This recipe for 10-minute sautéed broccolini flavored with garlic, lemon and chilli flakes is a delicious and easy side dish.
What is broccolini?
Broccolini or baby broccoli is a long stemmed hybrid of broccoli. It is much easier to cook and prepare than broccoli as it needs very little prep and cooks very quickly. It’s a delicious, healthy vegetable that is perfect as a quick side dish. It’s great both sautéed and roasted.
Ingredients needed
- Broccolini.
- Extra-virgin olive oil. You can use butter or another neutral oil too.
- Garlic cloves.
- Lemon juice.
- Chilli flakes / Red pepper flakes.
- Salt and pepper.
How to cook broccolini
- Prepare the broccolini: Trim around 1-2cm off the ends of the broccolini stalks. This piece can often be a little woody so it’s best to trim and discard.
- Sauté: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil then add the broccolini. Toss in the oil then add 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid (or a large plate if your pan doesn’t have a lid). Allow to steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and allow any water to cook off then add the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve. For even more flavor, serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Do I need to boil broccolini before sautéing?
Broccolini stems and florets are much more tender than regular broccoli and cook much quicker so I don’t see the need to par-cook before sautéing. Simply wash the broccolini, trim and sauté until tender.
Can I make this ahead?
As this recipe cooks so quickly, I never make it ahead however it can be cooked a few days ahead and kept in the fridge. Leftovers can also be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Allow the cooked broccolini to cool then transfer to an airtight container. Reheat in a warm pan until hot throughout.
Serving suggestion
I love serving broccolini with chicken, steak or fish. It’s honestly the perfect quick, easy and healthy side dish recipe.
- Rosemary lemon chicken thighs
- Grilled salmon with lemon caper sauce
- Grilled steak with Anchovy Compound Butter
Easy side dish recipes
10-minute lemon garlic sautéed broccolini
Ingredients
- 500 g (1lb) broccolini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Trim around 1-2cm off the ends of the broccolini.
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add a splash of olive oil then add the broccolini. T
- oss in the oil then add 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid (or a large plate if your pan doesn't have a lid). Allow to steam for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and allow any water to cook off then add the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
- Sauté until the garlic is soft and the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
A great, quick and different side dish. Especially good with rich and creamy mains. We served it with risotto and it was a great pairing. Thanks for this recipe!