This recipe for Sautéed Broccolini with Garlic Butter is about to become your go-to vegetarian side dish. Tender, sweet broccolini is tossed with crispy garlic chips, a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice and creamy pine nuts for a side dish that just might steal the spotlight.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you love broccoli, you're going to fall head over heels for this easy sautéed broccolini. Arguably more delicious than broccoli, this relatively newfangled vegetable (it was only introduced in the 90s!) requires less prep and less cooking time than its heftier cousin.
Not sure what broccolini is? Head to the FAQ section!
This simple garlic broccolette recipe is naturally gluten free, easy to make vegan (just use vegan butter!) and is an excellent side dish for all sorts of occasions. Perfect for serving on a weeknight, this tasty dish is also a stellar side for celebrations like Thanksgiving (which should also feature Peach Cobbler, Apple Pie, Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Salad and Roasted Parsnips).
With fewer than 10 ingredients, this easy side requires just 15 minutes of your time. Garlic Lemon Broccolini for the win! Now let's get cooking.
Ingredients
Aside from the broccolini itself, every ingredient required for this healthy side dish is quite easy to obtain. Here's everything you'll need:
- Broccolini - While I simply adore the vegetable that is broccolini, you do have some options when it comes to substitutions. This dish will also taste delicious if you use broccoli, asparagus or Chinese broccoli.
- Butter - I use unsalted butter here. If you are using salted butter, be sure to watch your seasonings. To make a vegan version of this dish, simply swap in your favorite plant based butter.
- Garlic - Use fresh garlic here, as there is simply no substitute for crispy garlic chips.
- Olive Oil - No need to bust out the good, cold-pressed stuff here. Use any basic extra virgin olive oil and get stellar results.
- Lemon - When it comes to citrus juice, fresh squeezed is always best. To get the most juice from your lemons, give them a firm roll on the countertop for about 10-15 seconds before slicing in half.
- Pine Nuts - Also known as pignolias, these seeds are delicately flavored and deliciously nutty. They can also be a bit pricey, so feel free to swap in cashews, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts instead.
- Salt & Pepper - Seasoning is everything, people. Don't skimp out on either fresh cracked pepper or a nice sprinkling of sea salt.
How to Cook Broccolini
Infuse Garlic Butter
Melt butter on medium heat in a heavy bottom pan or skillet.
Add sliced garlic and cook on medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Transfer most of the brown garlic to a plate. You can leave a few slices in the pan.
Sauté
Add olive oil to the pan with the garlic butter and heat for few seconds. Add broccolini and toss for 2 minutes using tongs.
Steam
Now, reduce the heat to medium low and add 2-3 tablespoons of water and cover the pan with lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until broccolini is bright green and just cooked yet crunchy.
Season and Serve
Season with salt and pepper, add lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle fried garlic and toasted pine nuts. Drizzle some more freshly squeezed lemon (if needed), then serve warm. Enjoy!
FAQs
This bright green vegetable is hybrid of Chinese gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli) and broccoli. While they may look similar, broccolini is a different creature than broccoli rabe, which is far more bitter.
Broccolini is sometimes called "baby broccoli," though this is a bit of a misnomer. While the elegant stalks and tiny clusters of florets are quite cute, they are actually fully developed when picked.
Broccolini is like a milder, sweeter version of broccoli, but with a very satisfying crunchy texture. Just give it a try - I promise you'll like it!
Yes, the entire stalk, florets, and leaves can be eaten. Don't leave any of this delicious vegetable out of the pan!
Some recipes call for it and some don't. I usually sauté it without blanching, then do a quick steam as described above.
Yes! If you ask me, the best ways to cook broccolini are: steaming, roasting, baking, Air frying as well sautéing in the skillet. Basically any preparation you would use for broccoli or cauliflower can also be used with broccolini.
Expert Tips
Making this lemon and garlic sautéed broccolini recipe is super easy. In fact, after you make it just once, I bet you won't even need to read the recipe! That said, I have a few tips to ensure that this delectable side turns out beautifully:
- Pick fresh, bright and happy looking broccolini. It should not be dried or blemished.
- If the stem is too thick, simply halve the stalks and cook along with tender ones. You can also cut the vegetable in bite sized pieces and cook.
- Cook to your liking - I love cooking mine to a bright green, crunchy al dente softness. If you prefer softer veggies, just cook for couple extra minutes.
Variations
This garlic and lemon broccolini is simple and delicious, but there are plenty of ways for you to customize this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Try a different vegetable! Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are all part of the same family as broccolini. You can also give carrots, spinach, bell peppers or green beans the same treatment.
- Garlic and lemon play very nicely with anchovies, so if you'd like a little punch of umami, try adding 2-3 fillets to this recipe! Just be sure to cut back on the salt that is called for in the recipe. Alternatively, you can sprinkle with a fresh grating of parmesan.
- Add some more Asian-style flavors with the addition of fresh ginger, a splash of soy sauce or fish sauce in place of the salt, and lime instead of lemon. YUM!
If you find a new way of preparing broccolini, let me know in the comments below!
Serving Ideas
This recipe for pan seared broccolini with garlic and lemon butter is a natural accompaniment to just about any dinner table.
- Serve it alongside chicken, fish or steak. It pairs nicely with just about any kind of grilled or roasted meat, so consider it for the 4th of July or Thanksgiving menu.
- Sprinkle it with some grated parmesan and eat it as a veggie main with rice, quinoa or potatoes.
- Chop it up and toss with pasta.
- Use up leftovers by adding them to minestrone (or other veggie forward soups).
There is no wrong way to serve this delicious vegetable side, but if you come up with a way that everyone SHOULD serve it, let me know in the comments below!
More Yummy Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Butter Garlic Sautéed Broccolini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound Broccolini (trimmed ends and washed)
- 1 ½ tablespoon Butter
- 4-5 Garlic (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2-3 tablespoons Water
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Toasted Pine nuts
Instructions
- Melt butter on medium heat in a heavy bottom pan or skillet.
- Add sliced garlic and cook on medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Transfer brown garlic in a plate. You can leave few slices back in pan.
- Then, add olive oil in a same pan and heat for few seconds. Add broccolini and toss using tongs for 2 minutes.
- Now, reduce the heat to medium low and add 2-3 tablespoons of water and cover the pan with lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until broccolini is bright green and just cooked yet crunchy.
- Season with salt and pepper, add lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle fried garlic and toasted pine nuts. Drizzle some more freshly squeezed lemon (if needed), serve.
Notes
- Pick fresh, bright and happy looking broccolini. It should not be dried or blemished.
- If the stem is too thick, simply halve the stalks and cook along with tender ones. You can also cut the vegetable in bite sized pieces and cook.
- Cook to your liking - I love cooking mine to a bright green, crunchy al dente softness. If you prefer softer veggies, just cook for couple extra minutes.
- For toasting pine nuts: heat the skillet over medium-low heat and toast the pine nuts for 5-6 minutes or until they turn slightly golden and fragrant. Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
JimP
The recipe calls for toasted pine nuts — but does not seem to cover how to toast the pine nuts.
Is this lack of instruction intentional or, possibly, an editor / proof reader error?
Farrukh Aziz
Hello Jim, Thank you for visiting my blog. The instructions for toasting pine nuts is intentionally not put there based on the basic assumption that generally people know how to do it. Yet, i like to keep my recipes detailed, so i have added a Note for you on "toasting pine nuts" to the recipe card. Happy cooking !!