Coated in olive oil and seasoned with garlic, grilled broccolini is an easy and delicious side dish you can put on the table in 10 minutes.
Grilled vegetables are always a treat. I love grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, and grilled portobello mushrooms. Steamed vegetables are lovely too, especially with a little butter. I enjoy steamed carrots, for example. But grilling adds something special. The heat brings out great flavor and creates a lightly browned, crispy texture. Grilled broccolini is a perfect example of how good simple grilled veggies can be.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Fresh broccolini: You'll need one large bunch for this recipe.
- Olive oil: You can substitute melted ghee for the oil.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. I sometimes add a sprinkle of onion powder.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Drizzle the broccolini with olive oil and sprinkle it with spices. Toss to coat.
Grill the broccolini, turning it often, until the stalks are tender-crisp and the tops are browned and caramelized.
Serve immediately. You can top the cooked broccolini with grated Parmesan cheese, as shown in the photo below.
Recipe Tips
- You don't want your grill too hot because then the broccolini will burn before it has a chance to become tender. Keep the heat at medium-high and lower as needed, especially if the stems are thick.
- How long you'll need to grill depends on the thickness of the stems. Medium ones should take about 8 minutes. For thin ones, 3-4 minutes is all it takes. Very thick stems can take up to 15 minutes to soften. Lower the heat to medium and cover (if your grill has a lid) to help the stems soften if they are very thick. The photo below shows the difference in thickness you can expect when shopping for broccolini.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The entire vegetable is edible. You can eat the stems, florets, and leaves. However, for thicker-stem broccolini, trim off the very bottom of the stems if they're tough. When grilling, I also remove the leaves, as shown below. Even though they are edible, they quickly burn on a hot grill. 
I prefer garlic powder (or garlic granules) to minced fresh garlic in this recipe. The powder better coats the broccolini and doesn't burn as easily as fresh garlic.
I don't usually use dried herbs, as they tend to burn on a hot grill.
You can use an outdoor grill, a grill pan, or an electric indoor grill. If using a dual-contact electric grill, you don't need to keep turning the vegetables, and the grilling time is a bit shorter.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled broccolini pairs well with chicken, meat, and seafood. Sometimes, I serve it with fried eggs, as shown in the image below, for a delicious meatless meal.
But since I use the grill to make this recipe, I like to serve it with something I can make on the same grill. So, I often serve this side dish with grilled skirt steak, grilled shrimp, or grilled chicken breast. In the photo below, you can see a recent meal I served my family. It included grilled salmon, broccolini, and sauteed mushrooms.
An especially enjoyable way to serve grilled broccolini is as a snack with a dip. In the image below, you can see it served with tahini dip.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They become soggy when refrigerated. One way to mitigate that is to place them on paper towels and replace the towels daily.
You can serve them cold in a salad, as shown in the photo below, or reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. I don't recommend reheating them in the microwave because of the sogginess issue.
Recipe Card
Easy Grilled Broccolini
Video
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccolini - 8 ounces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - or avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat a dual-contact electric grill, a grill pan, or an outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, on a large platter, drizzle the broccolini with olive oil and sprinkle it with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Use your hands to toss everything together until the broccolini is well-coated.1 bunch broccolini, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Grill the broccolini, turning it often, until the stalks are tender-crisp and the tops are browned and caramelized. How long you'll need to grill depends on the thickness of the stems. Medium ones should take about 8 minutes. For thin ones, 3-4 minutes is all it takes. Very thick stems can take up to 15 minutes to soften. Lower the heat to medium and cover (if your grill has a lid) to help the stems soften if they are very thick.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You don't want your grill too hot because then the broccolini will burn before it has a chance to become tender.
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- I prefer garlic powder (or garlic granules) to minced fresh garlic in this recipe. The powder coats the broccolini more evenly and doesn't burn as easily as fresh garlic.
- The entire vegetable is edible. You can eat the stems, florets, and leaves. However, for thicker-stem broccolini, trim off the very bottom of the stems if they're tough. I do remove the leaves, as they can burn on a hot grill.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They become soggy when refrigerated. One way to mitigate that is to place them on paper towels and replace the towels daily. You can serve them cold in a salad or reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. I don't recommend reheating them in the microwave because of the sogginess issue.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Lisa says
It was great - will definitely make again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Lisa! Thank you very much for the review.
alice says
So simple and easy and sooooo good!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Alice! Thank you for leaving a comment.
alison says
This is the simplest most delicious vegetable recipe ever. I doubled the black pepper and garlic powder. I also think garlic powder is better than fresh garlic as fresh garlic would burn. (I grilled it outside.)
Vered DeLeeuw says
So glad you liked this recipe, Alison!