choose one that suits your preference. Brands can also vary in sweetness and saltiness, so you may want to taste and adjust your sauce.
• 1 tbsp toasted black sesame paste (neri goma): This is our key ingredient! Do not substitute with regular tahini, as the flavor profile is completely different and essential for the intended result.
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar: This adds a touch of acidity to brighten up the rich sauce.
• 2 tsp honey or maple syrup: Just a little sweetness to balance the spice and savory notes.
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Toasted white and black sesame seeds, for garnish
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini

Making this dish is all about timing and technique, but don’t let that intimidate you. It comes together quite quickly once you get going. The key is to have your sauce ingredients ready to go while the broccolini is roasting. The sauce is made in the final minutes of cooking, so everything comes out hot and perfect at the same time.

Step 1: Prep and Roast the Broccolini

First things first, get that oven nice and hot by preheating it to 425°F. A hot oven is essential for getting that beautiful char without turning the broccolini to mush. While it heats up, prepare your broccolini on a large baking sheet. I can’t stress enough the importance of using a large sheet pan. You want the broccolini in a single, even layer with a little space between the pieces. If it’s too crowded, it will steam instead of roast, and you’ll miss out on all those crispy, charred bits. Toss the trimmed broccolini with the avocado oil, kosher salt, and black pepper directly on the pan for easy cleanup. Get your hands in there and make sure every stalk is lightly coated.

Step 2: Get a Perfect Char

Slide that baking sheet into the preheated oven and let it roast for about 15 to 20 minutes. The exact time will depend on the thickness of your broccolini stems. About halfway through, use a pair of tongs to flip the broccolini over. This ensures it cooks evenly on all sides. You’re looking for tender-crisp stems, meaning they have a slight bite but are not raw, and florets that are deeply browned, almost blackened in some spots. That char is pure flavor, so don’t be shy about it!

Step 3: Make the Brown Butter

While the broccolini is in its last 10 minutes of roasting, it’s time to make the sauce. The foundation is brown butter, or beurre noisette. Use a small, light-colored saucepan for this step. A light color is important because it allows you to see the milk solids changing color, preventing them from burning. Melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. It will melt, then foam up. Continue to cook, swirling the pan every so often. After a few minutes, the foam will subside, you’ll see golden-brown specks forming at the bottom, and your kitchen will fill with the most incredible nutty aroma. This process takes about 4 to 6 minutes. Watch it closely, it can go from perfectly brown to burnt very quickly.

Step 4: Build the Sauce

As soon as those milk solids are a lovely hazelnut brown, immediately remove the pan from the heat. The residual heat will continue to cook it. Add your finely minced garlic to the hot butter and swirl the pan for about 30 seconds. The garlic will become fragrant instantly. Next, whisk in the gochujang, toasted black sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Keep whisking until the sauce is smooth, glossy, and fully emulsified. It should look like a thick, cohesive glaze.

Step 5: Toss and Serve

By now, your broccolini should be perfectly charred and ready to come out of the oven. Transfer the hot broccolini directly from the baking sheet into a large mixing bowl. Don’t wait for it to cool down. Pour that glorious gochujang brown butter sauce all over the hot broccolini. Using tongs, gently toss everything together until every single piece is generously coated in the sauce. The heat from the broccolini will make the sauce even more fragrant.

Step 6: Garnish and Enjoy Immediately

Move the coated broccolini to a beautiful serving platter. To finish, drizzle it with a little toasted sesame oil for an extra layer of nutty aroma. Then, be generous with your garnish. A sprinkle of both toasted white and black sesame seeds adds texture and visual appeal, and a final pinch of flaky sea salt makes all the flavors pop. This dish is absolutely best served hot, right away, when the char is still crisp and the sauce is warm and luscious.

How To Serve Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini

This Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini is so flavorful that it can easily be the star of the show, but it also plays beautifully as a supporting character. The bold, spicy, and nutty flavors make it an incredibly versatile side dish that can elevate a simple weeknight meal or impress guests at a dinner party. The key is to pair it with main courses that can stand up to its robust profile without being completely overshadowed.

