This Gluten-Free Vegan Spicy Lemon Sauteed Broccolini is an easy and healthy side dish recipe made with only 6 clean ingredients. It's a "one-pot" plant-based dish that can be made in a skillet or an Instant Pot and is ready to enjoy in under 10 minutes!
Gluten-Free Vegan Spicy Lemon Sauteed Broccolini
Here's why this recipe works - my top 3 reasons:
- One-pot side dish
- Ready in about 5 minutes
- Made with only 6 clean, real food ingredients
One-Pot Side Dish
All you need to make this dish is a non-toxic skillet making cleanup a breeze!
Ready In About 5 Minutes
I normally lightly steam broccoli when I make it and have always enjoyed a squeeze of fresh lemon over it, but today I decided to change it up a little.
After trimming the broccolini into bite-size pieces, I sauteed it for about 2-3 minutes with freshly squeezed lime juice and sprinkled in some red pepper flakes to make it spicy.
Another method is to steam the broccolini in an Instant Pot.
Simply add the broccolini to the Instant Pot with 1 cup of water and steam on HIGH for about 2 minutes.
It's an easy plant-based dish ready in a matter of minutes!
Made With Only 6 Clean, Real Food Ingredients
Broccoli is a well-liked vegetable in our home, especially by my youngest son.
He will eat it raw and several stalks at a time!
And even though I love that he eats raw broccoli, I love the minimal ingredient list of this recipe just as much.
For example, the only ingredients are broccolini, lemon juice, garlic, avocado oil, red pepper flakes, and Himalayan pink salt.
You can feel good about serving this dish to your family because it's made with clean, real food ingredients and is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, paleo-friendly and Medical Medium compliant.
How To Make Spicy Lemon Sauteed Broccolini: Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make this recipe and I'll show you with step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1: Prep The Broccolini
Firstly, cut and trim the long ends off the broccolini.
You should have bite-size pieces of broccolini remaining.
Step 2: Saute' The Broccolini
Secondly, add all ingredients to a non-toxic skillet and lightly saute' on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, taking care to not overcook.
The broccolini should be warm, slightly soft and still retain it's bright green color.
Step 3: Taste And Adjust Seasonings
Lastly, taste a piece of the broccolini and see if you'd like to adjust the seasonings.
If you are serving this dish to children, you may want to omit or reduce the amount of red pepper flakes.
Step 4: Optional Steam Method
Fourthly, another method to make this recipe is to steam the broccolini in an Instant Pot.
Simply add the broccolini to the Instant Pot with (1) cup of filtered/purified water using the following settings:
- PRESSURE COOK
- HIGH PRESSURE
- 2 MINUTES
Remove the steamed broccolini with a slotted spoon and transfer to a medium-size mixing bowl.
Next, add all the remaining ingredients, gently toss everything together and serve.
Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions For Spicy Lemon Sauteed Broccolini
Here are some expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Broccolini. I've made this with both broccolini and regular broccoli and both worked fine so use whichever you have or prefer.
Avocado Oil. This is my oil of preference, however, feel free to substitute with organic extra-virgin olive oil.
Lemon Juice. Using freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor and nutrients since it hasn't been pasteurized, but you can substitute with store-bought organic lemon juice in the same amount.
Red Pepper Flakes. It is pretty spicy with 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes...adjust to your preference.
Himalayan Pink Salt. This is my salt of preference, however, it can always be substituted with sea salt.
Want More Healthy Plant-Based Side Dish Recipes?
Check out these:
- Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Creamy Habanero Dressing
- Rosemary and Garlic Sweet Potato Medallions
- Zucchini Boats with Creamy Garlic Sauce
- or my CLEAN EATING Cookbook with 75+ plant-based recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Spicy Lemon Sauteed Broccolini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic broccolini
- 2 tablespoons organic lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 cloves organic garlic (freshly crushed)
- 1 teaspoon 100% pure avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
Prep the broccolini:
- Cut the stems off the broccolini so you are left with bite-size pieces.
Saute' the broccolini:
- Add all ingredients to a non-toxic skillet and mix together.
- Lightly saute' on medium-high heat for approximately 2-3 minutes, or just enough to warm it up and the broccolini is slightly soft.
- Optional: Garnish with sesame seeds
Optional steamed method:
- Add the broccolini + 1 cup of filtered/purified water to an Instant Pot and steam the broccolini using these settings: PRESSURE COOK --> HIGH PRESSURE --> 2 MINUTES.
- Remove the steamed broccolini from the Instant Pot with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and gently toss until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home™ website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based and Medical Medium® compliant recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
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