Description
A savory and sweet smothered broccoli dish featuring tender broccoli florets topped with smoky bacon and a rich brown sugar soy glaze, baked to perfection for a comforting side.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 5 heads of fresh broccoli
Meat
- 1 lb bacon
Sauce
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF to prepare for baking the broccoli mixture.
- Prepare Broccoli: Trim the broccoli heads to separate the florets, cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Discard the stems and arrange the florets evenly in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is almost done but still slightly pliable, not fully crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet, drain on paper towels to remove excess fat, then chop into small pieces.
- Assemble Bacon and Broccoli: Sprinkle the chopped bacon evenly over the broccoli florets in the baking pan.
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, low-sodium soy sauce, and garlic powder until smooth and combined.
- Pour Sauce: Drizzle the prepared sauce evenly over the broccoli and bacon in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the uncovered baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the broccoli to become tender.
Notes
- For crispier bacon, cook slightly longer before chopping, but avoid overcooking as it will bake further in the oven.
- Ensure broccoli pieces are similar in size for even cooking.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control saltiness in the dish.
- This recipe serves well as a hearty side dish for dinners featuring meats like chicken or pork.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
