Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

Last Updated on October 22, 2020 by Betty Davies
Easy and quick to make, sautéed broccoli is cooked with garlic and lemon for a fresh tasting and healthy side. Perfect to pair with all kinds of dishes, it’s a delicious way to enjoy your veggies!

Get some greens in your life with this super easy vegetable side dish. Broccoli is sautéed with lemon and garlic for a vibrant side that’s easy enough to make for a mid-week dinner, but tasty enough to serve on special occasions.
Made with fresh ingredients, it’s great to serve with so many mains and requires very little prep.
For more delicious vegetable side dishes, be sure to check out my Roasted Onions and Creamy Garlic Mushrooms.
Why you will love this garlic, lemon broccoli recipe!
- Quick: Ready to serve in less than 15 minutes, this is a great option to serve for an easy weeknight meal.
- Simple: You just need 4 ingredinets to make this dish, nothing fancy!
- Healthy: Broccoli is nutrient dense and low in calories. It’s a great source of calcium, fiber and protein as well as a host of vitamins and minerals.
- Dietary information: This side dish is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and low carb.
Ingredients
- Broccoli: Cut into florets. Use firm and ripe broccoli.
- Oil: For cooking. I used olive oil, but canola or vegetable will work well.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Lemon: I use both the juice and zest of a lemon for a nice zingy flavor.
How to sauté broccoli with lemon and garlic
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Boil the raw broccoli and then place it into iced water (photo 1).
- Soften the garlic in the oil and lemon zest (photo 2).
- Add in the cooked broccoli with lemon juice.
- Cook until soft and serve.


Recipe Variations
This recipe is pretty tasty as it is, but you can easily make it to suit your tastes:
- Add in some chili flakes when you add in the garlic for a bit of spice.
- If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, add in the zest of a whole lemon instead of half.
- Sauté in a mix of oil and butter for a richer flavor.
- Finish with salt and pepper if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I used fresh, but you can use frozen for this recipe. You may need to add a minute extra to the tie to boil it, but otherwise the recipe remains the same.
Placing the blanched broccoli in ice water stops it cooking so it doesn’t get too soft. It also helps it to retain it’s fresh green color. It’s definitely a step worth doing!
This dish is best served as soon as it’s ready, although we ate it over a couple of days and it was still good. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in a skillet.
If you want to get ahead of things, you can boil the broccoli and place it in the iced water for a couple of hours before you are ready to sauté it.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is great with all kinds of mains, it will work well with fish, meat, chicken and vegetarian mains. Try it with:

Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cut the broccoli into small similar sized florets so that it cooks evenly.
- Take care not to over boil the broccoli. It should be tender but firm. It only needs a few minutes.
- If you only have a small skillet, sauté the broccoli in a couple of batches so that you don’t overcrowd them and cause them to steam.
- The recipe is easily halved and doubled.
More Easy Side Dishes
- Lime and Coconut Cauliflower Rice
- Homemade Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Crispy Fried Potato Slices
- Spinach Orzo Pasta Salad
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!

Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets (2 heads / 450g)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- zest and juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and add some ice cubes.
- Place the broccoli into a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes until it has softened, drain and place in the bowl of ice water.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet on a medium heat and and in the minced garlic and lemon zest. Cook until the garlic has softened.
- Drain the broccoli.
- Turn the heat to a medium high and place the broccoli into the skillet. Add the lemon juice.
- Stir while cooking for a couple of minutes until cooked through.
- Serve immediately with some lemon zest grated over the top.
Notes
- Cut the broccoli into small similar sized florets so that it cooks evenly.
- Take care not to over boil the broccoli. It should be tender but firm. It only needs a few minutes.
- If you only have a small skillet, sauté the broccoli in a couple of batches so that you don’t overcrowd them and cause them to steam.
- The recipe is easily halved and doubled.