Sauteed Broccoli with Feta
on May 25, 2022, Updated Aug 19, 2025
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If you know the 🇮🇹 Italian classic Aglio e Olio dish, then you KNOW the method is perfect for achieving big flavor super quick. “Aglio e olio” means 🧄 garlic and oil in Italian and this is the same technique for this Sauteed Broccoli with Feta recipe. This is one of the few ways you will get me to eat 🥦 broccoli and I can never have enough. I’d like to say I mixed Italy and 🇬🇷 Greece into one dish and you will not be disappointed.
Why You’ll Love Sauteed Broccoli with Feta
This 🥦 Sauteed Broccoli with Feta recipe will bring new life to boring broccoli. All you need is 2 additional minutes after blanching to unlock a new level of flavor. A quick sauté in 🫒 oil and garlic 🧄 is simply perfection and crumbling creamy and salty feta over the dish makes this irresistible. I love the addition of dill here, but you can use whatever chopped fresh 🌿 herb you like. It’s a side dish that comes together in minutes, but no one will ever forget it.
Ingredients
- Broccoli: Blanching and sautéing these happy little trees helps retain nutrients while giving them brilliant flavor and texture.
- Feta: Choosing a good quality feta in brine adds creaminess and saltiness to this dish for next-level depth of flavor.
- Salt: I use Redmond Real Salt to season the sauteed broccoli. It’s unprocessed and adds healthy minerals to each bite.
- Olive Oil: Since this dish has so few ingredients, a good quality olive oil is a must! It adds bold flavor when infused with garlic and forms the base of this recipe.
- Garlic: Sautéing the garlic gently in olive oil infuses this dish with flavor. You want the garlic soft and golden, not crispy and charred.
- Dill: This mild, tangy herb is the unsung hero of this recipe. Its cooling finish gives the broccoli and feta a lift and takes this dish from boring to bright.
Nonna’s Tip 🫛
If you don’t want to use broccoli you can certainly use this same method to sauté cauliflower, asparagus, snap peas, or green beans.
Tips and Tricks for Success
The beauty of this Sauteed Broccoli 🥦 and Feta 🧀 recipe is that it’s easy to make with only a few key ingredients. Even still, there are a few tips and tricks that can make this side dish stand out.
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: Since there are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe, you want to make sure to use the highest-quality 🏆 available. This allows the natural flavors to shine through in an unforgettable way.
- Cut the Broccoli into Uniform Pieces: We’re using the crown and stalk of the broccoli in this recipe – no waste here! The key is to peel the stalk to get down to the tender layer. Then chop 🔪 the florets and stalk into uniform size pieces so it all cooks evenly within the same timeframe.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Spread your broccoli evenly in the pan when sautéing. You’ll want to give it room to breathe so it gets nicely browned without overcooking. Avoid piling the broccoli high in the pan as it can create extra steam 😤, which can lead to a mushy texture.
Variations and Substitutions for Sauteed Broccoli with Feta
- I used Bulgarian-style feta for this recipe, but you can use any cheese you have on hand, such as goat cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Dill is optional but really underrated and delicious. We use dill in everything in Bulgaria and it’s absolutely a must for me. You could use 🌿 parsley or oregano instead.
- If you don’t like 🥦 broccoli you can certainly make this recipe with cauliflower, or use the same method to saute asparagus, 🫛 snap peas, or green beans.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon 🍋 at the end can really brighten up this dish with a burst of citrus.
- To give this Sauteed Broccoli and Feta a little kick, drizzle with chili oil before serving.
Best Served With
- Sauteed Broccoli with Feta can be served as a side to any main protein such as 🍗 grilled chicken, steak or fish.
- You could also mix it with pasta, 🍚 rice, or quinoa for a complete meal.
- Serve Sauteed Broccoli and Feta as a lunch bowl with a side of tofu, chickpeas or tuna, spinach, 🫑 bell peppers and rice.
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Sauteed Broccoli with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli , cut into florets, about 2 cups
- salt for the water
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup feta cheese, measure with your heart
- fresh dill , optional
Instructions
- Boil water on the stove and salt it. Boil the broccoli for 2 minutes making sure it still has a bite to it and it’s not mushy. Slice up the garlic into thin slices and add it to a saute pan with olive oil. Turn on the heat to medium and let it come up to temperature and let the garlic infuse with the oil.
- Once the garlic sizzles (be careful not to burn it) you can add in the cooked broccoli and give it a mix. Add in the feta and let it melt if you want to for about 1-2 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and garnish with a little bit of fresh finely and finely chopped dill. Enjoy
Nonna’s Notes
- Feta Cheese: I used Bulgarian-style feta for this recipe, but you can use any you have on hand.
- Herbs: Dill is optional but really underrated and delicious. We use dill in everything in Bulgaria and it’s absolutely a must for me. You could use parsley or oregano instead.
- Vegetable variations: If you don’t like broccoli you can certainly make this recipe with cauliflower, or use the same method to saute asparagus, snap peas, or green beans.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Common Questions
Yes, you can use cauliflower, sweet peas, asparagus or green beans instead.
We use dill in everything in Bulgaria and it’s absolutely a must for me, but you could certainly use parsley or oregano instead.
Yes, feel free to use your favorite non-dairy feta variety instead.
Salting the water is optional but recommended because it enhances the flavor of the broccoli. You could salt the broccoli after boiling it, if you prefer.
Add the sliced garlic to cold oil and heat them together on medium. This allows the garlic to infuse the oil without burning. Stir frequently and keep an eye on the garlic.
For best results, I would blanch the broccoli ahead of time and then sauté just before you’re ready to serve.
I use a method called blanching. Boil the broccoli for only 2 minutes and immediately remove it from the hot water to maintain its bite. You can also plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking process if you’re not sauteeing right after.
This was simple yet mouthwatering! 😊 Thank you for the recipe!
I am not really a feta girly, but with the broccoli, garlic and dill garnish, this was the perfect side dish!
We add toasted hazelnuts to this and use it as a side salad
Love it Ger! Thanks for sharing ❤️