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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Side Dishes / Appetizers

    Sauteed Broccoli Recipe with Red Pepper

    Published: Nov 2, 2019 ยท Modified: May 8, 2025 by Sally ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 7 Comments

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    This sauteed broccoli is an easy and quick vegetable dish that includes red bell pepper for added flavor, crunch, and beautiful color! Forget mushy and over cooked - this recipe seeks to catch your broccoli florets at the perfect crisp-tender stage - lightly softened, but not fall-apart mush.

    Cooked broccoli and red pepper on plate ready to eat.

    As you can see by the pictures, their vibrant green color is maintained, whereas overcooked broccoli starts to turn a bit gray. This color loss also means flavor loss, which we definitely don't want. Just like your favorite Chinese takeout!

    Consider serving with my London Broil Crock Pot recipe, my Bacon-Wrapped Southern Meatloaf, or my Baked Mahi Mahi recipe.

    Jump to:
    • ๐Ÿ’– Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • ๐Ÿฅ˜ Ingredients
    • ๐Ÿ“– Additions / Serving Suggestions
    • ๐Ÿ”ช Step-By-Step Instructions
    • ๐Ÿ’ญ Expert Cooking Tips
    • ๐Ÿง Recipe FAQs
    • ๐Ÿฅ— More Veggie Side Dishes
    • ๐Ÿ“‹ Recipe

    ๐Ÿ’– Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Quick - This veggie recipe takes only 20 minutes from start to finish, making it a perfect side dish for busy weeknights or holidays.
    • Delicious - If you hate mushy broccoli (like I do), then you'll love how lightly crunchy and tasty this stir fried broccoli turns out and how the flavors are magnified instead of killed by over cooking. Check out the rest of my delicious vegetable recipes.
    • Simple ingredients - Only 4 ingredients needed - broccoli, garlic, red pepper, and oil of your choice - all very easy ingredients to acquire.

    ๐Ÿฅ˜ Ingredients

    Raw broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, and oil.

    Ingredient Notes:

    • Broccoli: Use only fresh broccoli in this recipe - not frozen - as frozen broccoli is already pre-cooked a bit and holds a lot of water. You will end up with steamed broccoli
    • Oil: I used olive oil, but you can use any oil of your choice.
    • Garlic: You can use fresh garlic and mince it yourself, or you can buy the jarred minced garlic to save a little time. I've used both - keep in mind that fresh is always going to be more flavorful.

    (See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)

    ๐Ÿ“– Additions / Serving Suggestions

    I like to keep my fried broccoli simple, but there are times that you may want to add a little variety to this recipe. Here are a few options that I like:

    • Sesame seeds: Sprinkle about a tablespoon of sesame seeds for a bit of a flavor enhancement.
    • Soy sauce: Just a little gives a lot of flavor. I would add about one tablespoon. Along with the sesame seeds above, you may think you're eating your favorite takeout broccoli.
    • Slivered almonds: Nuts give a nice crunch and flavor.
    • Other veggies such as sliced carrots, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, etc. make great additions. Try to keep the vegetables somewhat even in their quantities so you have a beautiful, flavorful dish. If using carrots, plan to cook the carrots a bit first before adding the broccoli and make sure to not cut the carrots too thickly (as they take longer to soften).

    ๐Ÿ”ช Step-By-Step Instructions

    For perfectly sauteed broccoli!

    Chopped raw broccoli on cutting board with knife.

    Step 1: Chop the broccoli in uniform, largish pieces.

    Sliced red bell pepper on cutting board with knife.

    Step 2: Core and slice pepper in uniform slices.

    Broccoli and red peppers in cast iron skillet ready to cook.

    Step 3: Preheat large skillet to medium heat. Add oil, garlic, pepper, and broccoli to heated pan and stir.

    Cooked broccoli with red peppers and garlic in cast iron skillet.

    Step 4: Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir, and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent scorching.

    (Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)

    ๐Ÿ’ญ Expert Cooking Tips

    • Don't overcook. The main trick for awesome broccoli is not overcooking it, which results in a mushy, less flavorful outcome. Thus, preheating your pan and cooking quickly just minutes before you're ready to serve it is the best practice when wanting perfect broccoli.
    • Cook quickly in hot pan. As mentioned above, the best cooked broccoli is tender, yet not mushy. For best flavor, you want to quick cook it where it just starts to soften, but overcooking is (regrettably) so easy to do.
    • Plan to cook broccoli 10 minutes before the rest of your dinner is ready to serve. Have your broccoli and red peppers already chopped and the other ingredients ready to add. Then wait ... until about 10 minutes before the rest of your dinner will be ready.

