Sautéed Broccoli Recipe With Tomato and Garlic

Broccoli stir fry

Brian Stablyk/Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Total: 11 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This quick and simple whole foods recipe for sautéed broccoli with tomato, garlic, and herbs was inspired by my mother's garden. The dish is perfect in summer and early fall when tomatoes are at their best. It's a delicious side vegetable, and it serves well with whole grain or semolina pasta. 

Broccoli is said to be one of the world's healthiest foods. There's nothing quite like it for taste, and it's additionally said to lower cholesterol. It's great for detox as well because it contains a unique balance of glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiian, and glucobrassicin — three glucosinolate phytonutrients that work together to isolate, activate, neutralize and eliminate contaminants. Overcooking broccoli loses these benefits and leaches many of its other vitamins and nutrients, including strong levels of vitamins A and K, folate and chromium. 

Tomatoes are the other vegetable that's not a vegetable. The U.S. government is to blame for the confusion, classifying tomatoes as vegetables in the 1800s so their importation could be taxed. This fruit is a strong source of lycopene, which is integral to male prostate health. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and are a good source of biotin. There are over 10,000 varieties of tomatoes growing all over the world, and you can substitute any that you like in this recipe, but plain red ones do just fine. Most tomatoes in the U.S. are grown in Florida. 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
  • 1 head of broccoli (cut into florets)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped into 1/2-inch chunks)
  • 1 tablespoon basil (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley (chopped)
  • Sea salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

  3. Add the broccoli florets. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

  4. Add 2 tablespoons water, then cover the pan and steam the broccoli for about 2 minutes until it becomes bright green and the water has evaporated.

  5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 additional minute.

  6. Add the herbs and salt to taste.

  7. Stir gently and serve.

Tips

  • Take care not to overcook the broccoli, or it will become soft and mushy. 
  • You can add a dash of red pepper flakes if you want to give this dish a little bit of a kick. 

Recipe Variations

  • Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth can be used in place of the water for extra flavor.
  • Instead of broccoli, substitute fresh green beans or asparagus.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138 Calories
4g Fat
23g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 126mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Protein 6g
Calcium 149mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)