Broccoli with Low Carb Velouté is a really simple but incredibly tasty side. With 5.5g net carbs per serving and no effort at all, you WILL fall in love with this dish, even if you usually hate broccoli.
Serve it alongside meat or fish to create a complete keto meal that’s loaded with healthy fibre and good fats.
Let’s be clear: this is a far cry from soggy, unexciting and tasteless boiled veggies. So you can banish that thought from your head immediately.
My velouté (white sauce) is made with crème fraîche. The creamy, tangy and flavoursome sauce brings boring broccoli to life and makes the dish unique. I realise that in some countries crème fraîche isn’t easy to find. So I’ve tested the recipe with sour cream instead of crème fraîche and the result is just as delicious. However, if crème fraîche IS available to you, go for it, as it’s a better option in terms of both carbohydrate content and flavour.
Crème Fraîche and Sour Cream: The Difference.
Both are made from cream, and taste quite similar.
Crème Fraîche is a French dairy product. Once upon a time, it would have been the result of fermenting unpasteurised cream that contained specific strands of bacteria. Nowadays, it consists of pasteurised cream mixed with a formulated bacterial culture. According to European regulations, for crème fraîche to be called crème fraîche, it must contain nothing else. It is velvety rich, dense, and slightly tart, with 30-45% fat and average carbs content of 2g per 100g. It won’t curdle when exposed to high heat, so it’s great for hot sauces.
Sour Cream is much more available world-wide. It is made by combining cream, milk, enzymes and various gelling, stabilising and thickening agents. Less thick and more tangy than crème fraîche, sour cream contains about 20% fat and averages 3.5g carbs per 100g. It will curdle if heated to high temperatures, so it is best used cold or barely warm. A great choice if you want to mellow a spicy dish.
How to Make Low Carb Broccoli with Crème Fraîche
The first step is to boil the broccoli florets in salted water for 3-5 minutes. They should be just tender enough for a fork to go through the stalky part with minimal resistance. Too much resistance = cook 1 more minute and try again. Zero resistance = overcooked.
A useful TIP: add 1/4 tsp of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda – NOT baking powder) to the cooking water to brighten the green of the florets and make your kitchen less smelly.
Once you drain the salty water, leave the florets in the strainer for 10 minutes, so that every bit of water drips out and moisture evaporates. Don’t skip on this, or you’ll have a soggy dish.
Meanwhile, soften minced garlic in butter and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Let it all simmer for a couple of minutes whilst gently whisking to avoid any sticking to the bottom of the pan. That’s it. Velouté done and ready to cloak the broccoli. Now all you have to do is assemble the dish, brown it under a hot grill and serve it alongside your main course.
If you use sour cream to make my Broccoli with Low Carb Velouté, don’t let the sauce reach boiling point. Just heat it gently and that’s it. It will curdle a bit when placed under the grill, but that’s OK.
Sounds really easy, doesn’t it? Well, it is. But the flavour combination is outstanding. Try it and you’ll love broccoli forever…
Enjoy!
- Yield: 2
- Serving: ½ recipe
- Calories: 326
- Fat: 31g
- Net Carbs: 5.5g
- Protein: 4.5g
- 170g fresh broccoli florets (net weight from 350g bunch - stalks removed)
- 1 TBSP coarse Himalayan pink salt (U.S. option HERE)
- 15g unsalted butter
- ½ garlic clove
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- pinch of fine Himalayan pink salt (U.S. option HERE)
- sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
- 160g crème fraîche
- place the broccoli florets in a saucepan, add water so they’re all submerged and then add coarse salt.
- bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes (or 3 mins if you prefer them more tender); drain and leave in a colander to lose any residual moisture.
- meanwhile, mince the garlic and cook it for 30 seconds in the butter; then add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and creme fraiche, and heat for 1 minute.
- pre-heat grill (broiler) to 275°C.
- arrange the broccoli florets in a baking dish and pour the velouté all over them.
- grill (broil) for about 15 minutes, until nicely caramelised and golden brown.
- serve immediately with your main course.
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Okay, this was DELICIOUS. Can’t go wrong with tasty broccoli. I have to say, Queen Keto has easily been one of THE most impactful parts of my weight loss journey with keto. I read your recipes and try them regularly. Thank you so much!