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Why Does everyone Want It Home? What Is CAVA Fiery Broccoli?
CAVA’s Fiery Broccoli
You need only stand in line at CAVA and observe the team scoop that bright green, chile flecked Fiery Broccoli over a bowl to know why it makes so many of us crave it. The top brings in the heat, freshness and a lightly burnt bite that jolts all around it–particularly when it is drizzled with something spicy tangy like hot harissa vinaigrette or balanced out with creamy dips. The public menu at CAVA focuses on signature bowls and dressings (such as harissa vinaigrette and skhug, the spicy green sauce) and is aware of Fiery Broccoli as one of the toppings that will appear in spicy, heat forward dishes. Although CAVA does not feature a specific Fiery Broccoli ingredient label on its core pages, highlighting bowls and dressings instead of publishing such label, you will find it mentioned on third party menu roundups and topping lists as a spicy broccoli add in featured on its builds such as the “Spicy Greens” bowl and as an optional topping.
As a home cook, Fiery Broccoli is that golden mean, easy enough to prepare during a weekday and yet special enough. Should you be fond of the other heat stars in the chain, harissa or Crazy Feta(r) or skhug, Fiery Broccoli fits in perfectly and offers a tasty contrast of vegetable flavor without overpowering the other components of your bowl. You can play with it roasted hot on a sheet or air fried in less than 10 minutes to get crisp florets and tender sweet stalks; both have been proven using proven high heat vegetable cooking and air fryer broccoli recipes. The reward is a topping which feels like restaurant texture at home with burnt tips, juicy centres and that spice profile, which could be dialled up or down.
The popularity too has something to do with balance: heat + acid + herbs. Within the ecosystem of CAVA, that typically refers to spicy base (harissa, Aleppo, chili), a sharp acid (lemon or red wine vinegar) and aromatic herbs (oregano, dill, parsley). Web recipes that parody the original copycat dishes tend to gravitate in that direction, particularly making it Aleppo pepper and a drizzle of vinegar, so the taste is vibrant and fiery but does not become bitter. Based on that playbook we are going to create a copycat that is both flexible and super reliable.
Where It Rates on the CAVA Menu + A Snack Nutrition Bite
The official menu pages of CAVA turn curated bowls and have spotlighted dressings, like hot harissa vinaigrette (you will find it on dishes like the Harissa Avocado bowl), and Fiery Broccoli, which mostly appears as a topping in the build your own flow and in spicy bowls. Fiery Broccoli is on the list of toppings on third party menu aggregators and some have it in the bowl of Spicy Greens. That will verify the identity of the topping in the ecosystem–though the official site may not be posting a separate ingredients list of it.
At the nutrition front, several nutrition databases (Nutritionix, FatSecret, and the tool of MyFoodData) show the CAVA Fiery Broccoli to contain approximately 35 calories per serving, with approximately 2.5 g of fat, 170 mg of sodium, 1 g of fiber and 1 g of protein. It is also a low calorie and dense in flavor add on that heats up your bowl without pushing it to the calorie limit–don’t forget that sodium is also a common ingredient in many dips or cheeses (such as feta) that are also high in calories. As nutrition information is subject to change depending on preparation quality and serving size, it is prudent to take this information as an approximation, but not a hard and fast rule.
Flavor Profile/Likely Ingredients (What the Crowd Sourced Copycats Agree On)
Since CAVA does not print an official home kitchen recipe, the internet industry has done what it does best, reverse engineer. The most uniform one through copycats: broccoli florets mixed with olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon, a spice mixture with Aleppo pepper and oregano, occasionally enhanced with ground coriander, chipotle powder, or a green chili powder. The reason is that that combination provides a full-bodied, fruity spiciness (Aleppo), slight smokiness (chipotle), herbal brightness (oregano), and a spicy heat that qualifies it as fiery. A home version credit (CAVA themselves, scaled down to large batch) is one of the most cited credits that CAVA themselves uses as inspiration (to encourage the Aleppo forward approach). And we will go with that backbone and provide options to either raise heat up or down.
