Recipes to Help You Learn to Love Bitter Foods

August 27, 2019
The compounds that give some foods their bitter taste are the same ones that have been shown to help protect against diseases like cancer. There are ways to trump your taste buds initial reaction by adding a little bit of fat, sugar and a salt. Plus, bitter foods, like broccoli rabe, cabbage, kale and grapefruit, are super healthy. Try these recipes for bitter foods and you may become a Brussels sprouts lover (if you're not already).
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Broccoli Rabe with Olives & Garlic (Broccoli di Rape Stufati)

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In this healthy Italian vegetable side recipe, garlic, olives and olive oil tone down broccoli rabe's bitterness a bit. Serve with your favorite Italian pasta, chicken or steak.

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Stir-Fried Mustard Greens with Eggs & Garlic

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In this simple egg-and-mustard-greens stir-fry recipe, Chinese greens are cooked with garlic, ginger and chile. Serve these sautéed greens alongside other Asian dishes. Fried baby anchovies or bonito flakes are a traditional garnish. Look for them in Asian specialty markets.

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Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Speed up roasting vegetables, like these lemon-and-thyme-infused Brussels sprouts, by cooking them on two large baking sheets instead of just one. This basic roasting technique also works for other root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and potatoes.

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Broccoli Rabe with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Sweet sun-dried tomatoes and tangy vinegar provide the perfect balance for broccoli rabe. Try it tossed with whole-wheat pasta and chickpeas or serve with roast chicken.

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Massaged Broccoli Rabe Salad

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In this broccoli rabe salad recipe, the dressing is massaged into the leaves and florets, virtually eliminating its bitter undertones.

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Roasted Radishes & Leeks with Thyme

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Radishes become sweet and tender when roasted in a hot oven in this easy radish recipe. If the roasting doesn't mellow the bite of the radish enough, stir in a sprinkle of sugar or honey along with the butter and thyme.

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Radish, Watercress & Arugula Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

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Sweet, rich-flavored Marcona almonds and salty feta cheese balance the flavor of the peppery greens and radishes in this arugula salad recipe. Always skinned, most Marcona almonds have already been sautéed in oil and lightly salted when you get them. Look for them in specialty stores and online at tienda.com.

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Grapefruit Rounds with Halloumi Cheese

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In this beautiful grapefruit salad recipe we pair the salty flavor of halloumi cheese with sweet-tart ruby grapefruit and aromatic mint. Halloumi cheese has a texture similar to mozzarella, but it browns rather than melts when it is heated. Look for halloumi in tubs or airtight packs near other imported cheese in large supermarkets.

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Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

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In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro.

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Wild Rice & Baby Kale Salad with Persimmons

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This colorful, healthy salad recipe features persimmons--lightly sweet fruit, commonly grown in California, that ripen just in time to grace holiday tables. If you can't find persimmons, diced apples are a good alternative.

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Red Cabbage Salad with Blue Cheese & Maple-Glazed Walnuts

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Serve this hearty salad recipe--combining red cabbage, blue cheese and glazed walnuts--as an accompaniment to roast pork or chicken. To slice the cabbage quickly, cut the head into wedges and slice in your food processor. A mandoline is also a great tool for the job.

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Roasted Cabbage with Chive-Mustard Vinaigrette

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In this roasted cabbage recipe, cabbage wedges are roasted at a high temperature, creating an amazing texture and sweet flavor. Serve the roasted cabbage wedges drizzled with the chive-mustard vinaigrette as a side dish for roast poultry, meat or fish, or alone with crusty bread.

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Chaos Ladder

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In this whiskey cocktail recipe, sweet vermouth, lemon, orange and raspberries balance the bitters.

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"Chocomole" Pudding

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Creamy avocados make this dairy-free and vegan chocolate dessert recipe super-rich. Serve as a not-so-sweet dessert or with strawberries for dipping.

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Grilled Eggplant & Baba Ghanoush

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This healthy eggplant appetizer recipe pairs grilled eggplant slices with smoky eggplant dip. Serve with garlic-rubbed grilled bread.

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Roasted Kalettes

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Kalettes, a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, cook quickly in a hot oven in this easy vegetable side dish recipe.

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Garlic Roasted Salmon & Brussels Sprouts

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Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is simple enough for a weeknight meal yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Serve with whole-wheat couscous.

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