Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Lemon

Sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic, lemon, and olive oil for healthy eating.

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Lemon

This broccoli rabe recipe with sautéed garlic and lemon is a classic Italian vegetable that packs loads of flavor and goes with any dish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 225kcal

Author: Morgan Peaceman

Equipment

cutting board
large bowl for ice water
frying pan
Steamer Insert optional if not using pot of water
large pot if you are blanching using a boiling pot of water

Ingredients

1 bunch broccoli rabe trimmed
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
½ lemon
Salt

Instructions

On a cutting board, peel then thinly slice cloves of garlic. Set the garlic aside.
Trim off 1 inch of the stems of the broccoli rabe.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, or use a large frying pan with a steamer insert.
Once boiling, add the broccoli rabe to the water for 2-3 minutes, then add to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Add the olive oil to a sauté pan and toss in the broccoli rabe. After a few minutes, add in the garlic and sauté on a medium heat until the broccoli rabe softens and the garlic becomes fragrant, approximately 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and lemon wedge.

Notes

Blanch the broccoli rabe before sautéing. It takes the bitterness out of the vegetable, and also helps it to soften once it's in the oil and on the stove. OR, use a steamer insert in a pan to steam the broccoli so that you can repurpose that pan for sautéing. I love using my Always Pan from Our Place for this reason as the insert comes out easily, and I can use the pan to cook the broccoli rabe.

Trim the ends of the broccoli rabe as they tend to be a little tough and woody.

Avoid cutting the leaves of the broccoli rabe, as this will actually cause the broccoli rabe to become even more bitter.

If you want to prevent any overcooking, add the blanched or steamed broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water immediately after softening (which should take 2-3 minutes) for a few seconds to "shock" the vegetable and stop it from softening further.

Nutrition