05 October 2026
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World Kitchen Journal
Pan-fried broccoli: a simple and wholesome side dish recipe
The Kitchen
By Jean-Luc Moreau, the Technique desk · 14 min ago · Italy · 3 min ·

Pan-fried broccoli: a simple and wholesome side dish recipe

Pan-fried broccoli is a simple and healthy side dish, ideal for preparing between autumn and winter, when these delicious vegetables, rich in health benefits, are abundant on market stalls.

Ingredients · Servings 4 people
  • Broccoli, 500 gr
  • Buyer, 4
  • Garlic, 2 cloves
  • Fresh chili pepper, 1
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
  • Sale, q.b.
Method · 45 min
  1. To prepare broccoli in a pan, first cut the broccoli stem, remove the leaves and divide everything into florets (1).
  2. Also recover the stem, trim it by eliminating the hardest part and cut it into small pieces (2).
  3. Bring the water to the boil and cook the broccoli for about 3 minutes (3). Drain them and immediately transfer them to a bowl of water and ice, to stop the cooking and keep them crunchy.
  4. Pour a drizzle of oil into a pan, add the garlic, anchovies and chilli pepper and leave to flavour over a low heat for around 5 minutes (4).
  5. Add the well-drained broccoli and the salt (5), mix to flavour and cover with the lid.
  6. Leave to cook for about 10 minutes, then remove the lid (6) and continue cooking until the water has completely evaporated. At this point, stir for a few more minutes.
  7. The broccoli in the pan is ready: bring it to the table and enjoy it (7).

In this recipe, the florets and the chopped stem are first blanched, then sautéed in a pan with a sauté of oil, garlic, chili pepper, and a few anchovy fillets, whose flavor pairs perfectly with the delicate broccoli.

The result is a fragrant dish, perfect for serving with meat-based main courses, but also great for seasoning pasta or enhancing homemade focaccia.

Learn how to prepare stir-fried broccoli with step-by-step instructions and tips. If you enjoyed this recipe, try other broccoli dishes and try baked broccoli, broccoli au gratin, pan-fried Roman broccoli, pasta with broccoli, and creamed broccoli soup.

How to prepare broccoli in a pan

To prepare the broccoli in the pan, first cut the broccoli stem, remove the leaves and divide everything into florets 1.

Also recover the stem, trim it by eliminating the hardest part and cut it into pieces 2.

Bring the water to a boil and cook the broccoli for about 3 minutes. Drain them and immediately transfer them to a bowl of water and ice, so as to stop the cooking and keep them crunchy.

Pour a drizzle of oil into a pan, add the garlic, anchovies and chilli pepper and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes 4.

Add the well-drained broccoli and salt 5, mix to flavor and cover with the lid.

Let it cook for about 10 minutes, then remove the lid and continue cooking until the water has completely evaporated. Then, stir for a few more minutes.

The pan-fried broccoli is ready: bring it to the table and enjoy it 7.

Advice

If you like, you can complete the dish with some almond flakes, add a handful of pine nuts to the soffritto, or omit the anchovies for a dish also suitable for vegetarian guests.

Pan-fried broccoli can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly closed in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.

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