Sautéed Broccoli Recipe (Easy & Delicious!) - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

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Updated on Mar 13, 2023

Perfect Sautéed Broccoli! Learn how to cook broccoli in a skillet for an easy, delicious and healthy side dish.

Broccoli is one of my go-to veggies when I need an easy side dish to go with our meals. I’ve shared my favorite Roasted Broccoli and Steamed Broccoli recipes, and today I’m sharing my easy method for making perfect crisp-tender sautéed broccoli.

This broccoli is simply seasoned with garlic and lemon and cooks quickly in a skillet on the stove. You’ll love the bright green color, fresh flavor and crisp texture.

Serve this sautéed broccoli alongside your favorite proteins or toss it with pasta for an easy lunch or dinner. A sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds make it extra irresistible. This good-for-you side is sure to become a favorite of yours, too!

Sautéed Broccoli Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need just a few ingredients to make sautéed broccoli with stand-out flavor:

• Broccoli: Of course! You’ll start with fresh broccoli crowns, and chop them into florets. Since frozen broccoli has a higher water content, it won’t give you the same crisp results as fresh.
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the broccoli. I use extra virgin olive oil, but any olive oil will work.
• Water: Adding a little bit of water to the pan helps to steam-cook the sautéed broccoli to make it tender. It’s hard to get broccoli tender from sautéing alone, without burning the edges.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds flavor.
• Salt & Pepper: I like to use sea salt or coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Lemon Zest: To brighten up the flavors.

How to Make Sautéed Broccoli

A few simple steps will ensure that you get perfect, crave-worthy sautéed broccoli. You’ll need a large cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet and a lid to cover the skillet. It’s ok if the lid doesn’t fit exactly, as long as it covers the pan to trap the steam inside.

1. Cut the broccoli into florets. Then cut all but very small florets in half. Quarter any very large florets. You want all of the pieces to be approximately the same size so that they will cook evenly.
2. Pat the broccoli florets dry to remove any remaining moisture.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the broccoli to the hot pan and use kitchen tongs to arrange the broccoli pieces flat side down in the pan. This step increases the surface area of the broccoli that’s in contact with the pan, so you’ll get more browned, caramelized edges. Cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes.
5. Then stir and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring the broccoli often.
6. Add the water and cover the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. The steam in the pan will finish cooking the broccoli.
7. Uncover the skillet and stir in the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper and lemon zest. Then serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

You can serve the sautéed broccoli as is, or sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese (my favorite!). For a spicy kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

This easy broccoli goes with just about everything! Try it with Baked Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Salmon, Baked Pork Chops or Chicken Parmesan.

More Favorite Broccoli Recipes

If you love this sauteed broccoli, try this Broccoli Stir Fry or one of these easy broccoli recipes next:

• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Instant Pot Broccoli
• Broccoli Salad
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Broccoli Cheese Quiche
• Broccoli Casserole

Grab a skillet, chop that broccoli and get this fresh and flavorful side dish cooking. Then watch those veggies disappear!

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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Mar 17, 2022 (last updated Mar 13, 2023)

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