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    The BEST Sauteed Broccoli Recipe | Perfectly Cooked In Just 10 Minutes

    Jan 14, 2023 The Diet Chef

    Jump to Recipe

    This sauteed broccoli is packed with flavor, and it cooks to perfection every single time. It combines tender broccoli florets with some select seasonings, parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the flavors. It's seriously so, so good, and it's so easy to make too! In fact, you can have it done and on the table for dinner in just 10 minutes.

    Sauteed broccoli florets with red pepper flakes and grated parmesan in a white bowl garnished with a lemon wedge. The bowl is on a white plate next to a fork with a white handle. Behind it are more lemon wedges and a gently crumpled tea towel.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Sauteed Broccoli Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • How to Make Sautéed Broccoli
        • Step 1: Sauté The Broccoli
        • Step 2: Add The Seasonings
        • Step 3: Garnish and serve
      • What to Serve with Sauteed Broccoli Florets
      • How to Store Cooked Broccoli
      • FAQs About This Sauteed Broccoli Recipe
        • Is sauteed broccoli good for you?
        • What is the best cooking method for broccoli?
      • Wrapping It Up
    • More Side Dish Recipes
    • The BEST Sauteed Broccoli Recipe | Perfectly Cooked In Just 10 Minutes
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Sauteed Broccoli Recipe

    This simple sauteéd broccoli is a healthy side dish that's sure to become a staple at the dinner table.

    The broccoli florets are cooked until perfectly tender and slightly crisp, and then they're infused with a ton of yumminess from some savory garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and just the right amount of red pepper flakes. Honestly, you'd never believe a healthy veggie could taste this good!

    Now, along with how delicious it is, something else I love about sauteed broccoli recipe is how quick it is to whip up. All you have to do is add the ingredients to a pan and cook 'em together for a few minutes.

    Yup, that's all there is to it. 

    Also, since this broccoli recipe is so easy to make and the flavor is so versatile, I've been pairing it with literally everything! It especially goes great with these oven roasted chicken thighs, these air fryer chicken breasts, and these air fryer salmon bites, but you can really serve it with anything you want. 

    Sauteed broccoli with red pepper flakes and grated parmesan in a white bowl, served with a lemon wedge. The bowl sits on a white plate next to a fork with a white handle. In the back are more lemon slices.

    Ingredients

    In addition to the broccoli florets, you really only need a handful of basic pantry staples to make this delicious side dish. In fact, I'm willing to bet you have most - if not all - of them in your kitchen already!

    Anyway, here are all the ingredients you'll need for this sauteed broccoli recipe:

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ lb. broccoli florets
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan
    • Lemon wedges, to serve with

    Simple stuff, right?!

    Now, just so you know, this recipe turns out great with both fresh broccoli and frozen broccoli, so feel free to use either. With that said, if you're going with frozen broccoli, just make sure to thaw it first before starting the recipe.

    Oh, and if you have all these ingredients on hand, then you have most of what you need to make this roasted broccolini recipe as well! So, if you're looking for another tasty side dish to try, give that a shot.

    Sauteed broccoli ingredients. Two lemon wedges, a glass bowl of grated parmesan, a white bowl of broccoli florets, small glass bowls 0f garlic paste and red pepper flakes, and a white ramekin with olive oil.

    How to Make Sautéed Broccoli

    Again, it should only take you about 1o minutes to make this sauteed broccoli. And what's even better is most of the cooking time is totally passive. The key to tender-crisp broccoli is leaving it untouched, so you really don't have to do anything except add the ingredients to the pan!

    Now, let's not waste another second and jump into this quick and easy sautéed broccoli recipe.

    Step 1: Sauté The Broccoli

    First, you'll want to take out a large skillet, put it over medium heat, and add the olive oil to it. Then, you'll just want to let the skillet heat up for a minute or two and move the oil around the pan as it warms up.

    Once the oil is hot, add broccoli florets to the skillet in a single layer. It's important not to overcrowd the pan during this step so that it can cook evenly. Anyway, once you've got your broccoli looking good, you can let it cook for around 5 minutes. And, again, the key to perfectly cooked broccoli is just letting it cook without moving it - atleast to start.

    Uncooked broccoli florets on a grey speckled skillet with a wooden handle.

    Step 2: Add The Seasonings

    Now, after the 5 minutes are up, you can add the garlic paste, water, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, followed by as much salt and pepper as you want.

    Then, after you've added those ingredients to the pan, you can give everything a mix and cover the skillet. Now, you'll want to let the broccoli florets cook for another 5 minutes or so like this until they turn bright green and the stalks are tender enough to pierce with a fork.

    Sauteed broccoli in a grey speckled skillet with a wooden handle. A small amount of garlic paste is in the center of the skillet and red pepper flakes are sprinkled throughout.

