A perfect quick side dish to whip up in 5 minutes that yields crisp tender broccoli with a touch of heat from the red pepper flakes. Whole30, keto, and family friendly, this is an easy sauteed broccoli how to!
Fresh broccoli bursting with flavor, and ready in less than 10?
In a veggie rut and want something a little more zangy?
This side dish was born of these two desires. I get SO sick of plain old steamed broccoli and wanted to way to flavor it up and and make it sing.
You will love this simple, flavorful side!
How to saute broccoli perfectly
The key in cooking broccoli is to NOT overcook it!
I HATED broccoli growing up…and I think the real reason being forced to eat it was a form of cruel and unusual punishment was because it was OVERCOOKED!
No one likes soggy vegetables.
So how to get the perfectly crisp tender texture?
After years of messing around, I have finally nailed the technique to get a fresh and crunchy side of broccoli on the the table in a flash.
- First, make sure your broccoli pieces are uniform in size so they all cook in the same amount of time.
- Second, by using minimal liquid….you avoid the broccoli absorbing all that water (which is why blanching broccoli in a hot water bath has never yield the results I look for).
- By covering your pan briefly, you allow for the moisture from the broccoli and the oil to seam and cook the broccoli all the way through, quickly.
Creative ways to season and flavor sauteed broccoli:
There are loads of ways to make this recipe with different flavor profiles! Here are a few suggestions.
- leave the garlic out This method still work great without it.
- add in a fresh squeeze of lemon at the end to make it zing! Grated lemon peel would also be awesome.
- For some Asian flare, use sesame oil in place of the avocado oil. The add a splash of coconut aminos in at the very end. And finally some toasted sesame seeds!
- throw in some fresh chopped basil at the end for an Italian flare.
- some finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- served with my vegan nacho cheese sauce is a kid favorite!
Serving suggestions this sauteed broccoli with garlic:
While there is no end of possibilities of healthy main dishes to pair this with, I would be remiss not to suggest a few classics!
If casseroles are your thing, I have a dairy free homemade tuna casserole recipe to wow everyone!
Gluten free fish almondine is lightening quick and would make for a healthy dinner! Or my gluten free egg free pan fried fish is another option.
If you love your instant pot as much as me, then this Instant Pot rice-a-roni chicken is a family favorite. This Instant Pot sour cream pork chops are another great option.
Sauteed Broccoli Recipe:
If you try this recipe on how to saute broccoli, be sure to come back and leave a comment!
Sauteed Broccoli w/ a Kick
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets and the peeled and diced stalks. Uniform bite size pieces.
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil may use half butter if desired
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium low heat. We heat the oil low and slow to infuse it with the garlic flavor. Heat and infuse for 2-3 minutes, watching garlic carefully so it does not burn.
- Increase heat to medium to medium high. Add in your broccoli florets, stirring to coat the pieces evenly. Saute about 2 minutes.
- Add a teaspoon or two of water, and cover the pan instantly. Cook for 1-3 minutes until the florets are crisp tender (the size of florets effect the cooking time). Remember that the florets will continue to cook a bit after you remove from heat, so err on the side of less time.
- Remove lid, turn off heat. Toss with sea salt and any of the above mentioned flavor options. Serve.
Nutrition
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I’m a huge fan of roasted broccoli but after working all day I don’t always want to take the time to pre-heat the oven (which takes 15-20 min for mine) and THEN wait another 20 minutes for roasted broccoli so this recipe is PERFECT recipe for those nights! Thanks Tess!
I couldn’t agree more! It’s ready in a flash!
What a great idea to add those lovely spices to your broccoli! Broccoli really is one of our favourite recipes and it’s great to have another way to prepare it. Thank you for sharing this recipe π
The additional of chili flakes is excellent! I love things with a little extra spice! Great tip to make broccoli (or any veggie) more exciting
Thanks Jen…sometimes it is just the simplest things that make a difference!
This looks delicious. I love food with a little kick to it.
Thanks so much Rose, you and me both love the kick….now if only I could convince my kids that’s the way to go….so much for kids liking what you eat during pregnancy!
I have made this recipe before and it is delicious. The first time I was a little to heavy on the red chili flakes and we could barely eat it!
yes, you definitely have to be careful…those chili flakes can go a long way! I am glad you liked it!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing at Scrumptious Sunday!
I look forward to trying this. Broccoli is our favorite vegetable. Can’t get enough of it.
I’m a big fan of red chili flakes, but have never tried them on broccoli before. This looks like a tasty recipe Tessa and I love how quick and easy it is!
Me too, it’s coming with me on vacation b/c of the fact it is so easy to pack/prepare!