Malai Broccoli
Jan 02, 2020
Malai Broccoli is an easy and delicious appetizer to make for just about any occasion! Broccoli is coated with a creamy marinade and flavored with spices like cardamom, garam masala and is then roasted to perfection in the oven.
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Malai Broccoli is an easy appetizer to make for just about any occasion!
Broccoli is flavored with cream cheese, cheese, cardamom powder and garam masala and then cooked in the oven until browned.
Tastes great with cilantro chutney!
Roasted broccoli is probably one of my favorite things to eat.
I can pretty much have it everyday and not get bored. Sarvesh doesn’t care for it but that doesn’t stop me for cooking it in my kitchen.
While simple roasted broccoli is great, sometimes I like to change things up and flavor it up.
One of my favorite ways to jazz up roasted broccoli is by coating it with a mixture of cream cheese, greek yogurt, cheese and some spices.
I call it Malai Broccoli (malai=cream).Â
The inspiration behind this recipe comes from my dad. My dad loves broccoli just as much as I do.
So, last year when he was visiting us he told me about this broccoli dish that he had at one of the restaurants in India.
He said it was called malai broccoli and it was absolutely amazing and if I could recreate it.
Now, it’s quite a task to recreate something you haven’t even tasted! Anyway, from the name I guessed it involved cream and cheese.
And so I ended up creating something which he actually approved. I am not sure if it tasted like this one he had the restaurant but he loved it nonetheless!
This Malai Broccoli
✓ makes an easy and delicious appetizer
✓ is good on it’s own or paired with chutney
✓ flavored with spices like cardamom and garam masala
✓ has a cheesy flavor from the cream cheese and cheese slices!
✓ is great for you if you are following a low-carb diet
For this malai broccoli recipe, I used a number of ingredients for the marinade.
So, first I make the marinade, toss the broccoli with it, let it sit for some time and then roast in the oven.
For the marinade I have used cream cheese, heavy cream, Greek yogurt and cheese slices (I use Amul cheese slices).
The flavor for this malai broccoli comes from the cheese and also from the fresh ginger, cardamom, white pepper and some garam masala.
The marinated broccoli is roasted in the oven until done.
Once it’s done, I like to broil it for few minutes just to get the charred look.
Also the edges become crispy which I personally love!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this malai broccoli as an appetizer.
You can serve it with a side of chutney or ketchup or even mayonnaise would be good.
Sometimes, I also eat it as a meal. I mean a plate full of flavorful roasted broccoli? Now, that’s my kind of meal!
Method
1- Cut broccoli into medium size florets and set aside. To a large bowl add room temperature cream cheese and Greek yogurt.
2-Â On a pan on low heat, melt together the cheese slices with heavy cream.
3- Pour the melted cheese and cream mixture into the bowl with Greek yogurt and cream cheese. Whisk until it’s all combined.
4- Add the chopped ginger, ginger-garlic paste, white pepper powder, black pepper, salt, sugar, garam masala and cardamom powder.
5- Mix until it is all well combined.
6- Add the broccoli florets into the bowl.
7- Toss the florets until they are all coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
8- Pre-heat oven to 425 F degrees. Arrange the florets on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Then broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the florets get little charred and edges become crispy.
Serve Malai Broccoli as an appetizer!
If you’ve tried this Malai Broccoli Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Malai Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 large head broccoli around 4 heaping cups medium sized broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cheese slices I used Amul cheese slices (Indian brand)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream 30 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Cut broccoli into medium size florets and set aside. To a large bowl add room temperature cream cheese and Greek yogurt.
- On a pan on low heat, melt together the cheese slices with heavy cream.Pour the melted cheese and cream mixture into the bowl with Greek yogurt and cream cheese. Whisk until it's all combined.
- Add the chopped ginger, ginger-garlic paste, white pepper powder, black pepper, salt, sugar, garam masala and cardamom powder. Mix until it is all well combined.
- Add the broccoli florets into the bowl. Toss the florets until they are all coated with the marinade.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 425 F degrees. Arrange the florets on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.Then broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the florets get little charred and edges become crispy.
- Serve Malai Broccoli as an appetizer!
Notes
- This recipe doesn't call for any chilies or chilli powder. But you can definitely add some spice to it by adding some chopped green chilies or red chili powder.
- You may use any cheese slices that you like here. I love the Amul cheese slices in this recipe.Â
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Manali..thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe. Everyone in the family loved it!!!
welcome Kanica!
Tried this recipe.. Came out yummy
My friends made this & they said it tasted great . Just want to know what heavy cream to use .
I have used heavy cream which had fat percentage of more than 35%, you can use any brand with same composition
Substitute for cream can I use full fat milk and use cheddar instead of amul
better replacement would be half n half and yes cheddar can be used
I love Malai Broccoli. Tomorrow I am going to give a try for my all time favourite recipe. I love my betu and her recipes.
Thanks papa 🙂
This is delicious! I didn’t have the Indian cheese but used Kerrygold instead.
Hi
I really like you recipe.
Is there a substitute for cream cheese?
use more of the yogurt