Broccolini® (Aspirations)
Estimated Inventory, 18 ct : 135.59
This item was last sold on : 05/07/25
Description/Taste
Broccolini® consists of elongated, tubular stems, averaging 10 to 15 centimeters in length, and transitions into dark green leaves traveling up the stem, spreading into small, clustered florets at the top. The narrow stems are bright green, firm, and smooth with a dense, crunchy, and succulent consistency. The leaves and florets are dark green with a delicate, brittle, and crisp texture. Broccolini® has a fresh, green taste with subtle peppery and mustard-like undertones. The vegetable is milder than common broccoli, and when cooked, the flavor becomes understated with fresh, sweet nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Broccolini® is available year-round.
Current Facts
Broccolini® is a naturally developed hybrid vegetable belonging to the Brassicaceae family. The sweet and tender variety was produced from traditional hand-pollinated crosses between gai lan and broccoli and is not genetically modified. Broccolini® is also known as Aspirations and was created in Japan as a crop to complement the seasonal sales of cool-season broccoli. Broccolini® grows best in temperate climates and can be grown year-round and worldwide, but the vegetable has remained a luxury variety due to the cultivar’s challenging growth characteristics and multiple harvest requirements. Despite its demanding nature, Broccolini® has amassed a small following among chefs and broccoli enthusiasts for the variety’s mild, sweet flavor, zero waste nature, and tender, crunchy consistency.
Nutritional Value
Broccolini® is an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens the immune system while reducing inflammation, and is a good source of fiber and vitamin A. The cultivar also provides calcium to protect bones and teeth, iron to build the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport in the blood, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and lower amounts of folate, vitamin K, and manganese.
Applications
Broccolini® has a delicate nature and sweet, peppery flavor well suited for both raw and cooked applications. The hybrid cultivar does not need to be peeled before use and was designed to withstand high heat, utilized in roasted, stir-fried, sauteed, steamed, or blanched preparations. Broccolini® can be shaved into green salads, and the entire vegetable is edible, including the stem, leaves, and florets. It can also be blanched and tossed into pasta, chopped and mixed into grain bowls, layered on appetizer plates with creamy cheeses and dips, or tossed in light-bodied vinegar and served as a bright side dish. Beyond lightly cooked applications, Broccolini® can be stir-fried into vegetable medleys, roasted with meats, or used as a topping over pizza. Broccolini® pairs well with meats such as poultry, turkey, beef, pork, and fish, aromatics such as ginger, garlic, and onions, cheeses such as parmigiano, burrata, goat, and feta, tomatoes, eggplant, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, citrus, and olives. Whole, unwashed Broccolini® will keep 5 to 10 days when stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Broccolini® is known around the world by many different names, and these names were created from targeted marketing plans to popularize the new vegetable. The variety was originally released as Aspirations, a term developed by Sakata Seed in reference to the company’s hopes of the new variety being successful. The name was also created to encourage consumers to relate the variety’s elongated stalks with the tender nature of asparagus, despite the cultivar not having any genetic ties with asparagus. Once Aspirations was introduced to the United States, it was renamed by the Mann Packing Company in Salinas, California. Mann Packing Company’s Chief Operating Officer’s wife, Debbi Nucci, developed the name Broccolini®, and the company filed a registered trademark for the name in 1998 in an effort to rebrand the new vegetable. The name Broccolini® was developed to associate the cultivar with baby broccoli as the American consumer market has a fondness for baby vegetables. Broccolini® was met with a positive response nationwide and is the primary label used in the United States today. Broccolini® is also known under other names, including Asparbroc, Chinese Baby Broccoli, Tender Stem, Broccoletti, and Broccolini Brand Baby Broccoli.
