Pan-Steamed Broccolini with Portobello Mushrooms

This pan-steamed broccolini side dish is simple, quick, and delicious. It’s gluten-free and can be easily made vegan.

Steamed broccolini with portobello mushrooms isn’t a bad idea for a side dish, is it? At least this duo is more exciting than your average head of steamed broccoli. However, there’s more to these steamed veggies than meets the eye.

Not only does this recipe require just five steps, a handful of simple ingredients, and 12 minutes from start to finish (making it a perfect pairing for a weeknight dinner), but your taste buds will be surprised and delighted as you experience a flavor explosion with every bite.

I know, that the words “steamed vegetables” and “an explosion of flavor” are not often used in the same sentence. But you can trust me on this one. The secret weapons used to steam and flavor the broccolini and portobello mushrooms are common ingredients people use all the time. In my opinion, they just aren’t utilized enough when it comes to cooking vegetables. Ready to discover what they are? Drumroll, please… Garlic, a good broth, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes. So simple!

By the way, if you haven’t had broccolini before and you’re wondering what it is, it’s basically a hybrid of Chinese broccoli (gai lan) and regular broccoli. It’s long, crunchy, delicious, and slightly sweet.

Steamed Broccolini Recipe Nutrition Info and Substitutes

This steamed broccolini with portobello mushrooms is a great side dish if you’re cooking for company, especially if they’re nutrition enthusiasts. It’s naturally gluten-free and loaded with potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. The bright green hue of the cooked broccolini also shows off its rich chlorophyll content (a powerful antioxidant).

Just note that if you’re cooking for more than two people, you’ll want to double or triple this recipe.

If you’re cooking for vegan guests, you can use vegetable broth instead of meat broth. Also, don’t forget to also check your Worcestershire sauce label, because some brands include anchovies. If you need a vegan-friendly Worcestershire substitute, you could use coconut aminos.

If you’re a sous vide lover like me, this side dish makes a heavenly pairing with sous vide steak. As a bonus, you can use the sous vide steak juice in place of any broth to further elevate the flavor. If you go this route, you only need only three ingredients and five minutes to make this side dish. There’s a method for that down below.

Lastly, if your local grocery store doesn’t have broccolini or portobello mushrooms in stock, this recipe would also work well with brussels sprouts, asparagus, crimini mushrooms, and broccoli florets.

Not a spice or Worcestershire sauce fan? I’d recommend grating some lemon zest, coating with some lemon juice, and topping with grated parmesan cheese instead.

Sous Vide Steak Married with This Steamed Broccolini (Too Good Not to Try) 

One pan. Three ingredients. Five minutes. That’s all you need to make this tantalizing vegetable side dish when pairing it with a sous vide steak. You’ll use the steak juice in the sous vide bag to flavor the veggies. It requires far fewer ingredients than the original method because you have likely already seasoned your sous vide steak really well. The steak juice should offer plenty of flavors, which means you don’t need the other recommended seasonings listed in this recipe. 

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Sear your sous vide steak on the stove, transfer it from the pan to a serving plate and let it rest.
2. Place the broccolini and portobello mushrooms in the same pan over medium-high heat. No extra oil or butter is needed. What’s leftover in the pan from searing should suffice. 
3. Add the steak juice from the sous vide bag to the pan.
4. Cover and let steam for five minutes or so. Easy peasy! By the time your steak is rested and ready to be served, your broccolini and mushrooms are also done. Isn’t that great?

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