This is the perfect sautéed broccoli recipe! Cooked with garlic and butter until fork tender and flavorful, this easy broccoli dish pairs with anything and is ready in minutes!
Garlic Broccoli
This garlic broccoli recipe is an old family favorite that my aunt served often. She gives credit to Pearl Bailey’s Kitchen cookbook for the original idea, but I’m sure she made it her own over the years.
This recipe is so easy, and it only has three ingredients.
This is a one pot side dish that takes less than 25 minutes start to finish.
Garlic Broccoli is simple to make! Lightly brown some sliced garlic. Then brown the broccoli spears in the garlic butter until brown and tender. I think the beauty is in its simplicity! Even with just 3 ingredients, this garlic broccoli turns out incredibly flavorful!
Combine the broccoli, garlic, and a little salt and you have an amazingly tasty side dish. The slow cooking of the garlic and then the broccoli creates a depth of flavor that really elevates the broccoli.
Our family has been loving this recipe for 40+ years!
— Sara
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of broccoli
- 4 – 6 cloves of garlic, slices
- 2 -3 Tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Trim the tough ends from the broccoli stems and slice into spears. Rinse the broccoli spears in water, but don’t dry them.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic to the butter and stir. Slowly, gently brown the garlic.
- Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside.
- Add the wet broccoli spears to the butter and cover skillet. Let broccoli cook for about 6 – 7 minutes until browned on one side. Turn broccoli over and cover again for about 6 minutes until broccoli is browned on second side and crisp-tender. Add browned garlic back to pan, toss to mix, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Prep Tips
- Washing the Broccoli – After cutting the broccoli stalks into spears, you will wash them in water. Let them remain as wet as possible. The recipe doesn’t give an amount of water to add to the pan, except that the broccoli should be “dripping wet.”
- Cooking the Broccoli – While cooking the broccoli it’s important to not burn it, so keep the heat low to medium heat. My broccoli took about six minutes to lightly brown on each side. This amount of time should give it the right color and also make it somewhat tender. And speaking of tender, this is a personal decision. I like my broccoli cooked through but still holding its shape. If you like it less tender, cook for less time. The broccoli doesn’t require as close a watch as the garlic, but you want to stay nearby. It’s no fun when your broccoli burns.
- Cooking Garlic – When cooking the garlic, slow and low heat are key. Browned garlic is delicious. Burnt garlic means starting from scratch. You do want to keep a close eye when sauteing of the garlic and the broccoli to make sure you get the perfect texture in every bite, without burning it. When it is lightly browned, remove from the butter and set aside.
- Extra Garlic – The recipe calls for four to six cloves of garlic. I went for the whole six and would have enjoyed a couple more, so feel free to add a little extra garlic if you’re a fan. It’s just so good when it’s browned and crispy!
- Seasoning – The only seasoning I used was a little salt and black pepper. You don’t have to use a lot, just a little to highlight the taste of the garlic and broccoli. However, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese would also taste delicious. And if you like a little spice, red pepper flakes are a tasty addition.
- Serve With – This garlic broccoli is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite main dish or protein, whether it’s chicken, pork, salmon…you name it! This is also the perfect veggie side dish for pasta night or steak night!
- Storage – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
More Easy Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
- Sautéed Celery with Pecans
- Copper Penny Carrots
- Sautéed Green Beans with Feta and Caramelized Onions
- Swiss Green Bean Casserole
- 7 Layer Pea Salad
- Cracker Barrel Lima Beans
More Broccoli Recipes To Try
Easy Sautéed Broccoli Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic
Equipment
- Large skillet with lid
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches broccoli
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 2-3 TB butter
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim tough ends from broccoli and slice into spears.
- Rinse broccoli spears in water.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced garlic to the butter.
- Slowly, gently brown the garlic, then remove garlic from pan and set aside.
- Add the wet broccoli spears to the butter and cover skillet. Let cook for about 6 – 7 minutes until browned on one side.
- Turn broccoli over and cover again for about 6 minutes until broccoli is browned on second side and tender.
- Add browned garlic back to pan, toss to mix, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Keep an eye on the garlic while cooking - slow and low heat are key so it browns, but doesn't burn.
- After cutting the broccoli stalks into spears, you will wash them in water. Let them remain as wet as possible. The recipe doesn’t give an amount of water to add to the pan, except that the broccoli should be “dripping wet.”
- I like my broccoli tender, but still firm enough to hold its shape. Cook the broccoli more for very tender broccoli, or less for firmer broccoli.
- The only seasoning I used was a little salt and pepper. You don’t have to use a lot, just a little to highlight the taste of the garlic and broccoli.
- Nutrition information is an estimate.
Nutrition
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