Geography/History
Broccolini® was developed by Sakata Seeds, a seed breeding company based in Yokohama, Japan, with offices worldwide. The variety was created from a Sakata Seed annual research meeting in the 1980s in Japan between marketing and sales professionals, seed breeding scientists, and experts. Sakata Seed is one of the world’s leading supplier of broccoli seeds, and during the research meeting, an idea was developed to create a type of vegetable similar to broccoli that could be grown in warmer climates year-round. It was important to the research team that the new variety maintained some physical similarities to broccoli, but the entire vegetable should be edible to reduce food waste. It took over seven years for the new vegetable to be created, first labeled under the name Aspirations, and was released to Japanese growers in 1993. Aspirations was later introduced in 1996 to the United States and was sold through licensed growers in Northern California. The leading partnership was with the Mann Packing Company of Salinas, one of the largest distributors of fresh broccoli. The company aggressively marketed the new variety as a sweeter, high-end variant of broccoli and eventually trademarked and renamed Aspirations to Broccolini® in 1998. Today Broccolini® is considered a specialty variety primarily found through farmer’s markets and select grocers and is sold in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Encontro North Park | San Diego CA | 310-955-6333 |
| The Beau Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-310-5160 |
| Herb & Wood | San Diego CA | 520-205-1288 |
| Savory Moment (1) | Carlsbad CA | 619-633-8863 |
| Born & Raised | San Diego CA | 619-944-1631 |
| Top of the Market -2025 | San Diego CA | 619-234-4867 |
| Sheraton La Jolla | San Diego CA | 858-453-5500 |
| Vista Valley | Vista CA | 760-758-2800 |
| Margaritaville Hotel SD (Kitchen) | San Diego CA | 619-819-9500 |
| Bernini's Bistro | La Jolla CA | 858-454-5013 |
| WineSellar & Brasserie | San Diego CA | 858-450-9557 |
| The Tavern | Coronado CA | 602-628-5890 |
| Belmont Park Draft | San Diego CA | 858-228-9283 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Main | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| Choi's | San Diego CA | 858-900-1224 |
| Salt & Whiskey | San Diego CA | 619-544-1886 |
| InterContinental Vistal Kitchen | San Diego CA | 619-501-9400 |
| Luce | San Diego CA | 619-275-2094 |
| Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-381-8289 |
| Bahia Resort Hotel | San Diego CA | 858-488-0551 |
| Green Dragon Tavern & Museum | Carlsbad CA | 760-797-5579 |
| Reata Glen | Ladera Ranch CA | 949-545-2250 |
| Huntress | San Diego CA | 619-955-5750 |
| Bayhill Tavern | San Diego CA | 858-288-6923 |
| Smoking Gun | San Diego CA | 619-276-6700 |
| Sonny's Pizza | San Diego CA | 619-432-1838 |
| San Diego Yacht Club | San Diego CA | 619-758-6334 |
| Third Corner Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 760-942-2104 |
| Green Acres Campus | San Diego CA | 858-450-9907 |
| Rancho Valencia New Restaurant | Del Mar CA | 858-756-1123 |
| Sago | Encinitas CA | 858-382-4047 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (Banquets) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| Syrah Spirit & Wine Parlor | San Diego CA | 619-234-4166 |
| Brigantine Pt Loma | San Diego CA | 619-224-2871 |
| Viejas Casino Banquets | Alpine Ca | 619-295-3172 |
| South O Brewing Catering | Oceanside CA | 925-381-5392 |
| Frenchy's Hideout | San Diego CA | 858-345-7379 |
| Saiko Sushi-Coronado | Coronado CA | 619-435-0868 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Grill | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| The Lion Share | San Diego CA | 619-564-6924 |
| Brigantine Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-481-1166 |
| Brigantine La Mesa | La Mesa CA | 619-465-1935 |
| Polaris Supreme | San Diego CA | 619-390-7890 |
| Continental Catering Inc | La Mesa CA | 907-738-9264 |
| Garbatella Osteria Bar | Chula Vista CA | 619-651-1185 |
| Brigantine Poway | Poway CA | 858-486-3066 |
| La Jolla Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-454-9601 |
