Bang Bang Broccoli Skillet

• This one-pot meal is a twist on a takeout favorite that’s a winning side dish.
• Cooking fiber-rich broccoli in a delicious sauce is a great way to get more veggies in your diet. 
• The florets absorb the sauce well, so you get spice in every bite.

Our Bang Bang Broccoli Skillet might become your favorite way to eat your veggies. Tender, fiber-packed broccoli is steamed just long enough to maintain its bright green color. Then we toss it in a creamy chili bang bang sauce—a perfect balance of sweet, heat and richness. This delicious combo is topped with nutty roasted cashews and bright green scallions for a fresh kick. Keep reading for our expert tips on cashew selection, skillet recommendations and more. 

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! 

• We opted for dry-roasted cashews to eliminate the need for roasting them ourselves.
• The cream cheese is essential as an emulsifier and thickening agent, ensuring the sauce achieves the desired consistency.
• By using a nonstick skillet, we avoided the need to clean it between steps. This helped enhance the overall flavor.

Nutrition Notes

• Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants. Cooking broccoli may slightly reduce the vitamin C because it is a water-soluble vitamin, but many of the other antioxidants remain. Broccoli is also a source of fiber, which is essential for good gut and digestive health. 
• Garlic is a sulfur-containing vegetable, which is what gives it a strong odor when cut. Cutting garlic also releases powerful antioxidants that have been studied for their cancer-fighting properties. 
• Reduced-fat cream cheese brings creaminess and tang to the sauce. It works as a thickener and emulsifier, with fewer calories and typically one-third less saturated fat than regular cream cheese.

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Pheobe Hausser, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf.