When you want a fancy restaurant-style side dish but none of the fuss, this sautéed broccolini recipe is THE ONE!
You can never have too many veggie side dish recipes in your back pocket, especially the ones that take just minutes to make and are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious.
This recipe for broccolini and garlic is particularly festive and perfect for entertaining or everyday meals. It goes well with grilled fish or chicken such as this oven baked salmon, this Parmesan crusted chicken or this pan seared chicken, and it even works well alongside an omelette for a wholesome start to the day. I love pairing it with these roasted fingerling potatoes, either for breakfast or dinner. And if you can't find any broccolini, you can try this delicious steamed broccoli side instead!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Takes only 10 minutes to make!
- Restaurant-quality taste with no fuss
- Great way to use broccolini while it's in season
- Versatile side dish (goes with nearly everything)
- Festive Thanksgiving side that brightens the table
🌿 Ingredients
Only three ingredients are required for this recipe, along with a dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Broccolini season peaks during the cooler months of the year, and you'll have the best luck finding it in larger grocery stores or natural foods stores.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
What is broccolini?
Great question. Broccolini is actually a hybrid vegetable—a mix between regular broccoli and a Chinese broccoli variety called gai lan. It's sometimes referred to as "baby broccoli" and rightly so. Its stalks are so tender that you can eat them along with the rest of the broccolini once they've been sautéed or roasted.
Broccoli rabe vs broccolini
You may have also heard of or seen broccoli rabe which actually looks very similar to broccolini. Broccoli rabe (also called "rapini") is also a cruciferous vegetable, but its flavor is not as sweet as broccolini—it's a bit more bitter. However, it can definitely be substituted in this recipe and especially if you prefer a more bitter taste.
📝 Instructions
Ready to learn how to cook broccolini? Here we go! First, wash and trim any leaves from the broccolini stalks, and then cut about an inch off the stalks. Mince the garlic and set aside.
Pro tip: If you'd prefer to keep the leaves on, they are perfectly edible! I normally remove them just to clean them up for special occasions.
Next, add the butter or oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat until it just bubbles or shimmers. Add the garlic and sauté it just for a minute until it's fragrant, but don't let it brown.
Then, add the broccolini to the skillet and use tongs to push and turn the stalks around in the garlic butter until they're mostly coated, sautéing for another minute or two.
Add a little water to the skillet, cover, and let the broccolini cook and steam for another minute until it's bright green.
Plate each serving of broccolini alongside the main dish or on a separate plate and season it with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
📋 Substitutions
Here are a few substitutions you can make for this recipe:
- Broccolini - substitute broccoli rabe (also called "rapini") instead
- Garlic - if you don't have fresh garlic on hand, use a little garlic powder instead but make sure to sprinkle it on after you start sautéing the broccolini, not before
- Vegan - use olive oil instead of butter
📖 Variations
And here are a couple of variations you could try:
- Asian broccolini - leaves out the minced garlic and drizzle a little sesame dressing or miso sauce over the broccolini just before serving
- Spicy broccolini - add some chili pepper flakes while cooking to add some extra heat to the dish
🔪 Equipment
Here is the equipment you'll need for this recipe:
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large skillet
🍱 Storage
Any leftovers will stay fresh for up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge.
This dish does not stand up well to freezing.
🎉 Top tip
Cooking broccolini is super quick and easy because it is so delicate and cooks quickly. Just make sure not to over cook it, otherwise it'll lose it's crispiness and bright green beauty.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
Broccolini should be sautéed for about 5-6 minutes until it's just tender and beautifully bright green.
Broccolini leaves are perfectly edible if you'd like to include them for extra texture and flavor, or you can trim them away; it's really just personal preference.
Blanching is not necessary for broccolini unless you'd prefer a slightly more tender texture. If you would like to blanch it first, simply place the trimmed broccolini in boiling water for a minute or so and then immediately submerge it in a bowl of ice water to cool, and dry.
Broccolini (or "baby broccoli") is a mix between regular broccoli and the Chinese broccoli variety gai lan. Since its stalks are thinner and more tender, you can eat them along with the rest of the broccolini once they've been sautéed or roasted.
🍳 Recipe
Sautéed Broccolini with Garlic
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Wash and trim any leaves from the broccolini stalks, and cut about an inch off the stalks. Mince the garlic and set aside.
- Sauté: Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter or oil until it just bubbles or shimmers. Add the garlic and sauté just for a minute until fragrant, but don't let it brown. Add the broccolini and use tongs to push and turn the stalks around in the garlic butter until they're mostly coated, sautéing for a minute or two. Add a tablespoon of water to the skillet, cover, and let the broccolini cook and steam for another minute until bright green.
- Enjoy: Plate each serving of broccolini and season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Any leftovers will stay fresh for up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
Pasquale Okelley
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