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Sautéed Rapini (Broccoli Rabe or Raab)

Sautéed rapini is a simple side dish of Italian style broccoli. It is very nutritious, a tiny bit bitter, and definitely one of my favorite green vegetables. Use it in pasta and polenta dishes, too!

sauteed rapini in a bowl

Originally published September 12, 2012

If you’re uninspired by your vegetables, you need to try sautéed rapini.

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Whether you call it rapini, broccoli raab or just rabe–this green vegetable is worth getting to know!

What is Rapini?

For those of you who don’t know what rapini are or what it looks like, it’s a type of Italian broccoli.  It’s more leafy and with a little sharpness in its flavor than American/British broccoli. Also sometimes referred to as “rabe” (pronounced “rah-beh”) or  “broccoli raab”, it is a green cruciferous vegetable. Rapini have small heads of florets, similar to broccolini, but with many more leaves (all the parts are edible).

I absolutely LOVE these greens! I would call it the “adult” version of standard broccoli–although, as you will learn below, I gave it to my children while they were still babies.

Handheld bunch of rapini
Fresh rapini

My Daughter’s Crazy, Goat-Hating Pediatrician

goat with black face
My friend Lisa’s lovely goat! How can anyonecall this face, “ugly?”

When my daughter was almost 12 months old, I took her to a new pediatrician for a well-visit check up. The doctor asked all the routine questions like what my daughter was eating, how she was sleeping, along with other developmental questions.

I told her that I was weaning her and had been supplementing her diet with goat milk.

The pediatrician was visibly shocked, and asked,

“Why goat’s milk?”

To which I responded,

“For one thing, it’s more easily digestible than cow’s milk.”

The doctor then asked me what was wrong with formula. I gave her my opinion (basically that I preferred to give my daughter something natural as opposed to something created in a lab) to which she obviously disagreed.

Broccoli lover? Make this cream of broccoli soup!

cream of broccoli soup in a mug

The pediatrician went on to tell me that goat’s milk doesn’t contain any folates. She also declared, with disgust in her voice, that my daughter was the only infant in her practice who was “on goat’s milk!” With one last insult, she exclaimed, “And goats are such ugly animals!” I swear, she actually said this! At this point, I realized she was grasping at straws.

So, I informed this “doctor” that I was sure that my daughter was also the only infant in her practice who was eating rapini which happens to be full of folates.

sauteed rapini in a dish

Not only was it unprofessional for this pediatrician to discuss an animal’s “looks” to defend her case, but what a total loser: goats are absolutely adorable!

Needless to say, that was my first and last visit to that pediatrician. I might add that my daughter has grown to 5’8″ in height,  was almost never ill, never had an ear infection, and was rarely given antibiotics! Take that, you goat-hating pediatrician! 😝

Try this classic Italian rapini pasta with your sauteéd rapini!
Make it with or without Italian sausage.

rapini pasta

Sautéed rapini is a good introduction to the vegetable if you’ve never had it before, but be sure to eat it with some fresh, crusty bread. It has a strong flavor, and I think you’ll find, you may want some bread alongside it.

Another recipe using rapini: rapini and besciamella orecchiette

Serving orecchiette

I hope you’ll love sautéed rapini as much as I do!

adding rapini to pan

Sautéed Rapini Recipe

recipe is one that is used by Italians all over Italy               serves 4 as a side dish

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

  • rapini
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh garlic
  • salt, preferably Kosher or sea salt
  • (optional: crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh/dried cayenne pepper)

How to Sauté Rapini

Put the oil, garlic and pepper in a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook until garlic just starts to brown.

oil, garlic and hot pepper in a pan

Wash the rapini well, then cut the dense, bottom of the stems off and discard.

cutting off stems on rapini

Slice into the bottom stem so that it will cook more quickly.

slicing the stem

Add the rapini (cut in half if the bunch is really long) along with the water from the final rinse (don’t dry them).

Fresh Rapini

Turn the greens quickly, then cover and sauté for a few minutes, occasionally turning. Add salt to taste. Lower the heat, if necessary.

