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Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

Sauteed Baby Broccoli (Broccoletti) with Lemon and Garlic

Published: Apr 12, 2023 by Jessica · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 6 Comments

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Sautéed baby broccoli, or broccolini is an easy, healthy vegetable side dish that only takes about 15 minutes to make. 

Sauteed broccolini garnished with lemon zest, red pepper flakes and lemon slices on a white plate.
A simple, healthy, vegan side dish that’s perfect for any night of the week.

I like broccoli a lot, but I absolutely LOVE broccolini! This simple preparation brings out the mild, sweet flavor and requires minimal prep. A super simple delicious side dish that’s perfect for any night of the week. It’s way faster to prep and cook, and personally, I much prefer it to regular broccoli!

What is baby broccoli?

Baby broccoli, broccolini, broccoletti and tenderstem broccoli are all common names for this delicious veggie. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just immature regular broccoli, but a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli or gai lan. It’s mild, sweet and packed with nutrients.

Broccolini is easily found in the produce section your regular grocery store. I buy it at Trader Joe’s all the time. It has long, thin stems and looser florets than regular broccoli. You may also see some leaves and small yellow flowers – the entire plant is edible!

It’s quick cooking and requires no prep as you don’t have to break it down into smaller florets before you cook it. Treat it just like you would regular broccoli, it’s absolutely wonderful sautéed, steamed, roasted, grilled or enjoyed raw.

Recipe ingredients laid out on a counter.
All you need is fresh baby broccoli and a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients

All you need is a few simple ingredients to make this easy side dish.

  • Broccolini or Baby Broccoli – all you have to do to prep it is cut off the last half inch or so of the tender stems. Unlike regular broccoli, you can easily prep and eat the entire vegetable.
  • Olive Oil – use a good olive oil. The flavors in this recipe are simple and you will taste the difference! The Furies is hands down my favorite.
  • Garlic – fresh garlic or garlic powder works too.
  • Lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest adds brightness.
  • Salt
  • Red pepper flakes – optional but adds a little kick. If that’s not your thing, add some black pepper instead.

Method

The ends of tenderstem broccoli can be a little bit woody so trim off about a half inch of the thin stalks. Using a chef’s knife or a sturdy drinking glass, smash the whole cloves of garlic and remove the papery peel. Minced garlic burns easily. Smashing the garlic will release the flavor into the olive oil when cooking, minimizing the risk of burning which can impart a bitter flavor. Zest a lemon and reserve the zest for garnish after the cooking process.

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the whole smashed garlic cloves and sauté for about a minute until it becomes fragrant. Place broccolini in the skillet and use tongs to toss and coat with oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. The broccolini will turn a bright green color and the tips of the delicate florets may pick up a little bit of char. Season with a little salt. Add water and cover the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes. This allows the broccolini to steam and become perfectly crisp tender. 

Process shots of prepping ingredients, sauteeing and then steaming broccolini.
Prep lemon and garlic, then saute and steam broccolini.

Once the stalks are al dente, squeeze lemon juice all over the broccolini and season with salt to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and top with red pepper flakes, lemon zest and a drizzle of good olive oil. 

Variations

  • Add parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
  • Sauté in olive oil and butter for more richness and flavor
  • Add sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds for some Asian inspired flavor
  • Top with toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts for texture and crunch
Close up of sauteed baby broccoli topped with lemon zest, red pepper flakes and lemon slices on a white plate.
Baby broccoli has a mild, sweet flavor.

Recipe tips

  • Broccolini is available year-round but Spring through late Summer is peak season. It should look vibrant and fresh and the stems should not look dried out. The thinner the stems the better! It should be firm to the touch with no soft or brown spots and the buds on the florets should be tightly closed. You may see a few leaves or tiny yellow flowers but don’t worry, the whole plant is edible! If your broccolini has thicker stalks, use a sharp knife to shave them down so that it all cooks evenly.
  • Don’t mince the garlic! Garlic burns easily and keeping the garlic cloves whole adds flavor without the risk of burning the garlic.
  • Cooking times will vary a bit depending on how you like your veggies. I prefer a slightly tender, crispy texture. If you prefer softer vegetables, just steam them a bit longer to your liking.
  • Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. I would not recommend freezing. Add leftover broccolini to pasta, grain bowls, chop up leftovers in small pieces for omelettes, use it as a pizza topping, go wild!

More veggie sides to try

  • Lemony Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Feta and Herbs
  • Harissa and Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots
  • Shaved Vegetable Salad
  • Asparagus Mimosa with Caper Vinaigrette
Branded Pinterest template with photo of sauteed baby broccoli on a white plate.
Save this Pin to make this baby broccoli recipe later!

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @bigdeliciouslife so that I can see your snaps. For more Big Delicious Life, follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, or subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Sauteed broccolini garnished with lemon zest, red pepper flakes and lemon slices on a white plate.

Sauteed Baby Broccoli (Broccoletti) with Lemon and Garlic

Jessica
Sauteed baby broccoli, or broccolini is an easy, healthy vegetable side dish that only takes about 15 minutes to make. 
4.78 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Side, Side Dish, Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 92 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces broccolini baby broccoli, broccoletti
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon zest of whole, juice of half, slices for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup water
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cut off the bottom half inch of the stalks of washed and dried broccolini.
  • Smash garlic cloves and remove papery skin. Zest lemon and set aside the lemon zest.
  • Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add in whole smashed garlic cloves and saute for about a minute until they become fragrant.
  • Add broccolini to skillet and use tongs to toss and coat. Saute for 4-5 minutes until it starts to turn bright green and the tips on the florets pick up a little bit of char. Season with a little bit of salt.
  • Carefully add water to the pan and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes until crisp tender. Open the lid and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon. Season with more salt to taste if necessary.
  • Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with lemon zest, red pepper flakes and a drizzle of good olive oil. Garnish with the other half of the lemon cut into slices.

Equipment

  • Large Saute Pan

Notes

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 34mgPotassium: 218mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2310IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Britney Brown-Chamberlain

    May 12, 2023 at 12:59 pm

    5 stars
    I made this with some crusty garlic bread and noodles and the family loved it! I was shocked that even my toddler who hates broccoli loved it. That being said, this is my new go to recipe for broccoli. Thanks Jess!

    Reply
  2. Jazz

    May 10, 2023 at 3:20 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect easy side! I served this baby broccoli with roasted fish and dinner was done!

    Reply
  3. Jen Sim

    May 09, 2023 at 2:49 pm

    5 stars
    Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables and I love how it is prepared on this recipe. So fresh and delicious!

    Reply
  4. Robin

    May 08, 2023 at 11:17 pm

    5 stars
    I could have eaten the entire pan of broccoletti but my family would have surely disapproved. The marriage of lemon and garlic was truly divine.

    Reply
  5. Camille

    May 05, 2023 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    Jessica, I tried your sautéed baby broccoli recipe and it was a game changer for our veggie game! The garlic and red pepper flakes added the perfect punch of flavor. My family gobbled it up in no time. Thanks for making healthy eating so delicious!

    Reply
  6. Marta

    May 04, 2023 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    I served this sauteed baby broccoli recipe this weekend as a side to grilled chicken and my friends were more in love with it than the main course! It was so easy and tasty thanks to that lemon and garlic!

    Reply

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Welcome! I love creating delicious, healthy-ish food at home with simple, whole food ingredients. I’m self-taught and spending time in the kitchen is my creative release. Connect with me here!

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