Pan-Fried Broccoli with Sesame Egg Ribbons is a quick, easy, and healthy meal. Loaded with vegetables and packed with protein, this simple low-carb dinner is gluten-free, paleo, and Whole 30 compliant.
There are a handful of recipes in my arsenal that seem almost too simple to share.
The kind of thing that I'll throw together on a busy and tired weeknight and eat right out of the pan because I can't be bothered to plate it, let alone wash up another dish.
The kind of thing I want to eat when I'm craving a big old bowl of vegetables for dinner, but I'm not in the mood for a salad.
The kind of thing that's warm, comforting, and packed with protein and flavour.
You guys, this Pan-Fried Broccoli recipe is exactly that kind of thing. It legit takes 10-ish minutes to throw together, and you get to eat an entire head of broccoli for dinner and still be super satisfied. It's a light and tasty dish I think you'll enjoy as much as I do.
What goes into this recipe?
You're just a handful of ingredients away from this simple and satisfying meal. You're gonna need to grab some:
- Broccoli --> The star of the show!
- Eggs --> Protein-packed support crew.
- Toasted sesame oil --> Bringing the flavour like woah.
- Sesame seeds --> I use a mixture of black and white to be fancy.
- Chili flakes --> To spice up your life.
That's pa-retty much it. I mean, you could get fancy with some hot sauce or mix up the vegetables, and I'll get into that below, but more or less we're talking a four-ingredient meal including the oil. That basically never happens, you guys. This is kind of a big deal.
How do you make this Pan-Fried Broccoli Dish?
Grab a pan and let's get started!
Step 1: Chop your broccoli into florets, and slice the stem into thin strips.
Step 2: Crack your eggs into a bowl and give 'em a good whisk, until they're a bit foamy even.
Step 3: Heat the oils in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the egg, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Cook for a minute or two, until the egg is set, then fold one half of the egg over the other to create a thin omelet.
Slide the egg out of the pan and onto a plate or cutting board.
Step 4: Return the pan to the heat and add the broccoli. Give it a good toss to coat with the hot oil, and then place a lid on the pan to lightly steam the broccoli as it cooks. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, removing the lid and stirring the broccoli 2-3 times throughout.
Step 5: While the broccoli is cooking, slice the egg into very thin strips.
Step 6: Add the egg to the pan and toss with the broccoli. Add sesame seeds, salt and pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes.
That's it! You're done! Now sit down and enjoy your meal. Or, you know, keep standing and eat it directly from the pan.
Pro tips / recipe notes:
- This dish comes together super fast if you have the broccoli chopped ahead of time.
- Feel free to mix up the veggies! I like adding other greens, like bok choy or ribbons of kale, baby corn, snow peas, etc.
- Want to make it vegan? Use tofu instead of the egg.
- Can I make this dish in advance? I prefer to eat this dish hot out of the pan, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't packed it for lunch before. It'll last a couple of days in your fridge.
- Can I freeze this dish? I don't recommend it.
- Is this recipe Whole 30 compliant? It sure is! Be sure to check your hot sauce ingredients if you're planning to use any.
Hey Nutrition Lady, are eggs healthy?
You bet they are!
Eggs are a natural, nutrient-rich whole food and an amazing source of high quality protein. Eggs contain all 8 B-vitamins, along with folic acid. Vitamin B12 and choline are particularly abundant in eggs.
But what about cholesterol? Well, several large-scale studies conducted recently have suggested that the cholesterol content of eggs in relation to heart disease may be less of a concern than previously thought.
Is one part of an egg better than the other? As it turns out, the nutrients found in an egg are distributed fairly evenly between the white and the yolk. The white has more protein, magnesium, potassium, and B3, whereas the yolk has more omega-3 fatty acids, folate, choline, B12, and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K.
Related: Pregnancy Nutrition Superfoods: Eggs
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Egg in a Squash Hole
Warm Zucchini Noodle Salad with Halloumi
Vegetarian Nicoise Salad
Vegetarian Frittata with Corn and Tomatoes
Curried Deviled Eggs
Pan-Fried Broccoli with Sesame Egg Ribbons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds black or white
- 1 large head of broccoli about 2 cups broken down into florets and chunks
- 2-3 large eggs lightly whisked
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat.
- Add sesame seeds to the hot dry pan, and toast for a few minutes until they are starting to turn brown and fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat the oils in the pan for a a minute, then add the eggs. Wait a minute while the bottom of the omelet browns ever so slightly, swirl the pan, then using a spatula fold the omelet in half, wait a moment, then slide it out of the pan onto a cutting board.
- Now add the broccoli florets and chunks to the oil that remains in the pan, and sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
- Sauté, stirring every minute or so until the raw edge is just barely gone. I like to cover the broccoli with a lid so it steams lightly as it cooks.
- Slice the omelet into very thin ribbons and add back into the pan. Toss everything together, and season with salt and pepper.
- Slide into a serving dish and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over top. Serve while still very warm.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published November 4, 2011. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on January 2, 2019. Last updated January 19, 2021.
alice k mynett says
Guess what?? Very timely! We just had this for dinner, and it was delicious!!
Katie Trant says
Yes! Glad you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do 🙂
Gail Hunt says
Really enjoyed. Sesame is my second favourite flavour, only eclipsed by lemon. I added snow peas. This is a Weight Watchers - friendly meal, and very filling. Thanks.
Katie Trant says
Sometimes I add a squeeze of lemon to the broccoli at the end of cooking, and it's delish! Snow peas are an awesome addition as well.
alison says
loved this dish. easy, tasty, nutritious! thanks Muffin Myth!
Allison says
Wow, love the simplicity of this one. Perfect for when I get home late and need something quick and delicious.
pamela says
made this last night, to accompany the 7 pumpkin snickerdoodles i had just scarfed down. Used black sesame seeds. Very tasty! (And for the doodles, half of them I rolled in score bits...YUM!)
themuffinmyth says
Woah, you just took those pumpkin snickerdoodles to a whole nother level!
Leanne says
Our husbands are SO similar in this way!! Jeff ate the same dinners for years on end before we met and I started cooking for him. I love the idea of a Thursday night fry and have never thought to slice an omelet and add it back in ... we will definitely be doing this soon! (Maybe tonight : )
Cammy says
Looks gorgeous. I call this kind of food "tastes good, feels good" food as it is delish and makes me feel great to eat.
themuffinmyth says
But what would you name the dish?
Colleen Monaghan says
I'm completely surprised by how much I enjoyed this! I'm not a sesame oil fan but decided to follow your recipe exactly (resisted the urge to add soy sauce - thankfully!). I can't believe how tasty it is. Just what the doctor ordered. Thank you for this one!
heather says
Mmmm. Just ate it. Threw in some spinach and peppers. The sesame oil and seeds really make it.
heather says
Now I know EXACTLY what to have for supper tonight. But my man isn't here ,so I'll have to heat the oil in a pan instead. Will that be OK?
themuffinmyth says
Very funny. Typo found and corrected. Spinach and peppers sounds good too. This is essentially a fried rice without the rice, there are so many possibilities for various combinations of ingredients.
Haley @ Health Freak College Girl says
yummm! this sounds so good. i love sesame oil 🙂
themuffinmyth says
I love sesame oil too, and a little goes a long way flavour wise. I hope you try it out.