In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of sautéed vegetables. They’re quick, easy to make, and perfect when you need a simple side dish to go with dinner. This sautéed broccoli recipe is one of my favorites! My entire family loves it and it only takes 15 minutes to make. So I literally make it once a week. Trust me, it’s a keeper!

Since I love making quick vegetables, my usual go-tos are sautéed cabbage or sautéd zucchini and yellow squash. But I recently found out that my youngest daughter loves broccoli. So I immediately sought out to make the best broccoli recipe that she and the whole family would love. And in my humble opinion I must say, that I nailed it!😊
The Best Sautéed Broccoli
I kept the ingredients simple for this broccoli recipe, but it’s still very flavorful. It includes a whole crown of broccoli, cut into florets, butter and olive oil for sautéing, and seasoned with fresh garlic, salt and pepper. I add just a little bit of water to the pan to steam and soften the broccoli, then finish it with crushed red pepper. It’s so good! The cooking technique is key, so I’ll share my steps and tips with you below.

How To Sauté Broccoli

Step One: Cut the florets off of the crown of broccoli.

Step Two: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the broccoli and sauté for 2 minutes.

Step Three: After 2 minutes add the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes.

Step Four: Add the water to the skillet and cover with a lid. Lower the heat and steam the broccoli for 4-5 min. Finish with some crushed red pepper or grated parmesan and enjoy!
Cooking Tips!
- Keep an eye on the garlic: I like mincing the garlic for this recipe because each piece of broccoli gets a little taste of fresh garlic. But make sure to keep an eye on the garlic and stir frequently while it sautés to prevent it from burning.
- Don’t add too much water: Trust me you’ll only need about 2 tablespoons of water to steam the broccoli. Just make sure to cover the skillet with a lid so the steam can properly soften the broccoli florets. If you add too much water it will cause the broccoli to become soggy.
More Easy Vegetable Recipes
Here's a few more of my favorite quick and easy vegetable recipes that are perfect as a side dish any day of the week!

If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my roasted lemon-pepper broccoli next!

Sautéed Broccoli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 crown of broccoli (about 1.5 lb.)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced*
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli florets off of the crown. You can skip this step if you purchased pre-cut bagged florets.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli florets and toss in the oil and butter. Then let the broccoli cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes so it can start browning and get some color on one side.
- After 2 minutes, add the salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Give the broccoli a toss and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the garlic from burning.
- Now lower the heat to medium-low. Add the water to the skillet and cover with a lid. Let the broccoli steam for 4-5 minutes, until the broccoli softens and can be pierced easily with a fork.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and finish with crushed red pepper or grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- If your garlic clove is on the larger side, you’ll only need one clove. If the cloves are small, then use 2 cloves. Also I prefer fresh garlic, but you can substitute with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

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