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Broccoletti sauteed in garlic and butter, steamed in chicken stock, the topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and lemon juice...this garlic butter broccoletti is the side dish you have been waiting for!
The broccoletti has a slightly sweet flavor that pairs amazingly with the buttery garlic, flavor packed chicken stock, and blasts of Parm and lemon. It's life - just like this butter garlic shrimp spaghetti it goes so well with.
Similar to this sauteed broccolini recipe, this recipe really focuses on the fresh flavor of the broccoletti - letting the sweetness shine!
Plus it's ultra easy to prepare right on your stove in less than 20 minutes. And your kids might even like it
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Why This Recipe Works
- It's ultra easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes.
- It's so buttery, fresh and packed with umami flavors.
- It's versatile so can be served with so many different dishes (scroll down below to see some great options).
- Can easily be made vegetarian or vegan with a couple tweaks.
- Broccoletti is packed full of all kinds of nutrients, so yay.
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What is Broccoletti?
Broccoletti is basically the same thing as broccolini. Broccoletti is similar to broccoli (it is actually called baby broccoli in some areas), but it has smaller florets and longer stems.
It's actually a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli.
It takes longer than broccoli to get tender, and can have tougher, more fibrous stems. In this recipe, we steam the broccoletti in chicken stock until it is tender, so we don't worry too much about the tough stems.
The taste is a combination of broccoli and asparagus - it has an amazing flavor that we have fallen in love with (sorry broccoli).
Add more or less salt as necessary while cooking. You can use any stock, but I find chicken stock provides the best flavor. I prefer homemade (try instant pot chicken bone broth for amazing flavor), but store bought work fine as well.
Variations and substitutions
Broccoletti is so versatile and can be prepared many different ways. Try some of these options if you want to be creative:
- Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or fish sauce when steaming the broccoletti - it adds an extra boost of umami (so good!).
- Grate some fresh lemon zest in while cooking to add an extra boost of citrus flavor.
- Replace the lemon juice with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar (dark or white is fine) for a touch of acid and sweetness.
- I am a huge sucker for furikake seasoning (a Japanese seaweed seasoning that is knock you socks off delicious).
- Sprinkle it with Tajin seasoning (chili lime seasoning).
- Add fresh herbs in with the butter and garlic (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc).
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Trim about 1-2 inches of the stems of the broccoletti, removing the tougher, more fibrous parts.
Step 2: Heat the butter over medium low heat and add the garlic. Sauté until it start to turn very light brown.
Step 3: Add the broccoletti, salt, chili flakes and pepper and toss to combine. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning often so all sides are coated with butter.
**if garlic starts to get too dark, start adding the broth earlier.
Step 4: Add the broth to the pan and cover to let the broccoletti steam, about 7-10 minutes. Check periodically to ensure all the broth has not evaporated.
If broth evaporates before broccoletti is tender, add additional broth (1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue steaming until tender.
Step 5: Remove lid, continuing to cook until any liquid has evaporated.
Remove from heat and serve topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice.
Expert Tips
- Cut about 1-2 inches off the bottom of the stalks to remove the tough, fibrous parts.
- If broth evaporates before broccoletti is tender, add additional broth (1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue steaming until tender.
- If garlic starts to burn, turn down the heat and add 1-2 tablespoon of stock.
- If you don't like spice, you can omit the crushed chilies (or add more if that's your preference).
- To make it vegan, use olive oil in place of the butter, nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan cheese and vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth.
- If the stalks are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise so they are able to cook faster.
Serving Options
Like I said, so versatile. It can be served as a side dish for any of these amazing dishes:
- Sous vide beef tenderloin
- linguine with white clam sauce
- Sous vide sea bass
- Air fryer whole chicken
- Sous vide veal chops
Frequently Asked Questions
You can eat the whole thing! It is recommended to trim the end of the stems as they can be tough, but you can safely cook and eat the whole stalk.
Broccoli rabe has a strong bitter taste and broccolini has a sweet, lighter taste. Broccoli rabe and broccolini are not related and shouldn't be used interchangeably in recipes.
Leftover can be stored in a covered container for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until warmed through.
It can also be frozen in a freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat per the above instructions. Note the texture will become softer after you freeze it.
*Can also be reheated in a skillet with 1-2 teaspoon of butter or olive oil.
Favorite broccoli recipes
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Recipe
Garlic Butter Broccoletti
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccoletti about 1to 1 ½ pounds
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon chili flakes
- ¼ cup chicken stock substitute any stock
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
- Fresh lemon slices for serving
Instructions
- Trim about 1-2 inches of the stems of the broccoletti, removing the tougher, more fibrous parts.
- Heat the butter over medium low heat and add the garlic. Sauté until it start to turn very light brown.
- Add the broccoletti, salt, chili flakes and pepper and toss to combine.
- Cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning often so all sides are coated with butter. **if garlic starts to get too dark, start adding the broth earlier.
- Add the broth to the pan and cover to let the broccoletti steam, about 7-10 minutes. Check periodically to ensure all the broth has not evaporated.
- If broth evaporates before broccoletti is tender, add additional broth (1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue steaming until tender.
- Remove lid, continuing to cook until any liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from heat and serv topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice.
Expert Tips:
- Cut about 1-2 inches off the bottom of the stalks to remove the tough, fibrous parts.
- If broth evaporates before broccoletti is tender, add additional broth (1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue steaming until tender.
- If garlic starts to burn, turn down the heat and add 1-2 tablespoon of stock.
- If you don't like spice, you can omit the crushed chilies (or add more if that's your preference).
- To make it vegan, use olive oil in place of the butter, nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan cheese and vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth.
- If the stalks are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise so they are able to cook faster.
Nutrition
henry
This came out really well. I made it for my in-laws and I was surprised that it was so tender but not mushy at all. SO good!
Danielle
That's great to hear!