This Marry Me Broccoli is a vegetarian twist on the original recipe with chicken. Loaded with antioxidants and health benefits, broccoli becomes sweet and tender-crisp before marrying a luscious garlicky Parm cream sauce studded with tangy sun-dried tomatoes. This is the classic mouthwatering tomato sauce that makes this a “marry me” dish. A hit of crushed red pepper brings a little kick, while herby basil finishes it off on a fresh note. Keep reading for our expert tips, including what ingredient swaps you can make. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Allowing the broccoli to cook undisturbed instead of constantly stirring it allows the vegetable to develop a delicious char.
• You can use pre-cut sun-dried tomatoes or opt for sun-dried tomato halves and slice them yourself.
• Replacing the vegetable broth with chicken broth will add more depth and richness. You can also add a little cream cheese at the same time as the Parmesan to help thicken the sauce.
• If you don’t have Italian seasoning, substitute with dried basil or oregano.

Nutrition Notes

• Broccoli not only stands in for the chicken in this vegetarian dish, but it also brings with it a ton of health benefits, including support for your immune system, bones, skin and heart. If you eat broccoli and other cruciferous veggies regularly, you may also reduce your risk of cancer.
• Sun-dried tomatoes are tomatoes that have been salted and dried in the sun or an oven. Tomatoes are loaded with the antioxidant lycopene, which has been connected to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Both the sun-dried tomatoes and the broccoli bring gut-loving fiber to this dish.
• Parmesan cheese adds some protein and calcium to this Marry Me dish. If you want to keep it vegetarian, look for Parm made with vegetable rennet instead of animal rennet. 
• Vegetable broth doesn’t typically add much in the way of nutrition (although some brands do), but you can get a lot of unnecessary sodium. Choose a reduced-sodium or no-sodium-added broth, especially if you’ve got high blood pressure or your body is more sensitive to sodium.