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olive garden broccoli recipe

Olive Garden Broccoli Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head broccoli (about 1 lb / 450g), cut into florets
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp grated Parmesan

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 2 minutes, then drain and spread on a towel or sheet pan to dry for 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes, until the garlic edges begin to turn golden.
  3. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the dried broccoli and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Toss and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the florets have lightly browned spots.
  4. Remove from heat, drizzle with 1 tbsp lemon juice, toss to coat, transfer to a serving plate, and scatter 1 tbsp Parmesan over the top.

Notes

The pan-drying step after blanching makes a real difference — do not skip it if you want any browning on the florets. This recipe scales easily: just keep the broccoli in a single layer in the pan, cooking in batches if needed. The Parmesan is optional but a small amount does round things out.