Rapini in a pan with glass lid

Don’t overcook the rapini, the stalks should still be a bit firm/crunchy when done. Check doneness after about 3 minutes.

Rapini in a pan

The best way to test the rapini is to pierce a stalk and taste a leaf for salt. Remove from heat when the greens are ready. The rapini will look like this.

Sauteed rapini

How to Use or Serve Sauteéd Rapini

This makes a fantastic side for almost any dish. Next time you want to serve broccoli, spinach or green beans as a side, try rapini for a change. But don’t be shy; use rapini in sandwiches, like this porchetta (pork) panino!

Porchetta panino

It’s also used in polenta to add lots of flavor and nutrition. Many people, including me, love it with pasta, especially when made with fresh Italian sausage!

My daughter and I love sautéed rapini so much, we had a bowl of leek and potato soup for dinner the other night, and then an entire bowl of rapini afterwards, instead of a salad. Of course served with homemade Italian bread!

sauteed rapini in a bowl with bread

I failed to mention the wonderful nutritional benefits to eating rapini! It’s full of all sorts of vitamins and minerals. You should be able to find rapini in any large grocery store, if not, Whole Foods should have it in their produce department.

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sauteed rapini in bowl

Sauteed Rapini

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Try this slightly bitter green as a side dish and I bet you're hooked after the first time you taste it! So nutritious as well as delicious.
4.8 from 60 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch rapini (washed and trimmed, do not remove the stalks entirely, just tips)
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large cloves garlic or three smaller cloves
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • tsp sea salt to taste
  • tsp crushed red pepper flakes or fresh/dried cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Put the oil, garlic and pepper in a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook until garlic just starts to brown.
  • Add the rapini (cut in half if the bunch is really long) along with the water.
  • Turn the greens quickly, then cover and sauté for a few minutes, occasionally turning. Add salt to taste. Lower the heat, if necessary.
  • Don't overcook the rapini, the stalks should still be a bit firm/crunchy when done; after 5 or 6 minutes is probably when I would first check to see if it's ready. The best way to check is to taste a piece (and check for salt too.)
  • Remove from heat when ready.

Notes

  • Use fresh, quality ingredients for the best results.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 1500IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

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4.82 from 60 votes (59 ratings without comment)

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58 Comments

  1. My goodness, that doctor must have got your goat! Seriously, I hope you changed after that. Really, what a silly billy.
    And what a clever mum! This is my kind of veg – looks fantastic, Christina. I honestly can’t find this here, though, around Paris – but will try and look more closely.

      1. So many recipes I see for Broccoli Rabe have you blanch before sauteing to reduce the bitterness. I really don’t care for it that way, because it seems too wet, and always ends up over-cooked. Besides, we like the bitterness!

        1. Oh dear, that sounds awful! I follow the way the Italians make it. You can never go wrong with authentic Italian ways! :) Unless it’s to do with planning and organization! haha! Thanks, Diane!

  2. When I sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes I add a small tin of anchovies too. They smash up with a wooden spoon and pretty much liquify while the garlic cooks…. but not too much, I don’t like my garlic to brown. Then proceed as usual. Salt isn’t even necessary, and the anchovies add such a wonderful umami flavor that complements the bitterness of the rapini.

    1. I’ll have to tell my dad to try this, Sandi. He LOVES anchovies. Have you seen the video of him making his spaghetti and anchovies? It’s pretty funny :)

  3. OMG, I can’t believe the pediatrician actually insulted goats’ looks! I l (literally) laughed out loud when I read that. Anyway, folates or no, sautéed rapini (or broccoletti as we used to call them Rome) is one of my favorite dishes. Wonderful with orecchiette!

  4. I adore rapini, one of my absolute favourite greens! How funny that story with the Pediatrician visit….I grew up on goats milk as well and I believe I turned out just fine😉

  5. Oh my god, I love that story at your doctor’s office, former doctor’s office I’m assuming :-) So sad that most doctor’s don’t get trained in nutrition. I’d rather eat healthy food than take a pill. And I’m definitely going to be making a helping of this tasty rapini!