Lately I’ve been having some fun in the kitchen with coconut aminos. This gluten free soy sauce alternative has a distinct flavor– it has the depth of soy sauce and tamari, with some of the saltiness, but it also has a lovely light sweetness that adds depth. The brand I use is certified kosher and gluten free, which naturally sparks my Passover-cooking creativity. This new vegetable side dish pairs steamed broccoli and pan-roasted cashews with a mouthwatering sauce made from coconut aminos, dates, fresh ginger, orange juice, garlic and cayenne. It will most certainly make an appearance at my Seder meal this year!
There are many flavors playing together in this dish, which made it slightly difficult to name. After having some family and friends taste the recipe, the overwhelming consensus was that it was truly delightful, but it was difficult to pinpoint one particular dominant flavor. After a few bites, most noticed the citrus overtones– so I named it Citrus Broccoli with Cashews.
But this is no ordinary citrus sauce. It’s sweet, but not cloying. The ginger and cayenne adds the slightest kick. The coconut aminos don’t taste much like coconut at all– but they do give a very distinct, somewhat teriyaki-like flavor to the sauce. I thickened it with potato starch for Passover, but you can use any starch you like. It’s a very easy, unexpected side dish and a definite crowd pleaser. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
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Citrus Broccoli with Cashews
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli florets
- 2 pitted dates
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 teaspoons potato starch
NOTES
Instructions
- Be sure that you weigh the florets, not the whole head of broccoli, and that the florets are cut down to bite-sized and well cleaned. Reserve.Place two pitted dates in the bottom of a blender. Cover with coconut aminos, orange juice, fresh ginger, minced garlic, and cayenne. Let the dates soak in the liquid for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the cashews in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring continuously, for around 8 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Be sure to get a nice dark toasted color on the cashews, it adds flavor. When toasted, pour out of the skillet into a bowl and reserve.Blend the mixture in the blender, first on low, then increasing speed, for 1-2 minutes until the dates are full incorporated into the liquid. Scrape the sides as needed.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together 2 tsp potato starch with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth.
- Add the mixture from the blender to the saucepan, turn heat to medium, and heat up the sauce, whisking constantly, until it bubbles and thickens. You will need to whisk it vigorously for a time, breaking up any clumps, until the sauce thickens and gels. When the sauce reaches the consistency of a thick honey, remove from heat and reserve.
- Place broccoli florets into a 6 quart pot along with 1/2 cup water. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Cover the pot tightly and let the broccoli steam for 6-8 minutes until the thickest florets and their stems are tender and bright green, but not overly soft. Drain the florets in a colander, shaking to thoroughly remove excess moisture.
- Put steamed florets back into the pot. Add the toasted cashews and the thickened sauce. Toss all ingredients together gently until the florets and cashews are well mixed and evenly coated with sauce. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Hello, Tori,
I am wondering about Step 4:
“Blend the mixture in the blender, first on low, then increasing speed, for 1-2 minutes until the dates are full incorporated into the liquid.”
Should I first blend on low speed before blending on high speed alone for 1-2 minutes, or should I blend for no more than 1-2 minutes encompassing first low and then high speeds?
Thanks.
You start blending on low so the ingredients won’t splash all over the blender. Once the mixture is blended into a thick liquid, continue blending on higher speed. Total time is 1-2 minutes for blending.
instead of potato starch would you recommend corn starch or flour,. thanks
Corn starch will also work.
thank you Ms Avery I checked it just says star K parve so its kosher but has no certification for passover. I dont think they make coconut aminos for passover.
Possibly not, we are not that strict in our family so KFP hechshers aren’t a concern.
where do you find coconut aminos kosher for passover
I use this brand which is certified kosher and gluten free. I’m not sure if it has KFP certification or not, best to check with manufacturer: https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Aminos-Sauce-Organic/dp/B019QR8MQQ?tag=theshiintheki-20&tag=theshiintheki-20
Made this recipe for dinner tonight, we had all of the ingredients and it sounded intriguing. Really good! Family liked it a lot. Thanks.
Hello Tori,
Do you think I could make the sauce in advance and assemble the night of the dinner? Of course I’d reheat the sauce, but I’m just trying to save time the day of.
Thanks,
Sue
You know, normally I would say yes, but with this particular recipes I’m not sure. It has a gel-like consistency and I don’t know if it reheats well or loses texture. What you might do is blend the ingredients together and reserve, then before serving do the warming up on the stovetop with starch to thicken. That would save some time. It’s possible that it might reheat just fine, but I haven’t tried it with this one and would hate to steer you wrong.