Think harissa There, think harissa as larger logic of CAVA flavours: CAVA is served with harissa in dips and in the much-beloved hot harissa vinaigrette, which has been copied innumerable times in olive oil + lemon/red wine vinegar + harissa paste + a touch of honey and garlic. The dressing is served on spicy curated bowls and it is a delicious drizzle over Fiery Broccoli at home. We will provide you with a fast house variant, which glues the sweet spicy tangy taste and sticks well to roasted florets.
Ultimate Copycat Cava Fiery Broccoli Recipe (Overview and Keys)
The big picture you can keep in your head without a recipe card here is dry your broccoli well, season it assertively and cook it at high heat to char the tips and leave the stems tender only. Top with acid and burning drizzle. It should become crispy, not mushy and the edges should crunch and aroma should be warm and chile forward. Should you like the CAVA bowl atmosphere, prepare a small jar of harissa (honey) vinaigrette to have in the refrigerator–then pour it over broccoli and your greens and grains to ensure a guaranteed restaurant style pop.
Technically, you have two options, which are oven and air fryer. Serious high heat (approximately 450-500 degF / 230-260 degC) in the oven provides the highest amount of browning and flavor in the shortest time possible. The Serious Eats technique even preheats the sheet pan so that the florets burn the second they touch it. Air frying is magic of the weeknights–8 to 10 minutes in all, gives you crispy florets and tender stems using very little oil. We will provide you with both ways to choose the way according to time and equipment.
In the case of the spice blend we rely on Aleppo (fruity, warm) and a pinch of oregano, ground coriander, and (optional) chipotle to add a smoky flavor. In case you team is extra fiery then you can add crushed red pepper or a dash of cayenne. Lean lemon zest and herbs at the end in case you wish to have brightness but not additional heat. And should you adore the unmistakably CAVA drizzle, the CAVA inspired hot harissa vinaigrette is the nearest–just a spoon or two and the broccoli goes not only great but also oh wow.
Ingredients, Smart Substitutes (Aleppo, Harissa, Oils, the Works)
Uses:
Approximately 4 good topping servings (or 2-3 sides)
Broccoli:
1 very large head (approximately 1 to 11/4 lb / 450-560 g) cut into medium sized florets; stems peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Olive oil:
2-3 Tbsp (just to coat but not to wet)
Red wine vinegar or better fresh lemon juice:
1-2 tsp to toss + additional to serve.
Salt, Kosher salt and black pepper:
to taste.
Aleppo pepper:
1 to 11/2 tsp (1 tsp initially with medium heat)
Dried oregano:
1/2 tsp
Ground coriander:
1/4 tsp
Chipotle powder (not mandatory, smoky heat):
1/8 -1/4 tsp.
Crushed red pepper or cayenne (not too much, unnecessary heat):
Pinch.
Lemon zest (optional finish):
1/2 lemon.
Fresh parsley or dill (optional finish):
1-2 Tbsp, chopped.
Substitutions & notes
Substitute:
Aleppo 50/50 blend of mild chili flakes and sweet paprika (not as fruitful, but similar). The most and the most referred copycats on the web and thus, Aleppo is the it spice here.
Harissa tie in:
You can simply pour 1-2 tsp of harissa paste (such as Mina, NY Shuk) into your oil + vinegar to dress the broccoli or save it as a finishing vinaigrette. Harissa honey vinaigrettes are a common drizzle dish among home cooks in their CAVA style. [12][13].
Oils:
At these roasting/air fryer temperatures, Extra virgin olive oil is traditional and delicious. When you do get hotter (500degF) you can still use hearty EVOO to short roasts, but neutral oils can also be used. (Deep-frying or high-heat work will require high smoke point oils, which we are not roasting/air frying, but in that case.)
Tools/Pantry Prep (Sheet Pan which is better than Air Fryer, Thermometer, Mise en Place)
Thick, rimmed sheet pan (unlined or foil lined). Aluminum is best uncooked since it browns; parchment has the ability to prevent browning since water is trapped between pan and veg. In case you like additional char, preheat the pan. This is the trick involved in broccoli roast hot and fast.
Basket you can use in the air fryer–no crowding. No matter whether you run 370-400degF, you want to shake half-way and to do one layer.
Giant bowl of clean tossing oil, spices and vinegar; this shows a good distribution.
