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A plate of sautéed broccoli rabe on a lace tablecloth, beside 2 small bowls of garnish.
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5 from 3 votes

Buttery, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic & Red Onion

This buttery, sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic and red onion is such a simple, impressive vegetarian side dish!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: International
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 158kcal

Equipment

  • cutting board & sharp knife
  • sauté pan
  • pot - big enough to boil 1 pound of broccoli rabe
  • spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 pound broccoli rabe - about 3 bunches
  • 1 small red onion - sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil - and a drizzle more for garlic
  • 2 tbsp. salted butter
  • salt & pepper - to taste
  • crushed, sliced almonds - a sprinkle (optional)

Instructions

  • Set a pot of water to boil that’s large enough to cover your broccoli rabe. While it’s heating up, Slice the thick ends off of your pound of broccoli rabe. Set aside. Thinly slice a small red onion and slice the rings in half. Set aside. Mince 3 cloves of garlic. Set aside, separate from onions.
  • Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to a sauté pan and sauté sliced onions for 4 minutes until brown. Add a tiny bit more oil to the pan, and sauté minced garlic with onions for just 1 or 2 minutes more, until brown. Watch carefully. Minced garlic can go from “perfect” to “burned” pretty quickly. Once finished, remove onions and garlic from the pan and set aside. 
  • Once the pot of water is at a rolling boil, place broccoli rabe in for 1 minute. It’s OK if it floats to the top. Just push it down with a spoon so it evenly blanches. Once done, strain water from the pot and remove broccoli rabe.
  • Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. salted butter to the pan, melt, mix and add broccoli rabe. Sauté in butter and oil until the ends are a little crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Add back onions and garlic, mix in, sauté for just 1 more minute, sprinkle with salt and fresh pepper, crushed, sliced almonds and serve.

Notes

Cooked broccoli rabe will last nicely for 4-5 days when refrigerated in a sealed container.
To reheat, you can microwave it for 60 seconds, covered with a paper towel, to retain moisture. It’s also delicious cold! Once sautéed and refrigerated, I chop it up and put it in my salads.
See post for detailed instructions with photos of the process.
 
Nutrition information is an estimate.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3159IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 3mg