The Culver's Side We Ranked The Worst Might Be Healthy But That Doesn't Make It Tasty

For the most part, we don't visit fast-food restaurants looking for the healthiest options. It's usually all about the bacon double cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, french fries, and other assorted — but mostly unhealthy — menu items. So when we see an actual heart-friendly food option, it can be a little jarring. But as good as some fast-food restaurants are at dropping protein or french fries in oil, it's worth asking how good a chain might be at cooking something as simple and healthy as ... broccoli?

Culver's answered this question with a resounding "meh." When we reviewed nine Culver's side items and ranked them worst to best, the burger chain's steamed broccoli brought up the rear in our ranking. Culver's does so many things right — its crispy ButterBurgers, tasty fish sandwiches, cheese curds, and those nicely cooked crinkle fries. But the broccoli here was just a miss.

But the fact Culver's even offers broccoli on its menu is an overall win. It's like seeing an albino animal in the wild. We love that it's just simply steamed and not drenched in butter or teriyaki sauce. According to Culver's, the steamed broccoli comes in at just 40 calories — making it, in theory, a perfect companion to the filling double ButterBurger with cheese.

We appreciate steamed broccoli on the menu, but the execution of this veg leaves a bit to be desired. The downside of steaming broccoli and not serving it right away (or steaming it too long in the first place, which feels like what's happening here) is the texture. Our reviewer noted the florets had broken down into broccoli speckles and morsels. She said it reminded her of a vegetable that had been sitting out in a buffet line for too long.

The broccoli was bordering on mushy — far from al dente — and it was just bland, like there was no salt or seasoning at all. While we like that it doesn't come slathered in butter, salt or a spice blend would've amped it up. Still, even if you season the broccoli on your own, you likely won't be able to get past the broken down, soft, unappealing texture.

Overall — healthiness be damned — we thought the cheese curds, pretzel bites, and onion rings were the standout. In fact, the onion rings, which earned our top spot, were flat-out phenomenal. For other healthier side options at Culver's, the coleslaw comes in at 200 calories for a medium portion. Though it wasn't featured in our review, some Culver's locations offer a side garden salad — a low-calorie option if you choose the raspberry vinaigrette. But the steamed broccoli is certainly an option; just lower your expectations and maybe grab a salt packet before you eat.