Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed, by 2sistersrecipes.com

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed (+Video) is a healthy green vegetable, also known as rapini that has a nutty taste to it.  But when you saute broccoli rabe with 4 ingredients, it becomes delicious!  There’s a secret to minimizing the bitter taste of broccoli rabe, and it’s simple. A perfect side dish to serve with dinner.

A platter with broccoli rabe cooked. by 2sistersrecipes.com
 
 
 

What is Broccoli Rabe?

  • Broccoli rabe or rapini is a bright green cruciferous vegetable with edible leaves, buds, and stems.
  • Its appearance is similar to broccoli, broccolini, and Chinese broccoli, but it has a bitter taste to it.
  • And you can find it in the produce section of the supermarket.

We love making vegetable side dishes all year long, especially broccoli rabe!

Whether you steam or sautรฉ broccoli rabe it will have a mild bitter taste to it and that’s not very appealing to a lot of people. 

With that said, we will show you how to make broccoli rabe the easy way and very flavorful.

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed by 2sistersrecipes.com

But we find that our brother Danny makes it most delicious, cooking it to a perfect dark green color and crunchy texture.  He makes it BEST!

How to Get Rid of the Bitterness in Broccoli Rabe?

There are two ways to get rid of bitterness when cooking broccoli rabe.

  • One way is cooking it with fresh lemon juice, and the other way is cooking it with our 4 ingredients.
  • So, to make it even better and tastier, it’s best to saute it with good-quality olive oil, fresh garlic, and crushed red pepper. Then finish it off, with a splash of chicken broth.
  • Yep, that’s the secret tip!  But I like to use vegetable broth instead.
  • First, our brother lightly sautรฉs the broccoli rabe in garlic and olive oil, then steams it with a bit of chicken broth, reducing and minimizing the bitterness of the broccoli, making it very tasty!
 
 
 
 
 

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed happen to be a staple dish in our family. 

  • It’s a vegetable with great health benefits, providing a high source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, and iron.
  • As a side dish, it compliments any meat and potatoes entree.
  • Our favorite is simply eating it all alone on a slice of crunchy toasted bread, for lunch or dinner with a glass of wine.

What could be better?

Just another great tip from our brother Danny who said to us “if we keep adding his recipes on our blog, then we should change the name to “2 sisters and 1 brother recipes”! … LOL…;

He is a funny guy!

 ENJOY!

How To Make Broccoli Rabe?

*Follow along with our step-by-step directions, or jump down to the bottom for the full recipe card. 

Ingredients Needed for Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed:

  • 2 bunches (Andy Boy) Broccoli Rabe
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 7 garlic cloves, sliced in half
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth, or chicken stock
  • Optional: 1 lemon cut into quarters, to garnish

Directions to Make Broccoli Rabe:  (step-by-step) 

1.  Unwrap the broccoli rabe bunch and place it onto a cutting board.

 

2.  If the stems at the end are thick and extra-long, cut off the bottom stems of the Broccoli rabe, about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom, and discard.

 

3.  Take the remaining broccoli and slice across into three equal parts beginning from the top to the bottom of the stems. Then place the chopped broccoli into a colander.

 

 

4.  Repeat the same with the second bunch of broccoli rabe.   Then wash and rinse the broccoli under cold water.  Allowing it to drain.

 
 

5.  Meantime, in a large sautรฉ pan, sautรฉ garlic in oil until garlic is golden color.

6.  Turn the stove onto a high setting, for high heat.

 

7.  Add broccoli, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Cover with the lid to steam for 3 to 5 minutes, and gently toss broccoli occasionally.

 
 

8.  Add chicken stock. Cover once again for an additional 2 minutes.

 

9.  Uncover and saute broccoli for 3 more minutes, tossing occasionally.  Taste the broccoli.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Broccoli should be done when it’s tender to the bite.

 

10.  Remove from pan and transfer onto a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve!

Serves 6 to 8

WATCH OUR VIDEO! How to Clean, Prep and Sautรฉ Broccoli Rabe? (1 minute!)

 …Thanks for PINNING!!

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed by 2sistersrecipes.com  

What to Serve with Broccoli Rabe…

 

 

Finally, More Tasty VEGETABLE SIDE Dishes!!

Yield: 6 to 8

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed

Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed is a healthy green vegetable that has a nutty and bitter taste to it, but when you saute broccoli rabe in olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, it becomes delicious! An easy side dish you will enjoy making all year long!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches (Andy Boy) Broccoli Rabe
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 7 garlic cloves, sliced in half
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup of low-sodium Chicken Stock
  • Optional: 1 lemon-cut into quarters, as a garnish

Instructions

  1. Unwrap the broccoli rabe bunch and place it onto a cutting board.
  2. Cut off stems of Broccoli rabe, about 2 or 3 inches from the bottom, and discard.
  3. Take the remaining broccoli and slice across into three equal parts beginning from the top to the bottom of the stems. Then place the chopped broccoli into a colander.
  4. Repeat the same with the second bunch of broccoli rabe. Then wash and rinse the broccoli under cold water. Allow draining.
  5. Meantime, in a large sauté pan, sauté garlic in oil until garlic is golden color.
  6. Turn stove onto high setting, for high heat.
  7. Add broccoli, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cover with lid to steam for 3 to 5 minutes, and gently toss broccoli occasionally.
  8. Add chicken stock. Cover once again for additional 2 minutes.
  9. Uncover and saute broccoli for 3 more minutes, tossing occasionally. Taste the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Broccoli should be done when it's tender to the bite.
  10. Remove from pan and transfer onto a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve!
  11. Serves 6 to 8

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 to 8 servings

Serving Size:

1 cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 114Total Fat: 12.8gSaturated Fat: 1.8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 1.1gFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.2gProtein: 0.3g
 

This post was originally posted in 2011. The recipe and all the content remain the same, only some of the photos have been updated.

Hello friends, you cooking with us?  If you make our delicious recipe for broccoli rabe, let us know! Snap a photo and hashtag it on Instagram and on Pinterest; be sure to tag us @2sistersrecipes.

 We’d love to see what you cook!

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Thanks for stopping by!  ๐Ÿ™‚

Anna and Liz

 

 
 

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14 Comments

  1. Hi Karen, we make pasta and broccoli rabe also and just the way you make as well. So good! My brothers way of making the rabe is easier simply because itโ€™s one step less, no need to blanch it. I hope youโ€™ ll enjoy his way!

  2. Hi, great recipe! I looked for a good Nutritarian broccoli rabe recipe and, this works beautifully if I leave out the salt and use low sodium vegetable broth. This is a keeper. Thanks

  3. Love your blog, and your story of how it began (and love Jessica too btw!). Thanks for visiting and following… My husband & I love to cook, and I can't wait to look through and try some of your recipes =).

  4. I have cooked often with brocolini but never rabe! I want to try this soon and your recipe sounds fantastic! So glad you visited me so I could find your blog! Amazing! I am your newest follower!