Want a gold star in thrift and food waste prevention? Even (or especially if) your broccoli is looking tired and floppy, it shines in this preparation, and you use the whole head—stem and all. The secret is chopping it into little pieces so it cooks quickly and becomes tender.
How to Prep the Broccoli
Is knife prep something you loathe? You’re off the hook: Accuracy does not count here! While you’re chopping the broccoli into small bits, it’s totally fine—and even preferable—that some are larger than others. That way, some get nice and soft in the skillet, while others still maintain a slight toothiness. Here’s how to prep the broccoli: Now you’re ready to cook!
Use Fresh Broccoli
“Oh, I can skip all that work by using packaged frozen chopped broccoli,” you may be thinking. Sorry, but with this recipe, you can’t. It won’t get the nice hint of char that makes it special.
Mix It up With Other Veggies
Any member of the cabbage family (cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale) is awesome in this. I’ll use whatever I have around, usually two or three of the aforementioned brassicas. Just try to have them chopped up in about the same size. I save cauliflower cores and put them to use here, as well as the stems of kale and collard greens. Sometimes I use the leafy greens in other recipes, but I’ll save the stems for this, as they keep for about a week in the fridge. Unlike the broccoli stems, you don’t need to peel them. Just slice them thinly across the grain. They cook up sweet, not bitter.
Doubling the Recipe
Yes, you can double this. But count on it taking longer to cook, as there will be more volume in the pan. I like to make a large batch and eat leftovers all week.
Freezing Skillet Broccoli
You can freeze this! I like to pack it into quart-size freezer bags, press out the air, seal them, and freeze them flat for easy storage.
How to Season Skillet Broccoli
Since I usually serve this with other highly flavored things, I don’t usually season this with much else other than salt or pepper. Mild chili flakes are nice, though. If you like, you can sauté a little minced onion or garlic before adding the broccoli.
What to Serve With Sautéed Broccoli
I make this (or variations of it) probably once a week. It’s a great side to things like jerk salmon, but grilled flank steak, pork, or chicken is good, too. Most often I use this as a component of a bowl. I pile it over brown rice or quinoa, and top that with romesco sauce, then the broccoli, then crumbled feta cheese.
More Great Skillet Veggies
The Best Way to Boil Asparagus Stir Fried Green Beans with Ginger and Onions Easy Sautéed Spinach Easy Swiss Chard Red Flannel Hash
With a vegetable peeler, peel the outer layers of the stem off and discard them. Cut the tender centers into coins across the grain, then chop those up into little bits. Shred up the blossom ends of the broccoli. You’re aiming for pieces between the size of a pea and an almond. After 5 minutes of cooking, reduce the heat incrementally so the broccoli does not burn. You’ll end at medium heat. Some bits will get charred and brown, while others steam and become soft and sweet. This is exactly what you want. After about 10 total minutes of cooking, your broccoli will be ready. The volume will have reduced by about half, and there will not be any raw pieces of broccoli left.