Dry, dry, dry: Crisp is mortal of moisture. Wash florets at an early stage, rinse thoroughly (or use a salad spinner) and dry them out. Air fryer instructional resources underline to dry in order to make crisp and avoid steaming.
Thermometer (oven): This is not required, but nice to have in case your oven is underheated; broccoli is a high heat (425-500degF) vegetable.
The instructions on how to prepare fiery broccoli two ways step by step
You will roast the spiced broccoli right until the caps of florets begin to char and the stems are crisp tender. Then you will be through with acid (and possibly a drizzle of harissa honey). That’s the “fiery” signature.
Oven Roasted (High Temp, Burnt Bottoms, Soft Stems)
1) Heat hard. Arrange a rimmed sheet pan onto what is known as the top rack and preheat the oven to 475-500degF (245-260degC) at least 10 minutes. Browning is accelerated and the broccoli does not get sog since a hot pan searches it.
2) Dry and season. Add the dry florets and sliced stems to a big bowl and mix them with olive oil, Aleppo, oregano, ground coriander, chipotle (add it, in case), salt, black pepper, 1-2 tsp red wine vinegar. The sprinkling in of a touch of acid at the beginning gets the shiny, crisp sound that gives this flavor “CAVA ish.”
3) Roast fast. Gently remove the hot pan, spread the broccoli in a uniform layer (it should sizzle) and roast 12-16 minutes, flipping, should you desire a more uniform color. You want deep golden brown ends and only soft stalks–try a piece in 12 minutes; take more time. (High heat is used to speed up the Maillard process to nutty and sweet without extended steaming which can release sulfurous flavors).
4) Finish. Toss immediately with a squeeze of lemon or splash of red wine vinegar, and lemon zest and herbs, upon which you will not regret. To drizzle the entire CAVA energy, Hot Harissa (Honey) Vinaigrette. (see below). Add hot to greens and grains, or freeze to be used in a meal.
Chef science suggestion: when your stems are flawless, but the florets are a little leathery (a broccoli trick) then try the Kenji method: place the tray and a piece of foil over it 5-10 minutes to allow soft steam to work its way into the center and leave the outside brown. It is a counter-intuitive method that levels-out the texture without the roast.
Air Fryer (Quick, Crispy, easy on the Weekdays)
1) Preheat your air fryer at 380-400degF (193-205degC) one or two minutes in case it is an option in your model.
2) Dry and season. Toss with dry florets and stems with olive oil, Aleppo, coriander ground, (optional) chipotle, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp vinegar. Add enough oil to coat lightly–excessively coats it to brown.
3) Bake in a single layer 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket half-way. When you prefer softer stems, bring down to 370deg F and add one or two minutes cooking time. Scharp, crispy edges + soft centers is your North Star; however long you take to caramelize on the edges and how tender you are at the center, the aim is the same: turn mushy any long time.
4) Serve with lemon or vinegar, and drizzle on Hot Harissa (Honey) Vinaigrette. Ready to serve; air fried broccoli tastes good when hot off the plank when the sides start singing.
The logic behind this: Air fryers are small convectional ovens that circulate hot air with great efficiency, resulting in the ability to give your florets an oven roast in one/fifth of the time, in particular when your florets are well-dried and not crowded.
Sauces & Heat: Sauces That make it “CAVA”
One of the best things about CAVA has to do with the way they combine flavors–dips that are rich, dressings that are bright, herbs that are grassy and heat that is not punishing but noticeable. In the case of Fiery Broccoli the hot harissa vinaigrette is the finisher of choice: it provides a glossy sheen, adds heat to all the small floret pockets and connects the broccoli to the rest of your bowl.
Hot Harissa (Honey) Vinaigrette — CAVA Inspired Copycat
It has a flavor that is bold, smoky spicy, sweet tart, and clingy. The honey takes the edges soft, lemon or red wine vinegar adds brightness, harissa adds chili. Millions of copycat recipes all boil down to this template, replicating the flavor you experience when eating CAVA bowls with hot harissa vinaigrette.
