Vegetables

Broccoli nutrition, and what the pan changes.

1 cup of chopped broccoli comes to 24 calories. Protein accounts for 2 g of what is there. The record behind it is USDA’s “Broccoli, raw”. The method matters: USDA holds separate records for it, ranging between 31 and 35 calories for the same 100 g. Change the amount below for your own portion. The panel and the nutrient breakdown both update.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

USDA FoodData Central records 747447, 169967 supply every value here. The calculation happens in this page.

Calories in broccoli, serving by serving

The short answer is 24 calories for 1 cup of chopped broccoli. By weight that is 31 per 100 g, and the table gives the other common portions.

Protein in broccoli, measured

1 cup of chopped broccoli carries 2 g of protein, which is 4 percent of the 50 g Daily Value. About 33 percent of its calories are protein. That is a useful contribution rather than a protein source you would build a meal around.

The calorie breakdown runs 27 percent protein to 8 percent fat to 65 percent carbohydrate. Functionally, that is mostly a carbohydrate.

What cooking does to broccoli

There is a 13 percent spread between raw broccoli (31 calories per 100 g) and boiled (35). The cause is moisture lost to the heat, so the same weight holds more food.

Weight is fixed at 76 g throughout, so the rows differ only in how the broccoli was prepared.

Kitchen notes on broccoli

Broccoli is a brassica with edible flowering heads called florets. You can buy standard green calabrese broccoli, long-stemmed sprouting varieties, or Romanesco with its pointed spiralling cones. Choose heads with tightly closed buds of a deep green or purplish colour. Avoid yellowing florets and stalks that feel woody, dry, or hollow.

High heat quickly softens the stems while preserving the crispness of the florets. Prolonged boiling or steaming turns the bright green colour to a dull grey and releases unpleasant sulphur smells. The most common mistake is discarding the stalks. Peel the outer skin to reveal the tender, sweet flesh inside for cooking.

Eat broccoli raw in salads, or cook it to accompany roasted meats. It absorbs liquid well, making it ideal for stir-fries with ginger and soy sauce in East Asian cookery. It also suits Italian dishes, tossed with olive oil, garlic, chilli, and pasta, or baked in a cheese sauce.

The complete broccoli breakdown

Against the Daily Value, 1 cup of chopped broccoli stands out for vitamin C (77 percent of the Daily Value), vitamin K (65 percent of the Daily Value). The table follows the selector above, so change the serving or the method and it updates.

It carries 2.4 g of fibre per 100 g, about 9 percent of a day.

Where broccoli fits in a day

Budget-wise, 1 cup of chopped broccoli costs 1 percent of a 2,000 calorie day and pays back 4 percent of the day’s protein. The TDEE calculator and macro calculator will tell you what those percentages look like against your own targets.

Three ways to cook broccoli

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Side · British

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

Oven-roasted broccoli florets tossed with sliced garlic and olive oil.

25 min · serves 2

121kcal

4.2gprotein

8.1gfat

11gcarbs

Ingredients

• Broccoli florets 300 g
• Olive oil 15 g
• Garlic cloves 10 g
• Salt 3 g
• Black pepper 1 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C.
2. Cut the broccoli into 3cm florets and slice the garlic thinly.
3. Toss the broccoli, garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
4. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a baking tray.
5. Roast for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.

Per serving, from 5 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Lunch · British

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

A thick blended soup made with broccoli, vegetable stock, and mature cheddar cheese.

30 min · serves 3

260kcal

12gprotein

19gfat

14gcarbs

Ingredients

• Broccoli heads and stems 400 g
• Onion 100 g
• Unsalted butter 25 g
• Vegetable stock 600 g
• Cheddar cheese 100 g
• Salt 4 g

Method

1. Chop the onion and cut the broccoli into 2cm pieces.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Cook the onion in the butter for 5 minutes.
4. Add the broccoli and vegetable stock to the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Blend the mixture with a hand blender until smooth.
6. Stir in the grated cheddar cheese and salt until the cheese melts.

Built from 6 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Dinner · Chinese

Stir-Fried Broccoli and Tofu

A quick stir-fry combining broccoli florets and firm tofu with soy sauce and sesame oil.

20 min · serves 2

237kcal

13gprotein

17gfat

12gcarbs

Ingredients

• Broccoli 250 g
• Firm tofu 200 g
• Soy sauce 20 g
• Sesame oil 10 g
• Ginger root 10 g
• Canola oil 15 g
• Water 20 g

Method

1. Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes and drain on paper towels.
2. Cut the broccoli into 3cm florets and finely grate the ginger.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over high heat.
4. Fry the tofu cubes for 5 minutes until golden on all sides, then remove them.
5. Add the ginger, broccoli, and water to the pan and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
6. Return the tofu to the pan, add the soy sauce and sesame oil, and toss for 1 minute.

7 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

What a meal with broccoli adds up to

To see how broccoli adds up in a meal, here it is beside two ordinary companions, all three from USDA figures.

How broccoli compares with similar foods

Same weight for every row, 100 g, so differences are not portion effects. The form column shows whether a row is raw, cooked or as sold.

What people ask about broccoli

How many calories are in 1 cup of chopped broccoli?

24 calories, according to USDA FoodData Central: the record is “Broccoli, raw”, FDC 747447. That works out at 31 per 100 g.

How much protein is in broccoli?

Per 100 g, broccoli contains 2.6 g of protein. 1 cup of chopped broccoli therefore gives 2 g, which is 4 percent of a 50 g day.

Does cooking change the calories in broccoli?

Yes, by a measurable amount: 76 g goes from 24 calories (raw) to 27 (boiled), depending on preparation.

Does broccoli fit a calorie deficit?

It can fit any calorie target; no single food decides the outcome. What matters here is that 1 cup of chopped broccoli costs 24 calories and returns 2 g of protein, so 33 percent of its energy is protein — useful alongside a protein source rather than as one.

Can you eat the leaves of a broccoli plant?

Yes, broccoli leaves are entirely edible. Treat them like cabbage or kale. Wash them thoroughly, slice away any tough central ribs, and sauté them in butter or oil. They have a mild, sweet broccoli flavour.

How should you store fresh broccoli to keep it crisp?

Store broccoli unwashed in a loose or perforated plastic bag in the fridge drawer. Moisture encourages mould, so do not wash the head until you are ready to prepare it. Keep it away from apples, which hasten yellowing.

Sources

• Broccoli, raw — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 747447
• Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169967
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9