Blanching is hands-down my favorite way to cook broccolini. It’s a trick I picked up working in restaurant kitchens that I’ve never stopped using at home. Two minutes in generously salted boiling water and you get vibrant green color, perfectly tender-crisp stalks, and florets that don’t fall apart. On the table in under 15 minutes.

Cooked broccolini and stems in a round gray serving bowl with serving spoons and lemon wedges.

I didn’t always cook it this way. I’d toss broccolini straight into a hot skillet with olive oil, and the results were always a little off, the florets getting tender while the stalks were still too crunchy. The problem is that the two parts cook at different rates, and a skillet doesn’t give you enough control to fix that. Blanching does.

Once it’s blanched, you can serve it simply with olive oil and lemon — which is honestly how I eat it most of the time — or use it as a starting point: Added to stir-fries, bow-tie pasta with sausage with sausage, or as a pizza topping.

How to cook broccolini

A metal colander filled with fresh broccolini sits in a stainless steel sink, water droplets clinging to the green stems—perfectly prepped for your next broccolini recipe.

For this recipe, you’ll need a large saucepan or pot that holds at least four quarts of water along with a 1/4 cup of kosher salt. It may seem like a large amount, but the salt seasons the vegetable from the inside out, while assisting in preserving its bright green color.

  • 1. Trim about half an inch from the base of the stalks and discard. Slice off the florets, then cut the stalks into roughly 1½-inch pieces — this is the key step, because the stalks and florets cook at different rates.
  • 2. Halve any florets wider than 3 inches so everything finishes at the same time.

How to use it

Blanched broccolini is a good starting point for whatever direction you want to take it. A few favorites:

  • Garlic and chili flakes sautéed in a little olive oil — 60 seconds in a hot pan after blanching and it’s a different dish entirely.
  • Sesame, tamari and a few drops of sesame oil if you’re serving it alongside anything Asian-inspired.
  • Shaved Parmesan and lemon zest is simple, and it goes with almost everything.
A white bowl filled with sautéed broccolini recipe, topped with two lemon wedges, with two gold serving utensils resting inside the bowl.
5 from 26 ratings

Blanched Broccolini

Karen Tedesco
Blanch a bunch of broccolini in generously salted boiling water for just two minutes and you get vibrant color and perfectly tender-crisp texture every time. Ready in under 15 minutes, or cook ahead and refrigerate for up to five days.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • Kosher salt, or 2 tablespoons fine table salt
  • 2 large bunches (450 g) broccolini (1 pound)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 fresh lemon wedges

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot. Add ¼ cup salt.
  2. Prep the broccolini: Trim off the very bottom of the broccolini stems (about ½-inch). Slice off the florets. Halve any florets that are bigger than 3 inches wide. Slice the stalks into approximately 1 ½-2-inch pieces.
  3. Drop the broccolini into the boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Drain immediately, then transfer to a serving bowl.
  4. Pour the olive oil over the broccolini and toss gently with tongs. Squeeze the lemon wedges over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • The amount of salt may seem like a lot, but blanching in well-salted water preserves the bright green color while lightly seasoning the broccolini from the inside out. If you don’t have kosher salt, use 2 tablespoons of fine table salt instead
  • To make ahead, cook, drain and immediately rinse under cold running water or ice water to preserve the bright green color. Drain again, place in an airtight container and drizzle with olive oil. Store refrigerated up to 5 days.
  • Sauteed broccolini: When ready to cook, cook the broccolini in a large skillet for a minute or two in olive oil on medium-high heat, along with any other seasonings you like (see ideas above).
  • Roasting broccolini: After tossing with olive oil, spread it out on a sheet pan and roast at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes, or place under the broiler until the edges are slightly charred.
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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 105kcal Carbohydrates: 9g Protein: 3g Fat: 7g Sodium: 26mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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