Quick recipe (1 cup; 8-10 servings):
Harissa paste: 2 Tbsp (Mina or the like)
Extra virgin olive oil: 1/4 cup
Lemon juice, or red wine vinegar: 2-3 Tbsp
Honey or maple: 1-2 Tbsp (to taste)
Garlic: 1 small clove, grated
Dijon (not obligatory, to emulsify): 1/2 tsp.
Salt & pepper: to taste
Blend–or shake–to a uniform. Adjust acidity or sweetness. Water to make it looser. Keep refrigerated not more than a week; shake. (Numerous reputable sources of home cooks strike the same ingredient measurements and proportions.).
To apply to Fiery Broccoli: drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of it on a hot cooking tray, toss, then drizzle a little more at the table. Being heat sensitive, reduce the harissa by half and increase the amount of honey. In case you prefer it hot, then use a hotter brand or sprinkle cayenne.
Less Strong (Yogurt Dill, Lemon Herb Tahin) and How to Use It
You may want broccoli that is hot and yet does not have a hot dressing. The pantry of creamy dressings, cool and luscious, at CAVA comes in totally well here:
Yogurt Dill:
Not only is this yogurt delicious, but it is also refreshing, herbal, and light. It mellowes down the heat but does not dampen the spice, particularly when your broccoli is exceptionally spicy. CAVA retails grocery line equivalents; the profile is on the side of their Tzatziki / Yogurt Dill.
Lemon Herb Tahini:
Sesame decadence as well as citrus and herbs–exquisite on roasted vegetables. The nuttiness is a big fan of charred florets; it does really well when you are matching broccoli with falafel or grains. (A lemon herb tahini dressing by CAVA is included in their grocery; the flavor aspects work with this pairing).
When to choose what:
Apply Hot Harissa Vinaigrette when your entire bowl is rich in creamy dips (hummus, Crazy Feta(r)) and requires a bright and spicy contrast.
With the rest of the components already being spicy (skhug, harissa chicken), use Yogurt Dill or Lemon Herb Tahini so that the broccoli can be the only spice in the house.
Serve It Like CAVA: Meal Prep Pairings, Bowls, and Pitas
A mini-lesson on composition in the creation of a great CAVA style bowl is crunch + cream + heat + acid + herb. Fiery Broccoli snaps and burns- now pile the rest.
You up Build Your own Bowl (Greens + Grains + Dips + Toppings)
1) Base Half greens (arugula, SuperGreens) + half grains (saffron or brown basmati; or black lentils to provide protein). The build your own flow at CAVA is based on this logic; the bowls are curated with greens, grains, dips, a protein, toppings and a dressing.
2) Dips and spreads 2-3 scoops combined: hummus, red pepper hummus, Crazy Feta(r), harissa or tzatziki. Serve creamy (hummus) in contrast with spicy (harissa).
3) Protein: Grilled chicken, harissa honey chicken, falafel, spicy lamb meatballs, steak or roasted vegetables–choose one or two small portions to suit your day. Many of these are on display in the bowls that are curated (hundreds of them).
4) Toppings: Fiery Broccoli, fire roasted corn, pickled onions, cucumber, tomato + onion, olives–choose crunch + freshness. Fiery Broccoli is always available on the menu of aggregators.
5) Dressings: Top with Hot Harissa Vinaigrette (to add heat) or Greek Vinaigrette / Lemon Herb Tahini / Yogurt Dill (to add balance).
Bowl building can be as customized or free-form as you desire; the thing is balance and repeatable structure, that is how CAVA puts its menu in the box to be easily customized.
Protein and Grain Combinations Love Spicy Broccoli
Harissa Honey Chicken + Hot Harissa Vinaigrette + Basmati Rice: Very CAVA, very bold. Add in Crazy Feta(r) and some pickled onions and the sweet heat trifecta hits just the right note.
Falafel + Lemon Herb Tahini + Black Lentils: The sesame nutritional value is a staple containing roasted brassicas; Fiery Broccoli is added to give bite and color.
Grilled Steak + Greek Vinaigrette + Arugula/Farro: Your broccoli spice blend has oregano, which is mirrored in the spice blend of your arugula. (The Greek vinaigrette offered by CAVA is familiar in its oregano garlic Dijon profile.).
