Broccoli Varieties

Standard broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica) is the default, but the broader family includes several distinct vegetables that are each worth understanding.

Elena Ignacio·June 15, 2026

Travel mom · nutrition researcher · broccoli obsessive

These vegetables share common ancestry in wild mustard (Brassica oleracea) but diverged significantly in flavour, texture, and use over thousands of years of cultivation. Knowing the differences helps you choose the right one for a dish — and stops you over-cooking the delicate ones.

Most Bitter

Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)

Intensely bitter Italian green. Not closely related to broccoli despite the name. The classic of southern Italian cooking.

Most Used in Asian Cuisine

Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan)

Thick stems, small florets, slightly bitter. The standard vegetable in Cantonese cuisine. More stem than head.

Mildest

Broccolini

A hybrid of broccoli and gai lan. Thin stems, mild flavour, no bitter edge. The most versatile of the group.

Romanesco

Lime green fractal spirals. Nutty, mild, less pungent than standard broccoli. A showpiece vegetable.