Broccoli Paratha Recipe (Indian Broccoli Stuffed Flatbread)

Stuffed parathas are my all-time favorite, and I make a variety of them. While Aloo Paratha and Gobhi Paratha are my all-time favorites, I used to make this Broccoli Paratha very frequently when my son was growing up. It was a great way to sneak broccoli into his diet.

Now he is all grown up, but the broccoli paratha tradition continues, as it is loved by everyone in my family. Do try my recipe to make it!

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making Broccoli Paratha

I have made these parathas 100’s of times. These are fairly simple to make if you keep some pointers in mind. Here are some common mistakes I made while perfecting this recipe.

Mistake	Why It’s a Problem	What to do instead
Not cooling potatoes properly	Warm potatoes become mushy and release moisture that causes tearing	If you haven’t boiled the potatoes beforehand, freeze them for an hour before mashing. The potatoes must be cooled well
Filling and dough consistency not matching	If filling is softer or wetter than dough, paratha tears while rolling	The consistency of the paratha dough and filling should be similar. If filling feels wet, add a little atta or roasted besan to balance it
Using wet broccoli	Excess moisture makes the dough sticky and causes tearing	Pat the broccoli dry after rinsing it using paper towels
Chopping broccoli too coarsely	Large pieces poke through the dough	Finely chop or grate the broccoli
Adding salt too early	Salt draws out water from broccoli	Add salt just before stuffing
Overstuffing the paratha	Paratha breaks while rolling	Use a balanced amount of filling. I keep the amount of dough and filling roughly the same
Cooking on low heat	Paratha turns dry and pale	Cook on medium to medium-high heat
Using too much dry flour	Makes parathas hard	Use minimal flour and dust off excess
Skipping oil or ghee	Results in dry, bland parathas	Apply oil or ghee evenly while cooking

How To Make Broccoli Paratha

Make The Dough

Step 1: Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl using your clean fingertips. You can also use a parat (Indian utensil) to mix these ingredients.

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Step 2: Add water (approx ½ cup) little by little and knead to make a soft dough.

The amount of water will depend on the quality of the flour. Do not add a large amount of water at once; otherwise, the dough may become sticky.

Step 3: Knead the dough using the heels of your hands until it becomes soft and smooth. This will take 3-4 minutes.

Step 4: Cover the ready dough with a kitchen towel and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Make The Filling

Step 5: To prepare the filling, gather the necessary ingredients. Wash a small head of broccoli thoroughly and inspect it for any insects that may be hiding inside. Pat it dry using paper towels. Grate the broccoli using the medium hole of a box grater. You can also use a food processor to grate the broccoli. Just make sure it’s coarse and not pasty. We need 1 cup of grated broccoli.

Peel the boiled potatoes (2 small or 1 large) and let them cool for 3-4 hours. If the potatoes are not cooled, they will become mushy. Mash the cooled potatoes using a potato masher. There should be no lumps; otherwise, the paratha will tear when rolling.

Grate 150g of paneer using the medium-holed box grater.

Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well.

• 2 small (or 1 medium) mashed boiled potatoes
• small head of broccoli (grated)
• 150 g paneer (grated)
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon carom seeds

Step 6: Check for salt and add more if needed. Mix well.

Assemble The Broccoli Paneer Paratha

Step 7: Knead the dough for 30-40 seconds and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into small, round balls. Take one dough ball and keep it on a clean surface.

Dust it with dry flour.

Step 8: Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 4-inch circle.

Step 9: Take 2 tablespoons of the filling and shape it into a round ball between your palms. Keep the filling in the center of the rolled dough circle.

Step 10: Bring the ends of the circle together to form a smooth, rounded ball.

Step 11: Gently flatten the ball with your palms and rotate it between your fingers to expand it a little. Return the stuffed dough to the rolling surface.

Dust with more flour and gently roll the paratha into a 6-inch circle. Move from one side to the other while rolling. Keep rotating the paratha or the rolling board as you roll. The edges of the paratha should be thinner than the center.

Cook The Broccoli Paratha

Step 12: Heat a tawa (flat griddle) over medium-high heat. Transfer the rolled paratha to the hot tawa and cook until brown spots appear on the lower side. Do not transfer the paratha to cold tawa or very hot tawa. It should be medium hot.

Step 13: Flip using a flat spatula and cook on the other side as well.

Step 14: Apply 1-2 teaspoon ghee or oil on both sides and cook until the paratha is crispy and golden brown. The paratha is ready when both sides have deep golden patches and smell nutty and toasted. Keep pressing with the back of the spatula as you cook the paratha.

Wipe the tawa with a paper towel after cooking each paratha to prevent burnt flour from sticking to the next paratha.

Serve right off the tawa, or stack the cooked parathas in a roti basket lined with a cloth or foil to keep them soft and warm.

Make all the parathas in the same manner.

Variations

Mix the grated broccoli, chopped onions, and spices with the flour, then knead the dough until smooth. Using this dough, make a thin, thepla-like or plain tawa paratha like broccoli paratha. This is a no-stuff version that tastes great, too. Knead a slightly tight dough in this version, as the salted broccoli will release water, making the dough a little softer over time.

You can avoid adding potato and paneer and mix the grated broccoli with finely chopped ginger, onions, and everyday spices to make the stuffing mixture.

Stuff parathas with a combination of broccoli and cauliflower.

Add 3-4 tablespoon of grated processed cheese or mozzarella to the broccoli filling and make cheesy broccoli paratha.

Add some goda masala, sambar powder, or kanda lasun masala to the filling for a taste change.

Serving Suggestions

This paratha is an excellent breakfast, lunch, or dinner dish. It is also a great option for packing an office or school lunch box.

Serve broccoli paratha with green chutney, rajasthani mango pickle, and plain yogurt or a raita for a yummy treat! A dollop of white butter on top of the paratha is non-negotiable in Punjabi households.

You can serve it with any other chutney or pickle. It will taste great with green chili thecha too.

For the full North Indian breakfast experience. Serve the paratha with chai.