Pita Wraps: Fill warm pita with hummus, grilled chicken, Fiery Broccoli, tomato + onion, pickles and a drizzle of Yogurt Dill. It is crispy, cold and readily edible. (CAVA has a variety of pita constructions; they can be used as examples.).
Make Ahead, Nutritional, and Storage Tips
Fiery Broccoli is a fairly light sauce that adds huge flavor with minimal calories–but just as it is with any fast casual construction, the sodium and dressing content is where quantities begin to swell. At home, you get full control.
Calories, Sodium and Portions What the Numbers Say
According to the public nutrition databases, a serving of CAVA Fiery Broccoli is estimated at an energy count of 35, approximately 2.5 g of fat, approximately 170 mg of sodium, approximately 1 g of fiber, approximately 1 g of protein. In case you count, that is virtually a freebie in a 600-800 calorie bowl, and that is why people add it to make the food spicy and crunchy, without going over the budget limit. Nevertheless, remember that harissa based dressings, salty cheeses and quartered toppings accrue quickly, so dress in small amounts and try slowly on the way up. Preparation and portion varies, this was used as a guide rail.
To maintain balance of macros, lean on greens, lentils and lean proteins when you write the rest of the bowl. The own curated builds of CAVA (e.g. harissa forward bowls) will show the examples of how to add spiciness to vegetables and lean proteins to create fulfilling, yet not stoddy meals. [1].
Make Ahead, Storing and Reheating (So the Crunch Sticks Around)
Meal prep plan- Have two batches roasted or air fried on Sunday and leave the food undressed in an airtight container and keep the food up to 3-4 days. Dressing should be drizzled at the moment of preparation so to keep either texture. Warmming up, do it quick and hot–3-5 minutes in a sheet pan in a 425degF oven, or 2-3 minutes in the air fryer, just to get the sides crisp again.
Food safety alert: Like any cooked vegetable, store in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking in order to remain in the safe zone. The guidelines of the USDA on leftovers can serve as a nice reference guide to the future should you be doing your own preparation. [20].
Fabric cover: With the broccoli, when heated it appears to be perfect in the stems but a bit leathery in the florets, then put it in a 1-2 minute steam cover: wrap it with a piece of foil within seconds post-heating to soften but not to soak off the char. That makes chew and char a good complement.
The Recipe (Card Style, to be used Quickly).
Cava Fiery Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
1-11/4 lb broccoli, peeled stems and florets.
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp red wine vinegar (as much as needed to complete)
1-11/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 -1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
Kosher salt & black pepper
Zest of lemon ( optional, add herbs )
Hot Harissa (Honey) Vinaigrette (see below)
Oven Method
1) Preheat pan at 475-500degF (top rack).
2) Pan roast dry broccoli in oil, vinegar, spices, salt, and pepper.
3) Roast 12-16 min until edges are burnt and stems are tender.
4) Serve with lemon/vinegar/ herbs/ harissa vinaigrette to taste.
Air Fryer Method
1) Preheat to 380-400degF.
2) Add oil, vinegar, spices, salt, pepper to dry broccoli.
3) Cook 8-10 min, shaking half way, complete as above.
Hot Harissa (Honey) Vinaigrette
Whisk all ingredients together (2 Tbsp harissa paste, 1/4 cup EVOO, 2-3 Tbsp lemon / red wine vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp honey, 1 small grated garlic clove, 1/2 tsp Dijon, optional) until emulsified; add water to thin as necessary.
Hacking (Troubleshooting) as well as Pro Tips (Because You’re Going to Make This Often)
Not browning?
Oven or pan under-heated. And the crowding, too, is steaming, and not roasting; the florets are to be spread out.
Edges crisp, stems too firm?
Take a short tent of foil, and put it over the stalks after roasting, to steam gently, and to soften, but not burn them.
Too hot?
Serve half of aleppo and chipotle; replace the harissa vinaigrette with Yogurt Dill or Lemon Herb Tahini.
Not hot enough?
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a hotter harissa brand; and top with skhug (spicy green sauce) should you have it.
Meal making hint: Dress the bowl, not the container. Do not dress broccoli until you need it, otherwise it becomes limp.
