Broccoli and broccolini might come from the same plant family, but they're different in both flavor and appearance. Broccoli plants form a head, which is the crown we usually end up eating, and have been around for about 2,000 years. Broccolini is a fairly new vegetable that was introduced in 1993. It looks similar to broccoli, but is more slender with longer stems and smaller heads. While the taste difference between broccoli and broccolini isn’t vastly different, broccolini is described as sweeter and more tender than broccoli.