Sauteed Broccoli Rabe is an easy way to prepare healthy, tender-crisp flavorful veggies. Seasoned with lemon juice, garlic, and Parmesan.
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe is a flavorful healthy vegetable Side Dish made in a matter of minutes to add to your weeknight dinner. For more easy sauteed veggie dishes that are as tasty as they are good for you, be sure to check out my Sauteed Garlic Kale and Sauteed Green Beans recipes.
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Sabrina’s Sauteed Broccoli Rabe Recipe
Adding dark greens like spinach, broccoli, and rabe to your diet is a great place to start if you want to eat healthier. But eating healthy doesn’t have to mean forcing down bitter veggies. Sauteing is a simple cooking process that gives Broccoli Rabe the perfect tender-crisp texture. It’s lightly seasoned with garlic, lemon and Parmesan cheese plus a little red pepper flakes – each bite is absolutely delicious. Plus it’s easy to throw together in just a few minutes. This is a great veggie side dish that I think you’ll love!
Ingredients
- Oil: You’ll need ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil total for cooking both the garlic and the rabe. You could use vegetable oil or another type of cooking oil if needed. However, olive oil has a nutty, lightly fruity aroma, which helps decrease the bitter taste.
- Garlic: Use 5 cloves of garlic for this recipe. Mince your garlic cloves right before cooking for the best flavor. Browning the garlic in oil releases its aroma to create a mouthwatering, bold flavor profile.
- Broccoli Rabe: When picking the vegetables for this recipe, you want 2 bunches of fresh broccoli rabe. Look for a vibrant green color without any yellowed leaves. The florets at the top should remain tightly closed. Picking fresh, younger rapini results in less bitter greens.
- Chicken Broth: Steaming the rabe in a bit of liquid makes them less tough and more enjoyable. While you could use boiling water, chicken broth infuses the veggies with more delicious flavors.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, hot red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper for just a hint of spice and heat in this recipe.
- Lemon: After cooking, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the recipe. The zesty lemon flavor brings out the rabe’s naturally earthy, slightly sweet flavors. Serve with a lemon wedge.
- Parmesan: Fresh parmesan cheese is the perfect finishing touch to this veggie dish. For the best flavor, use freshly grated cheese instead of pre-shredded.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Heavy Skillet: A large, wide skillet lets you stir without spilling. A regular nonstick skillet works great, or you can use a cast-iron skillet.
- Wooden Spoon: A wooden spoon or plastic slotted spoon works well so it doesn’t scratch your skillet as you stir.
How to Make
Time needed: 15 minutes.
- Cook Garlic
Get a large, heavy skillet for which you have a lid. Add extra virgin olive oil to the skillet and heat oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and stir as you cook for 30 seconds.
- Steam the Greens
Add the chicken broth and broccoli rabe to your skillet. Then add the lid to the pan and steam the broccoli rabe for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook while stirring for another 3 minutes. The rabe should soften as you cook.
- Add Seasoning
Once the greens are slightly tender, season with salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
- Toss with Lemon
Add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest over the top and toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish with Cheese
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the broccoli rabe, stir then serve with more cheese and lemon wedges.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 bunches broccoli rabe , about 4 cups
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large heavy skillet (that you have a lid for!) on medium heat.
- Add in the garlic, stir and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the chicken broth and broccoli rabe.
- Cover and steam for 3 minutes.
- Remove the cover, continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
- Season with salt, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper.
- Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest, stir and serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes. You can prep the bunch of broccoli rabe in advance or make a large batch and keep leftovers for another day. After cooking, the greens can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve premade rabe, it’s best to use the oven, as this will help the veggies maintain a crisp texture and not become mushy. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, transfer the chilled rabe to a baking dish, laying them out in a single layer. Pop the recipe in the oven for 8-10 minutes until heated through. You could also reheat Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with a bit of oil on the stovetop.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
- Store: Don’t leave Broccoli Rabe sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours after cooking. To keep the veggies fresh, wait for them to cool before you transfer the greens to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: You can saute cold rabe in a pan over medium heat with a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes until warmed. Or you can microwave covered with a splash of water and heat on medium in 30-second intervals.
- Freeze: These greens don’t maintain their texture after being frozen and defrosted. Eating them within the first few days of cooking is much better than freezing this recipe.
Ideas to Serve
These delicious greens go great with classic meals like Baked Rosemary Chicken, Smothered Pork Chops, and Chicken Alfredo Pasta. Here’s a few more ideas:
- Italian Sausage: Combine sauteed broccoli rabe with grilled or sauteed Italian sausage slices. The sausage’s flavors and the light sauteed greens are a tasty combination.
- Italian: The garlicky seasoning goes perfect with Italian pasta recipes like Creamy Pasta Bake and Baked Rigatoni.
- Grilled Meats: Pair sauteed broccoli rabe with meats like chicken breasts, steak, or sausage. The rabe’s bitterness contrasts nicely with the savory flavors of meats.
- Crostini: Top crostini or toasted bread with chopped up Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and a sprinkle of goat cheese or ricotta. This makes for a delicious appetizer, excellent side dish, or light meal.
Air Fryer Broccoli Rabe
- To start, cook the garlic in oil until fragrant. Follow the same directions as the original instructions for this first step.
- Add the chicken broth, broccoli rabe, and browned garlic to the air fryer and stir to coat.
- Turn the air fryer to 350 degrees and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- After cooking, season the rabe with salt, black pepper, and red pepper chili flakes. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to coat.
- Transfer the seasoned Broccoli Rabe from the air fryer to a serving dish and top with shaved parmesan cheese.
Frequent Questions
No. Despite the names, these two vegetables are not the same. Broccoli rabe, also known as broccoli raab or rapini, is more closely related to the turnip family than the broccoli family. The broccoli-like florets, which earned their name, are premature turnip buds.
Broccoli rabe has a distinct bitter flavor, complementing some dishes, such as cheesy pasta. As you cook the rabe, some of the bitter flavor will cook out. The Parmesan cheese will help cut the bitterness. Adding butter to the cooking oil will further help it be less bitter.
The stems, leaves, and buds of broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, are all edible. If you notice that the ends of the stems seem too hard, you can trim them with kitchen scissors before cooking the vegetables.
Variations
- Seasonings: Season the leafy vegetables with a teaspoon of onion powder, paprika, dried parsley, ground mustard seed, or Italian seasoning. For a garlicky broccoli rabe, add a couple more cloves of garlic.
- Caramelized Onions: Slice 1 medium yellow onion into slivers. Then brown the onion in oil for about 30 seconds before adding the garlic. Stir and cook until fragrant. Then, follow the remaining recipe instructions as usual to enjoy Sauteed Rabe and Onions.
- Pine Nuts: After cooking, toss the green vegetables and a bit of lemon juice and lemon zest. Then when you add the Parmesan topping, you can also sprinkle some toasted pine nuts over the sauteed vegetables. Pine nuts add a nice crunch, and the rich, earthy, sweet flavor goes wonderfully with the garlic and lemon rabe.
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