SEASONAL SPOTLIGHT | RAPINI
Rapini
Season: Late fall through spring
Rapini marches to a beat all its own. Bold, bitter, and anything but basic, it doesn’t pander — and that’s precisely why I love it. It has presence. Personality. It asks you to meet it where it is — and those who don’t simply miss out.
In the cool days of autumn and spring, I find myself craving its intensity. Blanched and sautéed, scattered over toast with ricotta and lemon zest, stirred through polenta or tossed with spicy sausage and orecchiette — rapini brings complexity and bite to every dish. It is bold, peppery, and unapologetically bitter. And yet, in the right hands, and with the right technique, it transforms into something both balanced and nuanced. It’s an ingredient that demands you cook — not just assemble. To coax and soften, to build contrast and flavor.
Long beloved in Southern Italian kitchens, rapini is a surprisingly versatile green. Sautéed with garlic and red pepper flakes, it makes an ideal counterpoint to rich sausages and also compliments creamy polenta. Folded into a frittata, layered on top of crostini, tossed with pasta, or served alongside eggs or roasted meats, it lends depth and dimension to the simplest meals.
If you’re new to rapini, blanching is your best friend (but we’ll get to that in a bit). Once you acquire a taste for it, you may find yourself, like me, craving its assertiveness. It’s a vegetable that truly embodies the spirit of Southern italy — robust, rustic, and yet surprisingly refined.
What Is Rapini?
Also known as broccoli rabe, rapini is a leafy, cruciferous green with slender stalks, tender leaves, and clusters of small broccoli-like florets. Despite its name, it’s not actually related to broccoli — its closest relatives are turnips and mustard greens, which explains its sharp, pleasantly bitter flavor.
Its distinctive bitterness is its signature, and one of the reasons it pairs so well with rich, savory ingredients. Common in Southern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, rapini is a versatile vegetable, equally at home in rustic pasta dishes or as a refined accompaniment to roasted meats.
When Is Rapini in Season?
Rapini thrives in cool temperatures and grows best in late fall through early spring. You’ll find the most tender, flavorful stalks at farmers markets and grocery stores during October to December, and again from March through May. Its robust nature makes it ideal for transitional seasons when other greens are scarce.
How to Prepare Rapini
Rapini’s sharpness mellows beautifully with a little attention. Here’s how to bring out its best:
Trim the tough ends of the stalks and separate any especially thick stems from the leaves and florets.
Blanch in well-salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes. This helps tame bitterness and soften the greens without losing structure.
Drain and shock in ice water to stop cooking and preserve color.
Sauté in olive oil with sliced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a touch of lemon zest or juice for brightness.
If you are feeling extra bold add anchovies or chili oil for added depth.
Serve it on its own, stirred into pasta, atop toasted bread, or alongside roasted meats and heartier fish. You can also skip blanching if you prefer a more assertive bite — just sauté gently over lower heat.
How to Choose Rapini
Look for bunches with dark green, vibrant leaves, firm stalks, and tight florets. A few open flower buds are perfectly fine — they’re edible and won’t impact taste. In fact, they can be trimmed and used as a charming garnish. That said, flowering can be a sign that the rapini is more mature, which may mean a slightly stronger bitterness — something to keep in mind if you’re new to its flavor.
Avoid bunches that are limp, yellowed or overly woody at the stems.
How to Store Rapini
To keep rapini fresh, wrap it loosely in a damp paper towel, then store it in a produce bag (plastic or mesh) in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. For best texture and taste, use within 2–3 days of purchase. Avoid washing until just before cooking to preserve texture.
