Broccoli Recipe

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5 from 3 votes
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This tasty stovetop broccoli recipe is one your family will love! Delicious and tender, it’s my broccoli recipe for picky eaters!

Broccoli is a tasty and nutritious vegetable for your family’s meals. It is delicious in salads like my Broccoli Salad, soups like my Broccoli Cheese Soup, side dishes like this one, and so much more!

Red pot filled with broccoli florets cooking on the stove.

My family enjoys this broccoli recipe as a side dish – it’s cooked until tender yet retains so much flavor. I’ve named it “broccoli for picky eaters” because the ones I know enjoy it! This is very similar to how my Mama would prepare it to get me to eat it as a child, so I adapted it long ago when I started cooking it myself. While we love broccoli prepared in many other ways, I can always count on this stovetop broccoli recipe to be a crowd-pleaser!

Broccoli can be deliciously prepared in so many ways. However, what we may love as adults might not meet the expectations of our little, sometimes picky eaters. My mama found that I would eat it as a child when it was prepared very similarly to my current recipe, so I used it and slightly changed it to meet the taste preferences of my own family. It’s easy to prepare, so let me share how I cook this broccoli for picky eaters.

What Makes This The Best Broccoli for Picky Eaters

  • Soft and tender
  • Mild yet flavorful
  • Pairs well with other favorite dishes

I love to serve this tender broccoli alongside meatloafhamburger steak, oven-fried chicken, mashed potatoes, or mac and cheese for a satisfying meal my whole family loves! It is a perfect vegetable side dish!

How to Make the Best Stovetop Broccoli Recipe

Raw broccoli on a white countertop.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

There are a few ingredients you’ll need to prepare this broccoli recipe:

  • broccoli – fresh bunches, or heads, of broccoli that have been washed well
  • olive oil – extra virgin olive oil
  • butter (optional) – While it may be optional, I find that it adds a rich flavor that makes it so delicious that everyone loves it.
  • salt and pepper – use to taste
  • water

Step-by-Step Instructions

Fresh broccoli is cut into florets.

Prepare. Clean the bunches of broccoli, then cut the stalks up close to the florets as evenly as possible. Clean the stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove any leaves. Then, slice the florets on the stalks into approximately 1-inch pieces.

A bunch of fresh broccoli cut into florets is covered in water and ready to cook in a large red stockpot.

Cook. Place the florets into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cover with water, and add olive oil. Cook as directed until you can pierce the stalk with the tines of a fork (about 20-30 minutes). I cook this broccoli longer than I would if I wanted it to turn out somewhat “crisp.” Again, this broccoli is tender to chew and has a lot of flavor that picky little ones (and adults) love.

Serve. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and put them into a serving bowl. If you’re using butter, add it to the warm broccoli, along with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Don’t Cover!

Covering the pot as the broccoli cooks can cause the broccoli to turn dull and dark green. Boil in lots of water as directed while keeping the lid off. This gives you bright, beautiful green broccoli!

Storage Tips

  • Best eaten warm after it’s cooked.
  • Place cooled broccoli in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Red stockpot holds broccoli cooking in water on the stovetop.

Here’s my broccoli recipe for picky eaters. I hope you love it too!

Stovetop Broccoli Recipe

5 from 3 votes
Learn how to cook broccoli on the stovetop that your family will enjoy with this easy, delicious recipe. It's so tasty and tender that I call this my broccoli recipe for picky eaters!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches broccoli, cleaned
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • water
  • butter, optional
  • salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Cut florets off each bunch of broccoli, taking care to cut florets into similar sizes as much as possible for even cooking. Clean stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove any stems or leaves. Cut upper part of stalk closet to florets into 1-inch thick slices.
  • Add broccoli to a heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with water and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Cook over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the stalk of a floret can be easily pierced with a fork.
  • Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon into a serving bowl. Serve warm with butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

TipDon’t cover the pot with a lid. Cook the broccoli florets covered with water and cook as directed uncovered. This should keep the broccoli bright green while covering it will make it turn a dark brown-green.ย 
Storage Tip:
The broccoli tastes best when eaten warm after cooking it, but it can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.ย 

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1263IU | Vitamin C: 181mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

5 from 3 votes

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Recipe Review




24 Comments

  1. Amy says:

    I like my broccoli cooked crisp (not cooked so much that it is mushy.) I like it harder.

  2. Tara @ Unsophisticook says:

    We’re broccoli lovers here too!

  3. Amy says:

    So pretty and green! This sure does make me crave broccoli.

  4. MarshaMarshaMarsha says:

    I personally like my broccoli cooked to death. But I will also eat it raw if need be. When I tried roasting broccoli, my boys wanted to know why I “burned” it! Broccoli is definitely their least favorite veggie. Cucumber and peas are their top green veg fave. While carrots (with brown sugar and butter) fall almost into the treat category for them.

  5. Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says:

    My broccoli lover would be all over this!

  6. Susie says:

    My husband and I always loved broccoli … and our son loved it … much to our surprise when our daughter came along and she questioned, and still questions EVERYTHING I wanted to put into her mouth .. to this day she isn’t a fan of broccoli. Fortunately, however, her daughters 3 of our 4 granddaughter (7 grandchildren in all) absolutely love it and whenever Grandma announces she is making it or asparagus … I get a “Yeah, my favorite” from them … ages 2, 3.5 and just 5! Absolutely warms this Grandma’s heart. They seem to prefer it more towards the ale dente then cooked to death… I’m just glad they like it!

  7. Shaina says:

    My kids have always claimed broccoli to be a favorite food, so fortunately I haven’t had to do much convincing in that department. Your recipe looks spot on to how I would make it as a quick and easy vegetable side. Perfect for cold winter nights and comfort food.

  8. Cassie | Bake Your Day says:

    I absolutely adore broccoli! This looks perfect!

  9. carolinaheartstrings says:

    Love broccoli and I am trying this tonight!

  10. MIss says:

    My kids just love broccoli and this is just how they like it!