I find it’s the perfect accompaniment to simply prepared proteins. The complexity of the sauce means you don’t need a fussy main dish. Let the broccolini bring the excitement to the plate. It’s a fantastic way to make an ordinary meal feel a little more special and chef-inspired with minimal extra effort.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:

• With Grilled Meats: The smoky char of a perfectly grilled steak, pork chop, or chicken thigh is a natural match for the charred broccolini. The rich, spicy sauce acts almost like a steakhouse side and condiment all in one.
• Alongside Seared Fish: Serve it next to a beautiful piece of seared salmon, sea bass, or scallops. The acidity in the sauce from the rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the fish wonderfully.
• Over Grains: For a hearty vegetarian meal, serve the broccolini and all its delicious sauce over a bed of fluffy steamed rice, quinoa, or farro. The grains will soak up any extra sauce, ensuring no drop of flavor goes to waste. You could even top it with a fried egg.
• As Part of a Bowl: Create a vibrant grain bowl by starting with rice, adding the broccolini, and then including other components like pickled carrots, edamame, and a protein of your choice for a complete and satisfying meal.

When you plate it, make sure to drizzle any extra sauce from the mixing bowl over the top. The more sauce, the better! It looks beautiful on a simple white platter where the dark, glossy sauce and vibrant green of the broccolini can really stand out.

How To Store & Reuse Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini Leftovers

Honestly, this dish is so good that leftovers are a rare occurrence in my house. It is truly at its peak when served fresh from the oven, with the florets still crispy and the sauce warm and fragrant. However, if you do find yourself with some extra, you can certainly store it and enjoy it later. The texture will change slightly upon reheating, but the amazing flavor will still be there.

Proper storage is key to preserving as much of the original quality as possible. You want to cool the broccolini down and get it into the fridge fairly quickly to keep it safe and delicious. Don’t leave it sitting out on the counter for hours after dinner.

Here’s the best way to handle leftovers:

• Storage: Allow the broccolini to cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken and solidify a bit in the cold, which is perfectly normal.
• Reheating in the Oven or Air Fryer: This is my preferred method as it helps to bring back some of the original crispiness. Spread the broccolini on a baking sheet and reheat in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until heated through and the edges are slightly crisped up again.
• Reheating in a Skillet: You can also gently reheat the broccolini in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a tiny splash of water if the sauce seems too thick to help it loosen up as it warms.
• Reusing Cold: Don’t be afraid to eat it cold! Chop up the leftover broccolini and toss it into a salad for a burst of flavor, or mix it into a cold noodle dish. The flavors are still fantastic straight from the fridge.

One of my favorite ways to reuse leftovers is to chop them up and scramble them with some eggs for a truly spectacular breakfast. The spicy, savory flavors are an amazing way to start the day. It’s a great way to ensure that not a single delicious bite goes to waste.

Substitutions & Variations For Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini

One of the best parts about home cooking is the ability to make a recipe your own. While I believe this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini is perfect as is, I know that sometimes you need to work with what you have on hand or adjust for dietary needs. This recipe is wonderfully flexible and can handle a few tweaks and substitutions with delicious results.

Whether you’re looking to swap out a vegetable, adjust the heat level, or cater to a specific diet, there are plenty of options. Just remember that changing a key ingredient like the gochujang or the black sesame paste will alter the final flavor profile, but you can still create something absolutely fantastic. Think of this recipe as a template for a truly addictive vegetable side dish.

Here are some substitutions and variations you might like to try:

• Different Vegetables: If you don’t have broccolini, this sauce is amazing on a variety of other roasted vegetables. Try it with regular broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, Brussels sprouts (halved), or even thick asparagus spears. Just be sure to adjust the roasting time accordingly.
• For a Milder Flavor: If you’re sensitive to spice, look for a “mild” gochujang, or reduce the amount to one tablespoon and increase the honey by a teaspoon to balance it out. You could also substitute with a milder chili paste like doubanjiang, though the flavor will be different.
• Nut-Free Option: While the black sesame paste is key to my version, if you have a sesame allergy, you can omit it. The sauce will still be delicious, just less complex. You could try adding a tablespoon of sunflower seed butter (sunbutter) for a different kind of nutty richness.
• Make it Vegan: To make this dish vegan, simply swap the unsalted butter for a high-quality vegan butter that browns well (many do!), and use maple syrup instead of honey. The results are just as decadent.
• Add Some Crunch: For extra texture, try sprinkling some toasted peanuts, cashews, or crispy fried shallots over the top along with the sesame seeds just before serving.

Feel free to experiment and find the combination that you and your family love the most. That’s the joy of being the one in charge of the kitchen! You get to create the perfect dish every single time.

5 FAQs About Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini

Here are some straightforward answers to the most common questions I receive about this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini recipe.

What is the best way to keep my brown butter from burning when making this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini?

