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!
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.
My Daughter’s Crazy, Goat-Hating Pediatrician
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!
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.
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.
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
I hope you’ll love sautéed rapini as much as I do!
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.
Wash the rapini well, then cut the dense, bottom of the stems off and discard.
Slice into the bottom stem so that it will cook more quickly.
Add the rapini (cut in half if the bunch is really long) along with the water from the final rinse (don’t dry them).
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. Check doneness after about 3 minutes.
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.
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!
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!
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
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
- ⅛ tsp sea salt to taste
- ⅛ 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
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Love this recipe! Easy and delicious way to prepare rapini! Saute helps take the bitterness out. Thanks Christina! “Moka coffee set”
Good lord, can we introduce legislation to put ingredients and method at the TOP? Nobody cares about your daughter’s stupid pediatrician…
Dear, sweet Jim, I wrote this over 10 years ago when blogging was actually about writing, and not just posting recipes. You’ve just got yourself banned from my site. Buy a cookbook if you’re going to come here to yell at me for giving you FREE RECIPES on a website I pay a lot of money to have hosted, backed up and maintained, not to mention all the other expenses, and MY TIME. The rudeness of some people is mind-boggling. Oh, and that’s on you for not clicking the Jump to Recipe button, which I also pay for. Do YOU work for free, Jim?
I found your site while searching for rapini recipes. I was inspired by your recipes and made rapini with chickpeas, pine nuts and fresh goat cheese. I also wanted to refute your pediatrician’s dismissive advice about goat milk. When my grandson was only a few months old he had digestive issues with breast milk. Our doctor suggested goat milk as an alternative. After trying to get goat milk in the local stores, my daughter found a farm where she could get organic goat milk. Once my grandson was having goat milk, his digestive problems were resolved. I too have food sensitivities to most cheeses but fortunately can have fresh, unripened goat cheese or chevre. Thanks again
Hear, hear, Karen! I totally agree! Glad you found my rapini recipe, and hope you find more of my recipes to enjoy (my rant about the pediatrician isn’t a normal thing I do all the time) haha! Thanks for sharing your grandson’s story and confirming my lack of trust with this doc. :)
Goat cheese was a wonderful addition – thank you!
Must make this recipe, because:
1. Green veggies are always good.
2. I have an Italian house guest so we can talk about it over dinner.
3. I like goats and goaty products, and did a little goat buck of irritation at reading your story about that pediatrician.
Hahaha!
Love this recipe. Thank you for your beautiful travel blogs and photos.
Thank YOU, Wendy! You made my day!
My husband and I just got back from a month in southern Italy & Sicily. I love turnip and mustard greens (sautéed with a little EVOO, garlic, red pepper and finished off with some apple cider vinegar) so I was intrigued when I read about Rapini. I wanted to try it, but the common way to make it was creamed, like creamed spinach. I thought you were adding extra calories and fat for no good reason, so I will try this recipe this evening. Making Moroccan chicken and couscous, so this will be a fantastic side. Very happy to find it at Sprouts, and thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jennifer, oh that is wonderful! I was just in Italy for 3 weeks in September, so I can’t really say I’m envious (but I still am) Haha!
I’ve never heard of creamed rapini! Where on earth is this the common way to make it? I literally just bought a bunch at Whole Foods, myself, today!
Enjoy!