This Broccoli Rabe Recipe is elevated thanks to savory garlic and spicy crushed red pepper flakes. It's so easy to make — and is a great option for a healthy Italian-inspired side dish! And perhaps more importantly, sautéed broccoli rabe is super delicious and flavorful!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe for Broccoli Rabe
This is one of my Grandma Rosie's recipes that was in her rotation. I'm not even sure if rotation is the best word because she made it very frequently. She had a number of dishes that always seemed to be readily available whenever I went over there. Other standbys included Zucchini Soup, Peppers and Eggs, Sandwich Steaks. And of course, the pinnacle: Sunday Sauce (seriously- the BEST!).
So here's the big question when it comes to this recipe for broccoli rabe. Is it broccoli rabe? Or rapini? Rappi? Perhaps it's simply greens? Whatever you call them, I like them and I can't wait to share this recipe with you!
In truth, it took me a little while to warm up to sautéed broccoli rabe. While I consciously knew that everything Grandma made was delicious, sometimes kids get weird about green foods (as we all know!).
But this is oh-so-simple and so homey. I know that's an odd choice of descriptor. But it just tastes like home to me. Perfectly savory. A little bit juicy (in a good way) with a nice little kick from the crushed red pepper.
This is one of those without-measurements recipes. You can make as much or as little as you want, and I encourage you to do everything by taste. And most of all, enjoy! PS- This tastes amazing on crostini with whipped ricotta!
Here are just a few more reasons to love this broccoli rabe recipe:
- Comforting
- Wholesome
- Family-friendly (with a bit of coaxing, maybe!)
- Simply delicious
Ingredient Information
- Broccoli Rabe - The star of this recipe for broccoli rabe, of course! Make sure to wash and trim it first. Around here, you can even get it pre-washed and trimmed, which I am all about.
- Olive Oil - For cooking the broccoli rabe. I like olive oil myself, but you could also use avocado oil or even canola if that's what you have on hand.
- Garlic - I'm using about 3-4 peeled cloves for my broccoli rabe with garlic. You can also use garlic powder instead — or a combination of fresh and powered! The big thing is this- make sure you don't burn your garlic- it adds a bitter taste and will ruin your dish. If you burn it, you'll want to wash the pan and start over again.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - For a bit of heat. I love spicy foods, but if you don't, you can skip this ingredient.
- Salt - To taste.
How to Make Broccoli Rabe With Garlic
Step 1: Sauté the garlic
Start by heating the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic turns golden.
Step 2: Add the broccoli rabe
Introduce the rabe to the skillet with a bit of salt and a few spoonfuls of water. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes. Stir it periodically as it cooks.
Step 3: Garnish and serve
When your broccoli rabe with garlic is done, garnish with a bit more salt, garlic, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sautéed broccoli rabe often gets a bad rap for being bitter — but it doesn't have to be! I find that simply cooking it long enough does a lot to get rid of its naturally bitter taste. Some chefs swear by parboiling it first, as mentioned on the recipe card below. It's worth a try if bitterness is a real concern.
While the leaves and stalks are both edible, I do like to trim the leaves a bit before cooking broccoli rabe. You'll definitely want to remove the base of the stalk as it is pretty tough to bite into. And if you don't want to cut it off completely, you can always peel it with a vegetable peeler.
The names are very similar, but broccolini and broccoli rabe are two different vegetables. Broccolini is mild and sweet and looks a lot like broccoli with very long stems. Rabe is leafier and boasts a stronger taste.
Tips For Cooking Broccoli Rabe
- Don't be afraid to customize. I love broccoli rabe with garlic and crushed pepper flakes, but you can feel free to add your favorite spices and seasonings! I love the idea of adding some citrus juice or even a drizzle of balsamic on top.
- Use high heat and a wide pan. Cooking broccoli rabe over medium-high heat in a large enough skillet or sauté pan makes all the difference! Both allow for quick cooking and caramelization which will help mellow out that bitter taste.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Along the same lines as using a large enough pan when cooking broccoli rabe, don't be tempted to overload the skillet. Sauté in batches if you have to! Overcrowding can cause the greens to steam rather than sauté, resulting in a less flavorful and slightly mushy texture.
- Prep ahead- You can peel the garlic and clean and trim the greens in advance.
- Leftovers and storage- This will last up to a week covered in the refrigerator.
What To Serve With Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
Round out your meal and serve these other tasty recipe with your sautéed rapini:
Other Delicious Recipes Featuring Leafy Greens
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Broccoli Rabe Recipe with Garlic
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 bunches broccoli rabe cleaned and trimmed of stalks and chopped into chunks
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves or garlic powder or both!
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in your pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and some crushed red pepper and saute for a few minutes until the garlic is golden (keep an eye on it because burned garlic ruins the dish).
- Add the broccoli rabe to the pan along with some salt and garlic powder and a couple spoonfuls of water.
- Stir periodically until the broccoli rabe cooks down, around 10 minutes.
- Once it's cooked down a bit taste it and added additional salt and crushed red pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don't be afraid to customize. I love broccoli rabe with garlic and crushed pepper flakes, but you can feel free to add your favorite spices and seasonings! I love the idea of adding some citrus juice or even a drizzle of balsamic on top.
- Use high heat and a wide pan. Cooking broccoli rabe over medium-high heat in a large enough skillet or sauté pan makes all the difference! Both allow for quick cooking and caramelization which will help mellow out that bitter taste.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Along the same lines as using a large enough pan when cooking broccoli rabe, don't be tempted to overload the skillet. Sauté in batches if you have to! Overcrowding can cause the greens to steam rather than sauté, resulting in a less flavorful and slightly mushy texture.
- Prep ahead- You can peel the garlic and clean and trim the greens in advance.
- Leftovers and storage- This will last up to a week covered in the refrigerator.
- Variation: You can also boil the broccoli rabe for a couple minutes before adding it to the pan. If you do this, you'll scoop it directly from the pot into the pan so that some of the water comes with it- if you do it this way, you won't need to add any additional water. But make sure you're extra careful when you add the broccoli rabe because if the oil is super hot and you add the soaked broccoli rabe it will cause the oil to splash up. So take the pan off the heat for a couple minutes before you add it.
Leave a Reply