Next Time You Make Broccoli, Add A Splash Of This Condiment (It's Magic Every Time)

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Before you relegate broccoli to side-dish duty yet again, try dressing it up in condiments you never considered before. You might be surprised by the flavor magic that ends up on your dinner plate. Thankfully, broccoli's versatility makes this easy, so even the simplest pantry staples can turn out to be a game-changer. Indeed, all it takes is a splash of soy sauce, and your broccoli will taste better than ever.

Soy sauce's umami depth is in a league of its own. Savory aromas surround the senses before you even dig in, and once you do, sweet and salty notes begin dancing around the edges of your palate. This complexity elevates broccoli to new heights, and yet the change hardly feels out of place. The soy sauce's rustic taste only serves to complement the broccoli's own earthy spunk, both flavor tones brought together seamlessly as you cook.

Joining this veggie in the pan, for example as a glaze for a simple sauteed broccoli, the soy sauce's caramelization will highlight its sweetness even further. The same goes for a stir-fry dish, in which soy sauce (plus a few extra ingredients) creates a savory-sweet coat of flavor for broccoli and other veggies. On a bundle of roasted or grilled broccoli, even a few sweeps of soy sauce can make all the difference. If nothing else, try a soy sauce dressing for a toothsome bowl of broccoli salad and complete your homemade dinner in a brand-new way.

It should come as no surprise that different types of soy sauce will give your broccoli dish slightly different flavors. Categorized by regions, you've got Japanese soy sauce emphasizing on sweetness, underneath which is a salty undertone. If you're using Chinese soy sauce, consider dark varieties to add a sweet boost, and light bottles for dishes that call for a bold base. Often referred to as ganjang, Korean soy sauce (available online if it's not in your local store) is what you will want when making a broccoli dish with a true salty richness.

Another thing to consider when incorporating soy sauce into your broccoli dish is the accompanying ingredients. As always, aromatics such as ginger and garlic will rarely steer your dish wrong. Pair this combination with sesame oil, and you've just whisked up an easy, foolproof glaze for all your broccoli dishes. Going a little bit beyond soy sauce's umami taste, a sweetener is an easy start, especially for those wanting to mask broccoli's strong earthy scent. Maple syrup does the trick every time, and so does honey, but if desired, you can also lean on other Asian condiments like hoisin sauce and rice vinegar.

On the side of richness, a peanut sauce will take your broccoli from side character to spotlight stealer in a few tablespoons. Mix it with soy sauce, aromatics, chili peppers, sesame oil, and a few chopped peanuts, and you've got a nutty base worthy of all types of broccoli dishes — from steamed and mashed to tenderly braised. With spiciness in mind, mix peanut butter and soy sauce with gochujang, then further elevate the blend with a squeeze of lime juice.