Learn how to cook broccolini! Sautéed with garlic and red pepper flakes and served with lemon wedges for squeezing, it’s a delicious, easy side dish.
Ok, broccoli vs broccoli. What are your thoughts?
As much as I love regular broccoli, I have to say… I’m Team Broccolini! In fact, it’s one of my favorite vegetables to cook with. I think they are so pretty with their bright green flowers and long slender stems. It’s also easy to make and incredibly versatile. You can serve it as a side dish or add it to frittatas, pasta, salads and more. It is available in many grocery stores year-round. So if you haven’t cooked with it yet, now is the time to start!
Below are my top tips for making broccolini, along with an easy sautéed broccolini recipe that you can serve as a side to almost anything. I hope they inspire you to cook this delicious vegetable often!
What is broccoli?
But first things first! What is broccolini anyway?
Broccolini is also called “baby broccoli,” but the name is a slight misnomer. Accordingly The vegetarian taste bible by Karen Page, broccolini isn’t just mini broccoli. Instead, it’s a cross between broccoli and gai-lan, a type of Chinese broccoli. Although it tastes similar to broccoli, its flavor is milder and sweeter. And when you cook it well, the florets and stalks have a fantastic crunchy-tender texture.
How to cook broccolini
There are many great ways to cook broccolini. I love toasting and blanching it for cereal bowls and salads, but when I want to serve it as a side dish, I usually sauté it with garlic and red pepper flakes. Here’s how I do it:
- First, Clean the broccolini. Cut off the dried ends of the stems and discard them. If the sticks are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise. Leave any smaller, slender stems intact.
- Next, heat a dash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds to infuse the oil with flavor.
- Then add the broccolini and some salt. Cook for 2 minutes, turning occasionally.
- At this point you must Generate steam in the pan to soften the broccolini stalks. Add a few tablespoons of water and cover the pan. If you don’t have a lid that fits your pan, a large baking sheet will do!
- Reduce the heat to medium-lowand cook, covered, 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and light green.
Remove from the heat and season with a large squeeze of lemon juice. That’s it!
The full recipe with measurements is below.
Broccolini recipe serving suggestions
This Sauteed Broccolini Recipe is a delicious, easy side dish that goes with almost anything! First, try pairing it with a simply cooked protein, or one of these comforting recipes:
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can either reheat them as a side dish or enjoy them again at room temperature, but they’re also a great starting point for a new meal. Toss them in sesame soba noodles, add them to a cereal bowl, or use them in a frittata cleaned out of the fridge. As I said above, broccolini is a versatile vegetable!
Other popular vegetarian side dishes
If you love this recipe, try one of these easy vegetable side dishes next:
Sauteed broccolini
serves 4
This easy sautéed broccolini recipe is a perfect weeknight side dish! It’s ready in minutes and flavored deliciously with garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon.
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 Bunch of broccolini, trimmed, halved lengthwise if thick (about 6 ounces)
- ¼ teaspoon sea-salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add the broccolini and salt and toss.
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Cook for 2 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the water, cover, reduce the heat and cook, turning occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender and light green.
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Remove from the heat, mix in the lemon juice and season to taste.