This is probably the most important question, because the line between beautiful brown butter and a burnt, bitter mess is very fine. The absolute best tip I can give you is to use a light-colored saucepan, like stainless steel or enamel. A dark or nonstick pan makes it nearly impossible to see the color of the milk solids as they toast. You have to rely on your sense of sight and smell working together.

Stay by the stove and give it your full attention. This is not the time to walk away and unload the dishwasher. Keep the heat on a steady medium, not high. As the butter melts and foams, swirl the pan frequently to ensure the milk solids cook evenly. Once you start to smell that nutty aroma and see the specks at the bottom turn a lovely hazelnut or amber color, pull it off the heat immediately. The residual heat in the pan will continue to cook it for a few moments, so it’s better to err on the side of pulling it off a second too early than a second too late. Having your other sauce ingredients pre-measured and ready to go helps you stop the cooking process quickly by adding them to the pan.

Can I make this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini ahead of time for a party?

While this dish is undeniably best when served immediately, you can absolutely do some prep work to make things easier for a party. I would recommend prepping the components separately and then combining them right before you serve. You can wash and trim the broccolini a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge. You can also make the sauce entirely ahead of time. Just prepare the gochujang brown butter sauce as directed, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

When it’s time to serve, simply roast the broccolini as directed. While it’s in the oven, gently reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it’s liquid and warm. Be careful not to let it boil. Once the broccolini comes out of the oven, toss it with the warm sauce and garnish as usual. This method ensures the broccolini is perfectly crisp and hot, which is the most important part of the dish’s texture.

Where can I find toasted black sesame paste for this broccolini recipe?

Toasted black sesame paste, often sold under its Japanese name “neri goma,” can sometimes be a little tricky to find, but it’s well worth the search. Your first and best bet is a well-stocked Asian grocery store. Look in the aisle with other pastes like miso, or near the sesame oils and sauces. It typically comes in a glass jar.

If you don’t have a local Asian market, many larger supermarkets are now carrying it in their international foods section. And of course, there’s always the internet. Online retailers like Amazon or specialty food purveyors carry multiple brands. When you buy it, make sure the label says “toasted” black sesame paste, as this is crucial for the deep, nutty flavor we want. It’s different from black tahini, which can sometimes be made from raw seeds and has a much milder, sometimes more bitter flavor. The toasted version is what gives this dish its signature rich taste.

Is this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini recipe very spicy?

The spice level of this dish is what I would call a pleasant, medium heat. It has a definite kick, but it’s balanced by the richness of the butter, the sweetness of the honey, and the savory soy sauce, so it shouldn’t be overwhelming for most people who enjoy a bit of spice. However, the heat can vary significantly depending on the brand of gochujang you use. Different brands have different levels of heat, sweetness, and saltiness.

If you are concerned about the spice level, I recommend starting with a little less gochujang, maybe one and a half tablespoons instead of two. You can always taste the sauce before you toss it with the broccolini and whisk in a little more if you want more heat. Conversely, if you’re a true spice lover, feel free to add an extra teaspoon or even a pinch of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to the sauce to really ramp up the fire. It’s very easy to customize to your personal preference.

What is the difference between broccolini and broccoli rabe?

This is a great question because they are often near each other in the grocery store and can be confusing. Broccolini is a hybrid vegetable, a cross between standard broccoli and Chinese broccoli (gai lan). It has long, thin, tender stems and small florets. Its flavor is mild, slightly sweet, and earthy, very similar to regular broccoli but more delicate. It’s perfect for roasting because the stems become tender and the florets get wonderfully crispy.

Broccoli rabe, on the other hand, is not related to broccoli at all. It’s actually a member of the turnip family. It has thinner stalks, much smaller florets, and lots of leafy greens. The flavor of broccoli rabe is significantly different, it’s much more pungent and has a pronounced, bitter taste that can be an acquired taste for some. While you could technically use it in this recipe, the bitter notes would dramatically change the flavor profile of the dish. For this Gochujang Brown Butter Charred Broccolini recipe, you should definitely stick with broccolini to get the intended sweet and charred flavor.

Try These Recipes Next

If you loved the bold flavors and simple techniques in this recipe, here are a few other dishes from my kitchen that I know you’ll enjoy.

• Easy Charred Broccolini Recipe: If you want to master the basics, this simple recipe is the perfect starting point for achieving that perfect char every time.
• Easy Brown Butter Miso Bok Choy Recipe: This dish uses that same magical brown butter but pairs it with savory miso for an incredible umami-rich side dish.
• Easy Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter: See a theme here? Brown butter makes everything better, and these beautifully sliced sweet potatoes are a true showstopper.

I hope you have as much fun making these as I do!