| Shogun Sportfishing | San Diego CA | 619-226-8030 |
| Barbarella La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-7373 |
| Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering | San Diego CA | 619-436-7006 |
| Coast Catering | Escondido CA | 619-295-3173 |
| Sushi Gaga | San Diego CA | 619-808-1556 |
| Sepulveda Meats & Provisions | San Diego CA | 619-501-1878 |
| Palmys | San Diego CA | 858-886-7111 |
| Mille Fleurs | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-756-3085 |
| Prey Brewing Company | Vista CA | 760-822-4226 |
| Happy Medium SD | San Diego CA | 509-869-2279 |
| Stone Brewing-Liberty Station | San Diego CA | 619-269-2100 |
| Knotty Barrel- Rancho | San Diego CA | 858-484-8758 |
| Oyster and Pearl Bar Restaurant | La Mesa CA | 619-303-8118 |
| Portside Pier (TopSail) | San Diego CA | 858-268-1030 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| Kettner Exchange | San Diego CA | 909-915-9877 |
| Oscars Brewing Company | Temecula CA | 619-695-2422 |
| BFD-Big Front Door | San Diego CA | 619-723-8183 |
| The Wild Thyme Company | San Diego CA | 858-527-0226 |
| The Remy | San Diego CA | 619-886-1358 |
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| Little Victory Wine Market | Carlsbad CA | 310-738-3380 |
| Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District | El Cajon CA | 619-644-7585 |
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| University Club | San Diego CA | 619-234-5200 |
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| Waverly | Cardiff CA | 619-244-0416 |
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| Seneca | San Diego CA | 619-588-2411 |
| Juniper & Ivy | San Diego CA | 858-481-3666 |
| Bekker's Catering | San Diego CA | 619-287-9027 |
| Animae | San Diego CA | 619-925-7908 |
| Donna Jean | San Diego CA | 619-392-0052 |
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| Barleymash | San Diego CA | 619-255-7373 |
| Lauberge Del Mar Banquet | Del Mar CA | 858-259-1515 |
| Mission Bay Yacht Club | San Diego CA | 858-488-0501 |
| Rancho Valencia | Del Mar CA | 858-756-1123 |
| Huntress (Banquet) | San Diego CA | 619-955-5750 |
| Blue Whale | La Jolla CA | 808-868-8639 |
| The Harvest Honey | San Marcos CA | 616-914-0124 |
| Rustic Root | San Diego CA | 619-232-1747 |
| Culinary Kitchen Catering and Events | Coronado CA | 619-798-8477 |
| Jalisco Cantina | Carlsbad CA | 619-204-5945 |
| Comedor Nishi | La Jolla CA | 619-549-9919 |
| Harvest Kitchen | Vista CA | 619-709-0938 |
| Del Mar Country Club | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-759-5995 |
| Hotel Republic San Diego | San Diego CA | 951-756-9357 |
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| The Crossings | Carlsbad CA | 760-444-1800 |
| Paradise Point Resort Tidal | San Diego CA | 858-490-6363 |
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| Bali Hai Restaurant | San Diego CA | 619-222-1181 |
| Toast Catering | San Diego CA | 619-795-9135 |
| The Plot | Oceanside CA | 422-266-8200 |
| Pacifica Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-792-0505 |
| Viejas Casino Grove Steakhouse | Alpine CA | 800-295-3172 |
| Jake's Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-755-2002 |
| Marriott Courtyard - Broadway | San Diego CA | 619-446-3008 |
| Javier Plascencia (Animalon) | Bonita CA | 619-295-3172 |
| A & M catering | San Diego CA | 206-802-8320 |
| HiroNori Ramen | San Diego CA | 619-446-9876 |
| Urban Kitchen Catering | San Diego CA | 619-276-8803 |
| Pendry SD (Provisional) | San Diego CA | 619-738-7000 |
| Lumi | San Diego CA | 619-955-5750 |
| Mission Bay Beach Club | San Diego CA | 858-201-7551 |
| PFC Fitness Camp | Carlsbad CA | 888-488-8936 |
| Park Hyatt Aviara (Ember & Rye) | Carlsbad CA | 760-448-1234 |
| AC Hotel by Marriott SD | San Diego CA | 248-703-3310 |
| Solare Ristorante Lounge | San Diego CA | 619-270-9670 |
| Top of the Market | San Diego CA | 619-234-4867 |
| The Market by Buon Appetito | San Diego CA | 619-237-1335 |
| Sets Kitchen and Bar | San Marcos CA | 970-390-2148 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Broccolini® (Aspirations). One
is easiest, three is harder.
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