This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
Here’s our go-to pan fried broccoli to make on the regular! This basic method is ultra versatile and makes flavorful, crisp tender veggies.
Here’s one of our best go-to recipe secrets, and get this: we make it almost every day. Try this Pan Fried Broccoli! It comes out perfectly crisp tender and full of savory flavor: and that’s not easy to do with broccoli. Home cooks often overcook broccoli or don’t season it enough, making a brown-ish green, lifeless mess. Here’s how to pan fry it so it’s the most delicious thing on your plate! Alex and I really do make this every day (at least, at the time I’m writing this). Want to know why?
Why to make pan fried broccoli
Believe it or not, as vegetarian cookbook authors sometimes it’s hard for us to infuse fresh vegetables into our diet. Cheese and carbs are so easy to reach for! So Alex and I have have been on a quest to eat more veggies on the daily, with “throw-together” recipes that make the veggie taste incredible. The veggie we’ve been eating every single day? Broccoli. This pan fried broccoli, specifically. Here’s why we 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 (see below).
- It’s healthy. Pan frying uses olive oil, the healthiest of all cooking oils, and just a bit of spices and salt. In fact, we literally crave this every night! (I know it sounds weird, but it’s true.)
Tips for the perfect pan fried broccoli
As I mentioned up top: it’s easy to ruin broccoli. Many home cooks tend to cook it too long, making it turn mushy and a brownish-green color. They also tend to under-season it, which accentuates broccoli’s bitter flavor instead of it’s sweetness. Here’s what to know about this recipe:
- Cut the broccoli into medium florets, keeping the stem long. It’s easy to cut broccoli into tiny florets: which makes it not as pretty or fun to eat! Here’s the best way to cut broccoli.
- Broccoli isn’t like most pan fried vegetables: it needs a steam! Because broccoli is rather tough, it cooks best when you add a little water a few minutes in. This lets it get tender without the pan becoming very dry. Trust us! We also use this method in our sauteed broccoli.
- Cook until just fork tender! Resist the temptation to cook too long. Cook until it’s just fork tender and bright green: and taste test it often!
Flavor variations! Customize based on your recipe
This pan fried broccoli recipe we created to be a sort of blank slate. Don’t get us wrong: it tastes incredible as is! But the spices we’ve added (garlic powder, onion powder and mustard powder) are intentionally versatile to worth with many types of cuisines. Here’s what we do to customize it for various types of recipes:
- Italian style pan fried broccoli: Add a little dried oregano and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. To get fancy, add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Asian style pan fried broccoli: Reduce the kosher salt slightly and add a splash of soy sauce. Other ideas: add minced fresh ginger, a splash of rice vinegar, or Sriracha hot sauce.
Ways to serve fried broccoli
This fried broccoli is one of the most versatile of all of our recipes. We eat it constantly and it works with just about anything. Here are some of our favorite ways to eat pan fried broccoli:
- Shrimp: Try with Honey Garlic Shrimp or Perfect Sautéed Shrimp and rice.
- Grain Bowl: Add it to an Easy Rice Bowl or Easy Grain Bowl.
- Salmon: Serve with Miso Salmon, Blackened Salmon, Quick Broiled Salmon or Easy Pan Seared Salmon.
- Sushi: We even make up a pan of this fried broccoli as a side for takeout sushi (or make your own)!
What are some ways you’d serve it? We want to know! Let us know in the comments below.
Broccoli nutrition
Who doesn’t need a little more broccoli in their life? This pan fried broccoli is a great way to load in the nutrients. Here are a few of the great things you’ll get a good dose of with this recipe:
- It’s a great source of fiber. 1 cup of raw broccoli has 2.3 grams of fiber, or about 5 to 10% of your daily need. (Source)
- It’s very high in Vitamin C. ½ cup has 70% your daily value of Vitamin C! (Source)
- It’s relatively high in protein for a green vegetable. 1 cup has 3 grams protein. (Source) That’s a similar level to asparagus and potatoes.
This fried broccoli recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free and vegan.
Easy Pan Fried Broccoli
Here’s our 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; see the photo or How to Cut Broccoli).
- In 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.
More broccoli recipes
We heart broccoli (a lot)! In fact, we could eat it for every meal. Here are a few of the top recipes we’d recommend:
- Go classic with a Broccoli Salad or Broccoli Slaw
- Try the best Quick Cheesy Broccoli
- Roast up addictive Parmesan Broccoli or make tasty Blanched Broccoli
- Blend a Broccoli Smoothie
- Make Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup
- Try healthy dinners Shrimp and Broccoli or Broccoli Stir Fry
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 ..