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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’s this broccoli so good?
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!
Tips for perfect fried broccoli
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.
- 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 too dry.
- Cook until just fork tender! Resist the temptation to cook too long. Taste test it often!
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 pan-fried broccoli: Add 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. 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 facts
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
I heart broccoli (a lot)! 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.
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 ..
Hi there…I made this and it was divine. Do you think swapping out the broccoli with halved Brussels Sprouts would work? Thinking of doing this for Thanksgiving this weekend (Canada).
Yes! We have a recipe here you can reference: https://www.acouplecooks.com/sauteed-brussels-sprouts/
Thank you for this! I actually did follow the broccoli recipe swapping with brussel sprouts and it worked just as well. It was quite delicious actually!
Love all these recipes! I like to drizzle brown butter (real butter needed) over the broccoli right before eating. Adds a great nutty flavor.
We’ll have to try it!
My DIL makes this so I just tried it. We cook on an induction top – set it to 8, with lots of olive oil. I seared the broccoli for about 2 minutes and then covered it, and turned off the heat. No need to add water – the heat retention did the job perfectly.
I am all about reducing carbon cookprints.
We can’t get enough of this delicious dish! Thanks so much!
I will never steam broccoli again!!! This is so good.
Hi,
I saw your broccoli offering and thought it looked quick, appealing and tasty.
I’ll have it on the table with Italian sausages tonight.
I’m confidante in my ability to follow direction:) and your recipe!
Thanks
Kristopher
Can you use frozen broccoli with this recipe?
Yes! Rinse under warm water and then go ahead with the instructions. The end result will be softer.
Ok, so I’m thinking about this recipe with garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce. Thoughts? I may start by lightly crisping some sliced garlic in the oil (and removing so it doesn’t burn), proceeding as described but subbing soy sauce for the water (or maybe half the water?), and doing a final toss with sesame oil in the pan. Or could I just cook the whole thing with sesame oil? Ok haha I realize this is a pretty different recipe at this point :D
Thoughts?
We do this, but generally just keep the water and add the soy sauce right at the end. It’s great!
This was so easy and so good . I thought about trying cauliflower.
The pan fried broccoli was just so good! We love broccoli, and are always looking for new ways to make it. Flavorful and perfect. Thank you! My husband likes it a little more done, so I simply added a little more water.
Perfect! I sprinkled a little garlic salt and a shake of onion granules. The added water and the ABSENCE of a lid for 5 minutes made it al dente and not mushy.
I would say used fresh minced garlic and fresh finely8 chopped onion. The powder stuff (at least the stuff in my cabinet) was way too salty and it over powered all other flavors.
I’m sorry! It should be garlic powder, not garlic salt. Fresh garlic would be great as well.
This was unbelievably tasty for how simple and easy it was. I don’t have picky eaters, but some are not vegetable lovers, per se, although they’ll eat them. Everyone loved these. This is a keeper and will be made often. Yum!!!
So glad you enjoyed! We make it almost every evening to add to our dinner.
Do you cover the pan at any point?
Not usually! If you have large pieces of broccoli, you can add 1/4 cup water and cover it for a minute to let the steam finish cooking them.
I have always used fried bacon and it is delicious
We tried this broccoli for a family dinner yesterday and it was a hit. Even the kids were back asking for more. Delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it! We still eat it 5x a week :)
Love making this recipe! Before I got dry mustard, I would add a teaspoon or two of mustard to the water and it worked so well. The dry mustard really works better though. Great recipe
So glad you enjoy it!
this is amazing just by itself, i added more plain water overtime to create more steam since mine just werent getting softer (i used a lid too). I took them out just before they were soft and yum!!! i put them on my toast with a poached egg and it was delicious
I used sesame seeds and sesame oil. I also use coconut oil for cooking. Makes it get crispy when it browns.
How much water do you add?
1/4 cup