Sautéed Broccoli Recipe (Healthy & Easy)

sauteed broccoli with potatoes in a le creuset cream ceramic pan with orange handles placed on a folded light gray jute fabric

5 from 8 votes

Sautéed Broccoli Recipe (Healthy & Easy)

Incredibly simple and deliciously satisfying Sautéed Broccoli recipe is great to make as a healthy side or main. My easy recipe is vegetarian and vegan-friendly, and perfect for adding hearty potatoes or other extras to enjoy as an even more filling dish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian, World

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 132kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For prepping broccoli

3.5 to 4 cups broccoli - chopped, 250 grams
3 cups water
¼ teaspoon salt

Other ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
2 teaspoon garlic - finely chopped
⅔ to ¾ cup chopped potatoes - 150 grams or 1 large potato
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
2 teaspoons dried herbs - I added half teaspoon each of dried parsley, thyme, basil and oregano
salt as required
2 to 3 tablespoons water - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparation

Remove and chop the broccoli florets from the head. Using a colander or strainer rinse them in very well in water. Drain the excess water.
Blanch broccoli florets in hot water for 2 minutes and place in a cold ice bath for a minute to stop the cooking process. Blanching is an optional step. Strain and set aside.
Finely chop garlic and cut potato in ½ to 1 inch cubes.

Making Sautéed Broccoli

Use a heavy bottomed pan or skillet. Heat olive oil in it. Keep the heat to low.
Add garlic and stir.
Then add the potato cubes.
Mix and sauté until potatoes are about half done, not yet fork-tender. Be sure to stir regularly while sautéing the potatoes so that they become lightly crisp but don’t burn.
Add the broccoli, herbs, salt and pepper.
Mix gently but thoroughly.
If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons water to deglaze the pan and loosen the potato bits and garlic stuck to the pan.
Cover and cook on a low heat until the broccoli are tender but still firm to bite about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overcook broccoli and make them mushy.
Keep a check and if the veggies start to stick to the pan, add a few splashes of water and deglaze. Cover the pan and continue to cook.
This is a dry dish so if there is any moisture or water in the pan then remove the lid and sauté until the moisture or water evaporated once the broccoli are done.
Serve sautéed broccoli hot or warm.

Serving Suggestions

You can enjoy plain or garnish with some fresh or dried herbs like parsley, basil or cilantro, if you like. You can serve this as a side with nearly any main dish, such as baked or fried tofu steaks, pasta dishes, curries, or other hearty vegetarian dinner favorites.
Enjoy vegetarian sautéed broccoli as the star of the meal with a side of warm toasted bread.
It pairs particularly well with Italian breads – like Ciabatta and Focaccia – and Indian Breads like Roti or Parathas or even your everyday White Bread.

Notes

Pan: Use a thick bottomed pan so that the potatoes do not stick to the pan.
Tangy Flavors: You can drizzle some lemon juice on before serving for a bright pop of acidity.
Herbs: You can add fresh herbs in place of dried herbs. Add 2 tablespoon of mixed fresh herbs. Add the herbs (both fresh or dried) that you prefer.
Only with broccoli: Skip potatoes and just use broccoli, if you prefer. Use ½ to 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs if making the recipe with only broccoli.
Overdone potatoes: Don't worry if some of the potato cubes get slightly overdone and become mushy - they still taste delicious. Simply scrape the bottom of the pan to get the bits of potatoes unstuck and mix in with the rest of the dish. They add a great bit of tasty crunch to the sautéed broccoli and potatoes.

Nutrition