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The green and beautiful vegetable called rapini, makes for a perfect side dish. If you've never tried it before, I urge you to buy a bunch and make this delicious and easy sautéed rapini recipe as soon as you can!
Rapini is listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by the esteemed food writer Mimi Sheraton. Therefore it certainly deserves a place at your table. 😊
Let me give you a little info on this amazing food!
What Is Rapini?
Rapini, or more commonly known as broccoli rabe, is actually a member of the cabbage family and closely related to the turnip.
Another name for rapini is broccoli di rapa, which translates as "turnip broccoli."
This amazing vegetable is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine, and is known for being quite bitter, especially at the stalk. Blanching helps to neutralize some of the bitterness of rapini.
The florets, leaves, and stems or stalks are all edible, and broccoli rabe is also considered a superfood due to its many health benefits!
Why You Will Love This Easy Sautéed Rapini Recipe!
You will absolutely love this easy recipe for sautéed rapini because:
- This recipe calls for quickly blanching the broccoli di rapa, which helps to mitigate some of the bitterness.
- It's easy and quick! You can have this healthy dish ready in about 10 minutes.
- You'll enjoy delicious and tender rapini as a perfect side dish or you can stir it into pasta and enjoy it as a main meal!
So now let me show you what you will need to prepare this wonderful vegetable!
🥘 Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy recipe:
- Rapini (broccoli rabe) - the star of the show! I was able to find Andy Boy rapini at my local grocery store.
- Olive oil
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red chili flakes
By the way, the bunch of rapini that you buy make look quite large, but it does cook down quite a lot.
So now I'll guide you through the simple steps to get this delicious dish ready for your family to enjoy!
🔪 Instructions
Heat up a large pot on medium-high heat, and bring salted water (½ ts) to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, remove any yellowed or discolored leaves from your bunch of rapini, and wash it well.
Although the stalk is edible, it's best to trim the ends off just a bit. Take a sharp knife, and then trim the stalk about 2 inches from the end.
Blanch The Rapini
By now your water should be boiling. I want to recommend that you try a small piece of rapini before you start cooking it. This is the best way to appreciate the bitter flavor of this vegetable. However, no worries if you prefer to skip this step. 😊
Blanch your trimmed rapini in the salted boiling water for 2 minutes, and then drain.
Sauté The Rapini
The next step is to sauté the blanched rapini in olive oil and garlic. You can use the same pot to sauté the rapini as was used to blanch this leafy green vegetable.
Set the stove to medium-low heat, and then add your olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the garlic and sauté it for 2 minutes. Then add the blanched rapini and sauté for 5 minutes.
The last step is to add the remaining ¼ ts salt, pepper, and red chili flakes and stir to incorporate.
Taste the seasoned rapini, and add additional seasonings if desired. Your tender and delicious broccoli rabe is now ready to serve!
Suggestions For Serving Your Rapini!
Sautéed rapini is perfect as a side dish to accompany any of your favorite mains. Add a little Parmesan cheese if you like, for added richness.
Broccoli rabe stirred into pasta is another delicious way to enjoy this wonderful vegetable! You can use orecchiette pasta, which is traditional. But I stirred it into some linguine and added slices of Italian sausage, which was absolutely perfetto!
One thing I know is that however you decide to serve rapini you will absolutely love it!
FAQ
You don't have to blanch rapini before cooking it. However, blanching it helps to tame the bitterness of the vegetable.
All parts of the rapini can be enjoyed including the stalk, leaves, and florets! However, it's best to cut off the ends of the stalks as they may be a little tough to eat.
Rapini is considered a nutrient rich superfood! This vegetable is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and helps improve digestion, boosts your immune system, and supports heart health! This information was sourced from AndyBoy.com, where you can find additional information on the health benefits of rapini.
1,000 Foods To Eat Project
In conclusion, Rapini, also known as Broccoli di Rapa, is listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I am working my way through the foods listed in this book. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. Rapini is food #68 in my project! Please visit the 1,000 Foods To Eat Project page to see some other MUST TRY foods of the world that you may love to try!
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Here are some other recipes that you may enjoy:
- Italian Peas and Ham Frozen Peas Recipe
- Italian Broccoli Recipe With Garlic and Lemon
- Roasted Carrots With Berbere Spice Recipe
Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.
Cheers!
Grace
Easy Sautéed Rapini Recipe
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 1 bunch rapini washed and trimmed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ ts salt split
- ¼ ts pepper
- ½ ts red chili flakes
- 5 cloves garlic minced; can adjust the amount of garlic to suit your tastes
Instructions
- Heat up a large pot on medium-high heat, and bring salted water (½ ts salt) to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, remove any yellowed or discolored leaves from your bunch of rapini, and wash it well. Although the stalk is edible, it's best to trim the ends off just a bit. Take a sharp knife, and then trim the stalk about 2 inches from the end.
- By now your water should be boiling. Blanch your trimmed rapini in the salted boiling water for 2 minutes, and then drain.
- The next step is to sauté the blanched rapini in olive oil and garlic. You can use the same pot to sauté the rapini as was used to blanch this leafy green vegetable. Set the stove to medium-low heat, and then add your olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the garlic and sauté it for 2 minutes. Then add the blanched rapini and sauté for 5 minutes.
- The last step is to add the remaining ¼ ts salt, pepper, and red chili flakes and stir to incorporate.
- Taste the seasoned rapini, and add additional seasonings if desired. Your tender and delicious broccoli rabe is now ready to serve!
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