    Step 3: Garnish and serve

    Finally, once the broccoli is cooked to perfection, you can transfer the sauteéd broccoli to a bowl and finish it off with a squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

    Serve your sauteed broccoli alongside anything you want, and enjoy! 

    A bunch of broccoli florets sautéing in a pan.

    What to Serve with Sauteed Broccoli Florets

    This sauteed broccoli is delicious enough to be served on its own, but of course, it's even better alongside your favorite main dish. And, honestly, this broccoli recipe goes well with so many things it's hard to pick a favorite.

    Having said that, here are the recipes I always find myself eating with this sauteed broccoli:

    • Oven roasted brats
    • Air fryer pork chops
    • Gluten free meatballs
    • Blackened salmon
    • Pan seared halibut

    Sauteed broccoli with chili flakes and parmesan in a white bowl on top of a white plate. The bowl is garnished with a slice of lemon and more lemon slices can be seen in the background. A fork with a white handle is on the plate, next to the bowl.

    How to Store Cooked Broccoli

    This recipe for sauteed broccoli will make about 2-3 side dish-sized servings.

    So, if you want to make more - say, for a big family dinner - you can always double or triple the recipe as needed! Just keep in mind that if you do decide to go that route, you'll want to cook the broccoli in batches to avoid overcrowding it in the pan.

    Anyway, if you have leftovers, you can store them in a shallow airtight container - or sealed bag - in the fridge for 3-5 days.

    Alternatively, to keep your leftover broccoli for even longer, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe bag with the extra air squeezed out - or in a shallow airtight container - for about 10 months. 

    Top view of sauteed broccoli florets in a white bowl on top of an ecru colored plate. Next to the bowl, there are two lemon wedges and a fork with a white handle.

    FAQs About This Sauteed Broccoli Recipe

    Is sauteed broccoli good for you?

    Yes, sauteed broccoli is really good for you. Sauteeing broccoli - or really any vegetable - is one of the best way to maintain as many nutrients as possible in them as they cook. And broccoli is loaded with nutrients!

    What is the best cooking method for broccoli?

    I've made broccoli in pretty much every way possible, and I think the best cooking method for broccoli is sauteéing it, like in this recipe. The florets just turn out perfectly crisp but still so, so tender.

    Close up of sauteed broccoli with red pepper flakes and grated parmesan in a white bowl garnished with a lemon wedge. The bowl is on top of a white plate next to a fork with a white handle. Behind it are more lemon wedges and a tea towel.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to sauté broccoli!

    This recipe is bound to become one of your new go-to side dishes.

    Seriously, not only is this sautéed broccoli recipe so easy to make, but it consistently comes out perfectly cooked every single time.

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this sauteed broccoli recipe as much as I do! As always, if you make it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it went.

    More Side Dish Recipes

    If you're looking for even more delicious side dishes to make, I've got you covered.

    Here are some of my favorites:

    • Sauteed asparagus
    • Sauteed eggplant
    • Roasted kohlrabi
    • Easy creamy coleslaw
    • Cauliflower rice

    Oh, and don't forget to follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube. I post new quick and easy recipes all of the time on 'em.

    Print

    The BEST Sauteed Broccoli Recipe | Perfectly Cooked In Just 10 Minutes

    Sauteed broccoli with chili flakes and parmesan in a white bowl on top of a white plate. The bowl is garnished with a slice of lemon and more lemon slices can be seen in the background. A fork with a white handle is on the plate, next to the bowl.
    Print Recipe

    This sauteed broccoli is packed with flavor, and it cooks to perfection every single time. It combines tender broccoli florets with some select seasonings, parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the flavors. It's seriously so, so good, and it's so easy to make too! In fact, you can have it done and on the table for dinner in just 10 minutes.

    • Author: The Diet Chef
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 2 servings 1x
    • Category: Side
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Vegetable

    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 tbsp olive oil

    ½ lb. broccoli florets

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    1 tsp garlic paste

    ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

    2 tbsp water

    2 tbsp grated Parmesan

    Lemon wedges, to serve with

    Instructions

    1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat.
    2. Add broccoli to the pan, making sure they are in a single layer, as much as possible.
    3. Cook the broccoli for 5 minutes, without stirring. 
    4. Add garlic paste, water, and pepper flakes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
    5. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green and the stalks are soft.
    6. Transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and squeeze of lemon juice.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 99
    • Fat: 6
    • Carbohydrates: 8
    • Fiber: 3
    • Protein: 5

    Keywords: sauteed broccoli, sauteed broccoli recipe, how to saute broccoli, sauteéd broccoli, sauteéd broccoli recipe, how to sauté broccoli, sauteed broccoli with garlic,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @thejoeduff — I can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Hey there! I'm Joe Duff - The Diet Chef, and I've been creating low carb keto recipes for over 15 years. Initally, I started making these recipes to help myself lose weight - I lost over 75 pounds doing so - but now I make recipes for the entire low carb keto community!
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