How to Cook Broccoli Rabe
Updated Feb 04, 2026
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Broccoli rabe can be intimidating, but this how-to guide makes it approachable. With tips on blanching, sautéing, seasoning, and balancing bitterness, you’ll turn these leafy greens into a tender, flavorful side dish.
If broccoli rabe has ever felt too bitter or tricky to cook, I’m here to change your mind. With simple techniques — from blanching to sautéing with garlic and olive oil — you’ll learn how to cook broccoli rabe so it’s tender, flavorful, and balanced rather than sharp
Broccoli rabe, or rapini, is one of my favorite vegetables of all time. It’s appealingly bitter, with a peppery, nutty, mustardy taste. Broccoli rabe is most often used in Italian cooking, commonly in pasta dishes and sometimes with sausage. It is usually very simply prepared, as it is here. It goes well with lemon, chili flakes, garlic, and other strong flavors because it can really stand up to those more robust seasonings.
Broccoli rabe is the perfect foil for dishes that have some richness or creaminess. Try serving it on the side of Cacio e Pepe, Air Fryer Breaded Pork Chops, baked chicken legs, or Chicken Sausage Pasta for some nice bright contrast.
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What's In This Post?
Broccoli Rabe is appealingly bitter, with a peppery, mustardy flavor. It makes a terrific yet simple side dish.
Ingredients
- Broccoli rabe – Broccoli rabe, or rapini in Italian, can be found amongst the greens at your supermarket. You’re looking for mature broccoli rabe, so the deeper the green, the better!
- Onions – Sweet sautéed onions offset the bitterness of the broccoli rabe here.
- Garlic – Minced garlic cooks alongside the greens in this recipe to make this side as delicious and flavorful as possible.
- Olive oil – Just enough to keep the pan from sticking; you don’t want to drown these greens in oil.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Red pepper flakes – To give this dish a little bit of bite!
How to Sauté Broccoli Rabe
- Prepare the broccoli rabe: Cut the thick bottom part from the stem. Cut the remaining stalks, leaves, and florets into slices, about 1 inch thick.
- Sauté: In a large pan, sauté the onions with salt and pepper for about 8 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic, then the broccoli rabe. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Steam and serve: Add about 1/3 cup of liquid to the pan (you can also use vegetable or chicken broth for more flavor). Cover the pan, and allow the broccoli rabe to steam for about 5 minutes until it is as tender as you like it. Allow any extra water to evaporate by removing the lid, then serve.
Also, try Broccoli Rabe with Preserved Lemon, or Pasta with Broccoli Rabe.
FAQs
The age-old question… does the word “rabe” rhyme with “Abe” or “job“? Well, sorry to all the Abe fans out there, but “rabe” is pronounced just like “rob.” (The rules of English are murky.)
These two veggies don’t have much in common aside from their looks. Broccoli rabe (also called rapini) is actually named after broccoli because the tops of the more stringy green leaves are reminiscent of broccoli heads, but the taste is totally different. Broccoli rabe is significantly more bitter than plain broccoli.
Not with the little steaming technique included in this recipe. I add some water to the pan after the broccoli rabe has started cooking to help it cook faster and more evenly. This allows me to skip the blanching step.
Blanching vegetables, or partially cooking them, means simply cooking them briefly in salted boiling water. This is usually followed by draining the vegetable and submerging it in a bath of cold or ice water to stop the cooking immediately and preserve the vegetable’s bright color.
Blanching broccoli rabe has the advantage of softening some of the vegetable’s natural bitterness, which some people can find overpowering. The more mature the broccoli rabe is, the more bitter the flavor, for the most part. I happen to love the bitterness, so I often skip this step, but if you are looking for a milder flavor, this is a good step to keep in mind. Make sure you use a generous amount of water — about 3 quarts water to 1 pound of broccoli rabe — and also that you salt the water generously so the broccoli takes on some seasoning.
Tips and Variations
- Remember that the broccoli rabe will continue to cook and soften a bit after you remove the vegetable from the heat, even after you turn it out of the pan into a serving dish.
- You can add other ingredients to this dish to change up the flavor. Try sliced or halved olives, a sprinkle of feta or Parmesan cheese, some fresh herbs, like oregano, or minced red bell pepper. You may also choose to sprinkle in some balsamic vinegar at the end, which is a really nice counterpoint to the bitterness of the vegetable. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end is also a nice finishing touch.
What to Serve With Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli rabe goes so well with pasta, sausage, and bean dishes. It’s very versatile! beans)
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Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli rabe
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (halved and thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Large pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the thick bottom part from the stem, about the bottom two inches. Cut the remaining stalks, leaves, and florets into slices about 1 inch across. You can chop it into smaller pieces if you like, which is nice if your broccoli rabe is large and mature, with bigger florets and leaves and thicker stems.
- Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper halved and sliced, and sauté for about 8 minutes until the onion is softened and browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally. Then add the broccoli rabe and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes, add 1/3 cup of water (or broth) to the pan, stir, cover the pan, and allow the broccoli rabe to cook for about 5 more minutes until it is done to your liking. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Notes
- Remember that the broccoli rabe will continue to cook and soften a bit after you remove the vegetable from the heat, even after you turn it out of the pan into a serving dish.
- You can add other ingredients to this dish to change up the flavor. Try sliced or halved olives, a sprinkle of feta or Parmesan cheese, some fresh herbs, like oregano, or minced red bell pepper. You may also choose to sprinkle in some balsamic vinegar at the end, which is a really nice counterpoint to the bitterness of the vegetable. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end is also a nice finishing touch.
