Pan-fried broccoli with onions is made with 7 ingredients only and it’s ready in 15 minutes! The flavoring is provided by the great Japanese seven spice! This is an easy vegan keto side dish.

I love broccoli as much as the next person!

But, I need to change it up ever so often.

Adding onions to it and flavoring with Japanese Seven Spice makes all the difference!

I dare you to not love broccoli after this recipe!

Top and closeup view of cooked broccoli and onions on a blue plate with a steel serving spoon
Broccoli is crispy and tender when cooked in a pan stove-top

Ingredients

Here is a quick look at the ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the bottom of this post.

7 ingredients laid out on a flat surface with their measurement written on it.
These ingredients come together to make the perfectly delicious pan-fried broccoli
  • Broccoli – Broccoli is a superfood for good reasons! It’s a nutrition powerhouse because they have antioxidants, Vitamin C, vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium, potassium and Iron. Source: Diet Doctor, Good Housekeeping.
  • Onions – They have anti-inflammatory properties, help lower blood sugars, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Source: WebMD, TODAY.
  • Japanese Seven Spice (Shichi-mi tōgarashi) – I have been in love with it ever since I flavored my edamame with Japanese Seven Spice. This spice has a unique flavor that is salty and umami. It’s a blend of red and Sichuan pepper, ginger, white and black sesame seeds, orange peel, and nori flakes. It can be found in grocery stores or on (Affiliate Link) Amazon.
  • Lime Juice – The Vitamin C in lime juice helps the absorption of iron in broccoli and Japanese Seven Spices. It also adds a tang to the broccoli and onions, making them taste delicious.

🥦 Buying Tip: ALWAYS use organic broccoli because it is free of pesticides which can get into the groves of the florets.

Instructions

Step 1: Chopping the broccoli and onions

What the size of broccoli and onions when chopping it.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and the onions lengthwise, thickness of a quarter.

The secret to cooking this recipe in 15 minutes is how you cut the main ingredients. Broccoli are sliced into small florets, so they will cook quickly.

Onions are cut lengthwise and they are the thickness of a quarter (USA 25 Cents). This size will make them cook evenly and not overpower the broccoli.

Also, I use the broccoli stalk too. They are packed with nutrition and fiber, so it’s important to have them in this recipe. Cut them lengthwise and the size of a baby’s pinky finger.

Step 2: How to make pan-fried broccoli

collage of 6 images outlining the steps needed to make pan-fried broccoli
Pan-fried broccoli takes just 15 minutes to make and is made using 7 ingredients
  1. Preheat a stainless steel pan for 30 seconds on medium heat. Then add oil and garlic, mixing it. (Affiliate Link) This is the stainless steel pan I use.
  2. Gently add the onions to the pan. I didn’t caramelize them because I like them crispy. You can caramelize it by letting it cook for about 4-5 minutes or until it turns light brown.
  3. Add the broccoli gently.
  4. Top with salt and the Japanese Seven Spice. I mentioned ½ tsp of salt but ended up adding another ½ because my seven spice is not very salty. Adjust the salt to your taste.
  5. Gently mix well making sure that all broccoli is coated with the oil and spices. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. If you like it crispier, cook for 7 minutes, but no more.
  6. Drizzle with lime juice and serve.

🔥 Cooking tip: Keep the heat at medium through the cooking process. This will make the ingredients cook evenly.

Answering Common Questions

Top and closeup view of cooked broccoli and onions on a blue plate.
Cooking Broccoli in a Pan is the easiest thing ever!
How long to cook broccoli on the stove?

Broccoli should be cooked for 5 minutes stovetop. Pan-cooked broccoli will stay crispy and yet, tender enough to chew when the cook time is short.

Can I use broccolini in this recipe?

Broccolini would be just as perfect too. Stir-fried broccolini will taste good with Japanese seven spices. Just adjust the amounts of other ingredients to flavor it.

Can Japanese Seven Spices be made at home?

It’s unbelievably easy to make it at home. Just blend the ingredients and you have the perfect spice. There is even a Master Class on how to make Shichimi Togarashi.

Is Japanese Seven Spice vegan-friendly?

Yes, this spice is completely vegan-friendly. Some people are under the misconception that nori flakes are not vegan because they think it’s made from fish because of its smell. It’s just pressed seaweed, which comes from the ocean, giving it a fishy smell. Seaweed is a plant and that is why it is vegan. It’s an iodine and iron powerhouse!
I have created a guide to veganism, so check it out. It will answer so many questions.

🌿 Vegan Tip: Japanese Seven Spice is vegan-friendly because nori flakes are just pressed seaweed plants.

Oven roasting this broccoli recipe

Don’t want to pan-fry broccoli? You can roast the broccoli in the oven. Here’s how:
1. First, in a bowl, mix broccoli with all the ingredients (except the onions).
2. Then, spread out the broccoli on a baking sheet. Keep the oily mixture remaining at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Put the baking sheet in a 325°F pre-heated oven (162°C) and cook for 3 minutes.
4. While the broccoli is roasting, put the onions in the same bowl that you mixed the broccoli. Let the onions soak up the oily mixture in the bowl.
5. Pull out the broccoli sheet pan, put the onions next to the broccoli, and place the tray back into the oven.
6. Cook for 2 minutes, remove, and let it cool to touch before serving.

Got leftover broccoli? Put it into an easy broccoli casserole that is so easy to make and very filling.

Make ahead and store leftovers

Top view of cooked broccoli and onions on a blue plate with a steel serving spoon. Plate is on a chopping board with a green scarf on the side.
Change up your broccoli flavors by cooking it with Japanese Seven Spice and onions.

This pan-fried broccoli can be made in advance and used in meal prep recipes. I prefer making this right when I am ready to cook it because it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes.

If you have that option, cook this pan-fried broccoli fresh and consume it immediately. Reheating broccoli will make it lose more nutrition.

To store it, as always, I recommend using glass containers like these (Affiliate Link) Homberking glass meal prep containers. They are oven-safe so, reheating will be easier.

I am not going to give you my usual disclaimer of not microwaving them, because you already know the dangers of it by now, lol. I would rather eat cold broccoli than microwave it!

The onion adds a nice punch to the broccoli, so don’t skip on it. Talking about onions, have you tried this onion volcano on your Blackstone?

🕰 Consuming tip: Ideally, you want to eat this pan-fried broccoli immediately because the nutrition is at its maximum.

How to serve this pan-fried broccoli

I have enjoyed this broccoli by itself, but it is the perfect side to any meal. I have served it as a side to my whole cauliflower and my air fryer tempeh recipe. It makes for a more wholesome meal.

You can up its protein content by topping it with tofu crumbles or Thai-flavored edamame. Can’t decide which protein to use? I have a list of 8 complete vegan proteins to choose from. Learn more about complete proteins.

If you like your broccoli with a sauce on it, I have just the sauce you can top it with. This white sauce is so easy to make using just 4 ingredients. It will make the broccoli taste so good.

Yesterday, I served this pan-fried broccoli with my pineapple-fried rice and it was so good. If you are avoiding rice, then it tastes good with Cuban quinoa too.

💪 Protein Tip: This broccoli meal is great by itself but you can up its protein content by adding tofu, tempeh, or edamame.

Try these broccoli recipes

How do you keep from getting bored with broccoli?

Sharing is caring

Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this pan-fried broccoli recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram

Top and closeup view of cooked broccoli and onions on a blue plate with a steel serving spoon

How to cook broccoli in a pan

Rini
Pan-fried broccoli with onions is made with 7 ingredients only and it's ready in 15 minutes! The flavoring is provided by the great Japanese seven spice! This is an easy vegan keto side dish.
5 from 40 votes
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Make broccoli crispier (optional) 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 2 people
Calories 97 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 cloves garlic about 1 tsp after grating
  • ¼ onion about ⅓ cup after chopping
  • 3 cups broccoli about 2-3 whole broccoli
  • ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 Tbsp Japanese Seven Spice
  • 1 tsp lime juice or lemon juice

Instructions
 

Step 1: Chopping the vegetables

  • Cut the broccoli into small florets and the stalk into the size of a baby's pinky finger. Cut the onions lengthwise and the thickness of a quarter.

Step 2: Cooking the broccoli in a pan

  • Preheat a stainless steel pan for 30 seconds on medium heat.
  • Then add oil and garlic, mixing it for 30 seconds
    3 Tbsp avocado oil, 2 cloves garlic
  • Gently add the onions to the pan.
    ¼ onion
  • Slowly, add the broccoli over the onions
    3 cups broccoli
  • Top with salt and the Japanese Seven Spice.
    ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp Japanese Seven Spice
  • Gently mix well making sure that all broccoli is coated with the oil and spices.
  • Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Drizzle with lime juice and serve.
    1 tsp lime juice

Video

Notes

*** NUTRITION INFO IS APPROXIMATE
TIPS
– ALWAYS use organic broccoli because it is free of pesticides which can get into the groves of the florets.
– Keep the heat at medium through the cooking process. This will make the ingredient cook evenly.
– I didn’t caramelize them because I like them crispy. You can caramelize it by letting it cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they turn light brown.
– If you like it crispier, cook for 7 minutes, but no more than that.
– I mention ½ tsp of salt, but ended up added another ½ because my seven spice is not very salty. Adjust the salt to your taste.
– Ideally, you want to eat this pan-fried broccoli immediately because the nutrition is at it’s maximum.
– This broccoli meal is great by itself but you can up it’s protein content by adding tofu, tempeh or edamame.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal
Keyword broccoli and onions, how to cook broccoli in a pan, pan-fried broccoli
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12 Comments

  1. I usually roast my broccoli but your recipe inspired me to try pan-frying it. It turned out great! My husband wants me to make this again.

  2. Love quick and easy side dishes like this! The 7 spice really brings great flavor to the broccoli and where I usually do lemon, the lime at the end was a fun bright twist.

  3. This side dish is so delicious! I love how it turned out so tasty! Plus, the Japanese seven spices elevate its flavor! Such a great side dish recipe to try!

  4. This broccoli turned out great! I like the texture better than oven roasted broccoli which turns out a little dry. Pan fried is definitely the way to go!

  5. This is wonderful! I mixed together a seven spice blend a few months back and it has just been sitting in my cupboard as I pondered what to use it for. I just love how the savory flavors of cooked broccoli combine with the spices.

  6. This is so good! I’m not sure if it’s the seasoning or the texture that makes it taste so amazing, but I can’t stop eating this.