    ๐Ÿง Recipe FAQs

    Is broccoli better steamed or sauteed?

    Steamed broccoli cooks in liquid and removes a good bit of the flavor, color, and nutrition. Sauteing cooks more quickly with very little liquid and maintains color, flavor, and nutrition better and has a better texture (in my opinion).

    What is the best booking method for broccoli?

    I like to saute my broccoli for the best flavor and texture. I like my broccoli firm, not soft, with a bit of tender crunch. Quick sauteing will give you takeout-quality broccoli.

    Should broccoli be steamed before stir fry?

    I don't steam my broccoli before stir frying, but some people do in order to soften the stems a bit and give it a head start in the cooking process. I think this is an unnecessary step, and I like to keep cooking as simple as possible. I simply saute my broccoli in a hot pan for a short period of time, and it turns out crisp-tender every time.

    Sauteed Broccoli Recipe

    ๐Ÿฅ— More Veggie Side Dishes

    • Four corn zucchini fritters with red peppers stacked on plate.
      Zucchini and Corn Fritters (2 ways!)
    • Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes with bacon
    • Carrot raisin salad with celery in bowl ready to serve.
      Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe (Quick & Delicious)
    • Cooked green beans with bacon served on a plate.
      Texas Roadhouse Green Beans Recipe (copycat)

    If you tried this Sauteed Broccoli or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐Ÿ“ comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    ๐Ÿ“‹ Recipe

    Cooked broccoli and red pepper on plate ready to eat.

    Sauteed Broccoli with Red Pepper

    This sauteed broccoli is an easy and quick stir fried broccoli that includes red bell pepper for added flavor, crunch, and beautiful color!
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 171kcal
    Author: Sally

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups broccoli , cut in largish pieces
    • 1 red bell pepper , de-cored and de-seeded, cut in strips
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil (or oil of choice)
    • 2 tablespoon garlic , minced (about 4 large cloves)
    • salt to taste
    • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper , more to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat large skillet on medium (I love using cast iron, but not necessary here).
    • Add oil, garlic, bell pepper, broccoli, salt, and black pepper and stir.
    • Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
    • Uncover, stir, and cook 3-5 minutes more or until broccoli is just softening, stirring a few times to prevent scorching. Don't overcook. Broccoli is best when still a bit crunchy but starting to soften. Cook longer according to your preference.

    Notes

    Yummy additions include sesame seeds, slivered almonds, soy sauce, and other veggies such as carrot slices, cauliflower, onions, cabbage, etc. If using carrots, make sure to not cut them too thick and cook them before adding the broccoli, as carrots take longer to cook.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1498IU | Vitamin C: 120mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SavoryWithSoul or tag #savorywithsoul!

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    Comments

    1. Kirsten Fletcher says

      March 15, 2024 at 3:16 am

      5 stars
      It was absolutely delicious. Cooked covered for 6 min and 6 uncovered. Added sesame seeds, and soy sauce and used 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 toasted sesame oil. Yum! Easy and delicious

      Reply
      • Sally says

        March 15, 2024 at 5:39 pm

        Awesome, Kirsten! Thank you for your feedback!

        Reply
    2. Dianna says

      August 06, 2023 at 12:54 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious. Had to cook it longer so next time will par-steam a bit first. As per recipe it seemed not to have cooked at all in the time given.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        August 06, 2023 at 4:10 am

        Thank you for your feedback, Dianna! When cooking this broccoli, it's important that the pan heat up beforehand. The pan will be quite hot when adding the ingredients - thus, the cook time will be short. Also, putting a lid on the broccoli for the full 3 minutes before uncovering will also help to steam the broccoli. I will revisit this recipe to make sure everything is crystal clear and accurate. Thanks again!

        Reply
    3. Ginger says

      September 12, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      I just wanted to thank you for posting a simple recipe with little salt and seasoning, which lets the vegetables be the stars! I have not cooked this YET, but was looking for a quick easy side dish for grill seared fresh Ahi and this sounds like it will do nicely. Update to follow!

      Reply
    4. Vickie Griffiths says

      July 28, 2022 at 12:02 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was perfect with teriyaki glazed salmon and basmati rice. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        July 29, 2022 at 2:30 am

        Excellent - Just what I love to hear, Vickie!

        Reply
    4.93 from 13 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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    I'm Sally, and I love great food! Whole foods, specifically, and savory, yummy eats! I love using spices and trying new combinations - in fact, I consider it an art form, as I smell and taste my way through each dish.

    More about me โ†’

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