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Here’s your go-to pan fried broccoli to make on the regular! This basic method is ultra versatile and makes flavorful, crisp-tender veggies.
I make this pan-fried broccoli almost every day. I’m not kidding! We are a broccoli-eating family at my house, especially when it comes out perfectly crisp-tender and full of savory flavor.
That’s actually not easy to do with broccoli. Home cooks often overcook broccoli or don’t season it enough, resulting in a yellow-green, lifeless mess. Here’s how to pan fry it so it’s the most delicious thing on your plate!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Believe it or not, sometimes it’s hard for me to infuse fresh vegetables into our diet at home. Cheese and carbs are so easy to reach for! Even so, I have been on a serious quest to eat more veggies daily.
The one veggie that seems to show up almost daily is broccoli. This pan fried broccoli specifically shows up alongside weeknight meals all the time. Here’s why I love it:
- It’s fast. Pan fried broccoli comes together in just about 10 minutes!
- It’s full of flavor. This method adds just the right flavoring, and you can customize it based on the type of cuisine you’re making.
- It’s healthy. Pan frying uses olive oil, the healthiest of all cooking oils, and just a bit of spices and salt. Despite the fact that we eat it so much, I still crave it!
5 Star Reader Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Super easy and delicious! Pan fry and a quick steam is the way to go for the best broccoli. Loved the spice mix and the ratio. The broccoli came out perfectly seasoned.” -Katie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Cooked this recipe tonight. Huge hit! Everyone loved it. Followed the recipe. Easy and delicious. Will be making it again soon.” -Maria
What Is Fried Broccoli, Exactly?
“Fried broccoli” can mean a few different things: there’s deep fried broccoli that’s dipped in batter and fried in a pot of oil. Then there’s pan fried broccoli, which is cooked in a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet.
My recipe is for pan fried broccoli: you’ll get nice browned edges but also bright green stems using just a few tablespoons of olive oil. I do love roasted broccoli, but it takes quite a while to make: this method is so much faster!
My Method For Fried Brocoli
As I mentioned before, it’s easy to ruin broccoli. Many home cooks tend to cook it too long, turning it mushy and weird colors. They also tend to under-season it, which accentuates broccoli’s bitter flavor instead of its sweetness.
Here’s what to know about this recipe:
- Cut the broccoli into medium florets, keeping the stems long.
- Sear the florets first. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the florets and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Steam. Lower the heat to medium and pour in ¼ cup water whisked with seasonings. The water turns to steam and cooks the florets.
- Finish. Cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until fork tender. Taste test often to assess whether it’s done!
Flavor Variations
This pan fried broccoli tastes incredible as is! The spices (garlic, onion, and mustard powder) are intentionally versatile to work with many types of cuisines. But if you’d like, you can customize it for various types of recipes:
- Italian-style fried broccoli: Add dried oregano and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. To get fancy, add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Asian-style fried broccoli: Reduce the kosher salt slightly and add a splash of soy sauce. You can also add minced fresh ginger, a splash of rice vinegar, or Sriracha.
Ways To Serve Fried Broccoli
This fried broccoli is one of the most versatile of all of my recipes, as it works with just about anything. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Shrimp: Try it with honey garlic shrimp or sautéed shrimp and rice.
- Grain bowls: Add it to rice bowls or grain bowls.
- Salmon: Serve with miso salmon, blackened salmon, broiled salmon, or pan-seared salmon.
- Sushi: I even make up a pan of fried broccoli as a side for takeout sushi or vegan sushi.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover cooked broccoli lasts up to 3 to 4 days refrigerated. To reheat, you can microwave, toss in the air fryer, or heat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition Notes
Who doesn’t need a little more broccoli in their life? This pan fried broccoli is a great way to load up on the nutrients.
Broccoli is a great source of fiber (1 cup has 10% your daily need), is very high in vitamin C (½ cup has 70% your daily need), and is high in protein for a green vegetable (1 cup has 3 grams of protein).
Dietary Notes
This fried broccoli recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan.
Easy Pan-Fried Broccoli
Here’s my go-to pan-fried broccoli to make on the regular! This basic method is ultra versatile and makes flavorful, crisp-tender veggies.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pan Fried
- Cuisine: Vegetables
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, stem on (about 3 large heads or 6 heaping cups florets)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Chop the broccoli into medium-sized florets. (Leave a good amount of the stem for a nice shape.)
- In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup water with garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it on medium-high heat. Add broccoli and salt.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes until starting to brown, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium, and add the water and spices.
- Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes until fork tender, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and add additional salt and black pepper as necessary.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers last up to 3 to 4 days refrigerated.
More Broccoli Recipes To Try
Here are a few more broccoli recipes I’d recommend:
- Go classic with a broccoli salad, broccoli slaw, or cheesy broccoli.
- Roast up Parmesan broccoli.
- Blend a broccoli smoothie or make broccoli potato soup.
- Try it in healthy dinners like shrimp and broccoli or a broccoli stir fry.
Cooked this recipe tonight. Huge hit! Everyone loved it. Followed the recipe. Easy and delicious. Will be making it again soon.
Super easy and delicious! Pan fry and a quick steam is the way to go for the best broccoli. Loved the spice mix and the ratio. The broccoli came out perfectly seasoned.
This is a good recipe. I would add one comment. After the broccoli has been sauteed, and the water/spice mixture poured in, I would cover the pan. The broccoli needs to steam to cook, and the first time I tried it, the water just evaporated. 2nd time I covered the pan and it was perfect.
Ok it caught me by surprise how much this little recipe elevated the broccoli! Honestly it makes me look forward to adding more broccoli to my dinners! Don’t think the simplicity of the little spice blend won’t add enough flavor to notice a difference! I used 1 package of Aldi broccoli and a big nonstick skillet. Followed everything else as written. I will definitely be making this again!
Right!? So easy and so good. Thank you for making!
We have now made broccoli this way twice (once along with your fried tofu recipe and in an omelet). This is the BEST way we have made broccoli! This will be the way forward from now on. Thank you!!!
Great, simple and delicious recipe! Next time I’ll halve the salt, but that’s a personal preference. This was a a big hit. Thank you!
Totally agree about halving the salt
But it was delicious
I had to cover at the end for couple minutes ..