Garlic Chilli Lemon Broccolini
Bright green broccolini tossed with garlic, chilli, butter, olive oil and lemon. It is quick, fresh and just rich enough to serve beside chicken, couscous, pasta or grilled meats.
Broccolini is at its best when it keeps its colour, bite and gentle sweetness. A quick blanch, a hot pan and a little garlic butter make the stems glossy and tender without losing their freshness. Lemon and chilli bring just enough brightness and warmth to make it feel like more than a plain green side.
Prep: 5 min · Cook: 8 min · Serves: 2 · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Vegetables
Ingredients
Garlic Chilli Lemon Broccolini
- 1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 10g butter
- 1–2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Pinch chilli flakes, or to taste
- Finely grated zest of ¼ lemon
- 1–2 tsp lemon juice
- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
Method
- Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to the boil.
- Add the broccolini and blanch for 2 minutes, until bright green and just tender.
- Drain well and pat dry with paper towel.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the broccolini and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly coloured in places.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, garlic and chilli flakes, then toss for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Toss gently and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion
Serve with Chicken Breast Schnitzel and Lemon Herb Couscous for a fresh weeknight dinner. It is also lovely beside roasted chicken, steak, lamb cutlets or simple pasta.
Storage Notes
This is best served straight away while the broccolini is bright and glossy. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated briefly in a pan.
Notes
Patting the broccolini dry after blanching helps it sauté rather than steam in the pan.
Keep the garlic pale golden rather than dark brown so it stays sweet and fragrant.
Add the lemon off the heat so the flavour stays fresh.
If your broccolini stems are very thick, split them lengthways before blanching.
The Grace Table Tip
Blanch the broccolini just until it turns bright green, then finish it quickly in the pan. That short two-step method keeps the stems tender while preserving their colour and bite.