Natural form

Whole gai lan bunches showing thick stems, broad blue-green leaves, and small closed flower buds.

Shows the plant's full identifying features — stem thickness, leaf color and width, and tight bud clusters — so readers can recognize it in markets.

Produce

Chinese Broccoli

Leafy green with thick stems and small florets, blanched or stir-fried with oyster sauce.

Chinese broccoli, or gai lan, has thick crisp stems, broad blue-green leaves, and small flower buds, with a flavor more bitter and robust than common broccoli. It is classically blanched and dressed with oyster sauce or stir-fried with garlic and ginger. A staple of Cantonese cooking, the stems are often peeled for tenderness.

Chinese Broccoli, known in Cantonese as Gai Lan (芥蘭) and in Mandarin as Jièlán (芥蓝), is a Brassica vegetable that diverged from its Western cousin through centuries of selective cultivation in Southern China. Where standard broccoli treats the floret as the prize, Gai Lan reverses that hierarchy entirely—the thick, solid stems are the primary vegetable, dense enough to register as a substantial eating experience, while the modest florets and broad blue-green leaves are welcome but secondary elements. The flavor registers as mildly bitter with a hint of sweetness, more assertive and mineral-forward than conventional broccoli, a bitterness that Cantonese cooks actively court as a counterpoint to rich proteins. This is not a vegetable that plays a supporting role; it holds its own on a plate and demands respect in the kitchen.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Regular Gai Lan

Standard variety with thick white stems and white florets; most common in markets and restaurants

Baby Gai Lan

Smaller, more tender; harvested younger; milder in flavor and significantly faster to cook

Jie Lan

Green-stemmed variety; slightly more bitter than white-stemmed types

Hongyou Gai Lan

Red-stemmed variant; similar flavor with visual accent; more common in Taiwan

Selecting and Storing

Choose firm, bright-green stalks with no yellowing leaves or open flowers—open flowers indicate age and will have a mealy texture. The stems should feel heavy for their size, indicating good moisture content. Store unwashed in a loose plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer for 3 to 5 days. Do not seal tightly, as the vegetable needs some air circulation. If you need to freeze it, blanch first for 2 to 3 minutes, cool rapidly, then freeze for up to 3 months.

Look for vivid green color and firm stems that bend without snapping
Avoid any with yellow leaves, open flowers, or dried-out ends
Store stem-side down in a glass of water like a bouquet for extended freshness

Preparation

Trim the woody base inch off the stems—this portion is fibrous and unpleasant. Unlike standard broccoli, you do not peel the stems; the skin is thin and tender. For thicker stems, slice them lengthwise into halves or quarters to ensure they cook at the same rate as the leaves. Smaller stems can be left whole. Wash thoroughly but dry completely before stir-frying; any clinging water will cause the vegetable to steam rather than sear, resulting in a dull color and muddy texture rather than the bright, slightly charred finish you want.

Never peel the stems—the skin is edible and adds texture
Halve or quarter thick stems lengthwise for even cooking
Dry thoroughly before any high-heat cooking method

Common uses

Stir-fried with oyster sauce and garlic, the canonical Cantonese preparationBlanched and served as a side with steamed fish or roast meatsAdded to Cantonese noodle soups and congee in the final minutes of cookingWok-tossed with minced garlic and a splash of soy sauceSteamed and dressed with sesame oil, soy sauce, and a drizzle of oyster sauceUsed as a bed for steamed seafood, absorbing pan juicesQuick sautéed with chili oil and a squeeze of lemon for a spicier preparationChopped and added to fried rice in the last 30 seconds of cooking

Tips & pitfalls

Select firm, bright-green stalks with no yellowing leaves or open flowers for best texture
The thick stems take longer to cook than the leaves—slice thicker stalks lengthwise to ensure even cooking
Do not overcook; the stems should retain a slight snap when done (al dente)
Blanching in well-salted water (like pasta water) seasons the vegetable through and helps maintain vivid color
A pinch of baking soda in the blanching water can brighten the green but is optional and may affect flavor at high concentrations
For stir-frying, pat the vegetable dry after washing; excess water causes steaming instead of searing
Remove the woody base inch before cooking, but do not peel the stems
If using in soup, add it in the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking to prevent it from becoming mushy and discoloring

Nutrition

26kcal

Energy

109 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 16%Carbs 62%Fat 23%

Protein

1.2g

2% DV

Carbs

4.7g

2% DV

Fat

0.8g

1% DV

Fiber

2.6g

9% DV

Sugars

0.9g

of which

Sodium

7mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin K74% DV

Vitamin C33% DV

Folate26% DV

Riboflavin (B2)12% DV

Vitamin A10% DV

Thiamin (B1)8% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Broccoli, chinese, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Broccoli
510 g · Mercadona
€1.33
Broccoli
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€2.25
Organic Broccoli Verleal
VERLEAL · kg · Bonpreu
€2.49
Broccoli 1 unit
LA COLLITA · Bonpreu
€1.29
Organic Broccoli 1 unit
LA COLLITA · kg · Bonpreu
€2.49
Microwaveable Washed Broccoli Florets
230 g · Mercadona
€1.70

Good to know

Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra
Family: Brassicaceae (mustard family)
Origin: Southern China, particularly Guangdong and Guangxi provinces
Peak Season: Late fall through early spring; year-round in warm climates
Flavor: Mildly bitter, slightly sweet; more assertive than standard broccoli
Edible Parts: Entire vegetable—stems, leaves, and florets all used
Stem Texture: Thick and solid; density comparable to asparagus
Yield: Approximately 75% after trimming and cooking

Substitutes

Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) — Closest flavor match; slightly more bitter and earthy; similar cooking time
Broccoli — Milder flavor; stems take considerably longer to become tender; leaves are less substantial
Bok Choy — Different stem texture (hollow vs. solid); leaves cook much faster; not a close flavor substitute
Choy Sum — Thin stems, yellow flowers; similar flavor profile but more delicate; requires faster cooking

Pairs with

Oyster Sauce Garlic Sesame Oil Soy SauceShaoxing Rice WineGinger BeefSeafood

Also called

芥蓝 · Gai Lan · Kai Lan · 芥蘭 · Chinese Kale